Description
Rich, creamy, and incredibly flavorful chicken meatballs served in a garlic-parmesan sun-dried tomato sauce. This easy weeknight dinner is ready in 30 minutes and uses simple pantry ingredients.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound ground chicken (thigh mix preferred)
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (for meatballs)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 large egg
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (for browning)
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (for sauce)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine ground chicken, Parmesan, breadcrumbs, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, egg, salt, and pepper. Mix gently with hands until just combined.
- Form the mixture into 16-20 meatballs, about 1.5 inches each.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown meatballs in a single layer for 2-3 minutes per side until golden. Remove to a plate, leaving fond in the pan.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add sun-dried tomatoes to the skillet and sauté for 1 minute. Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes, cooking for 30 seconds.
- Pour in chicken broth to deglaze the pan, scraping up browned bits. Stir in heavy cream and simmer for 2-3 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Add fresh spinach and stir until wilted (1-2 minutes).
- Return meatballs to the skillet, nestling them into the sauce. Simmer for 2 minutes to absorb flavor.
- Remove from heat, stir in fresh basil, and serve immediately over pasta, rice, or cauliflower rice.
Notes
Do not overmix the meat to avoid tough meatballs. Use freshly grated Parmesan for better melting. If using frozen spinach, thaw and squeeze out all excess water. For a dairy-free version, substitute heavy cream with coconut cream and Parmesan with nutritional yeast.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: Approximately 4 meat
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 3
- Sodium: 450
- Fat: 28
- Saturated Fat: 12
- Carbohydrates: 8
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 22
Keywords: chicken meatballs, tuscan chicken, creamy sauce, sun-dried tomatoes, easy dinner, weeknight meals, gluten-free option, low-carb