Tender meatballs swimming in a rich, garlicky cream sauce — these creamy Tuscan garlic butter chicken meatballs with sun-dried tomatoes are one-pan cozy dinner magic. Juicy chicken meatballs, sweet-tart sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, and parmesan melt into a velvety Tuscan sauce that’s pure comfort.
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 1/3 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan, plus more for serving
- 1 egg
- 3 cloves garlic, minced, divided
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and sliced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan, for the sauce
- Fresh basil, for garnish
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix the ground chicken, breadcrumbs, parmesan, egg, half the garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper until just combined — don’t overmix.
- Roll into 1½-inch meatballs (about 20) and set aside.
- Heat the butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the meatballs for 3–4 minutes per side until golden, then remove and set aside.
- In the same skillet, cook the remaining garlic and the sun-dried tomatoes for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Pour in the cream and chicken broth, scraping up the browned bits, and simmer gently for 3–4 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Stir in the parmesan until melted, then add the spinach and cook until just wilted.
- Return the meatballs to the skillet, spoon over the sauce, cover, and simmer on low for 8–10 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through.
- Serve hot, garnished with basil and extra parmesan, over pasta, rice, or crusty bread.
Tip: Keep the meatballs tender by mixing gently and not packing them too tightly. If the sauce gets too thick, loosen it with a splash of chicken broth.