Marry Me Chicken Meatballs With Orzo

Elevate your pasta game with this delicious and easy Marry Me Chicken Meatballs Orzo recipe. A drool-worthy twist on the popular Marry Me Chicken recipe, that combines juicy chicken meatballs, orzo pasta, and a rich creamy sauce.

Check out my Marry Me Skillet Lasagna recipe!

Marry me chicken recipes are having A MOMENT. You can easily see why, as soon as you have a taste. The combination of tender chicken, creamy sauce, sun-dried tomatoes and spinach is out of this world delicious. Why is it called Marry Me Chicken? Because this recipe is so darned tasty it is worthy of a marriage proposal  🙂

My Crockpot Marry Me Chicken recipe is already popular with you guys so I just KNOW you will love this one-pan Marry Me Chicken Meatballs recipe, especially since we are adding orzo pasta to make it an all-in-one meal. And if you’ like this but are looking for a vegetarian Marry Me option, you could always enjoy my Marry Me Chickpeas Pasta – quick, easy and delicious!

Here’s What You’ll Need

A large casserole dish (such as my beloved Le Creuset) or chef’s pan to make this recipe. Something big enough to fit all those tasty meatballs, pasta and zesty, creamy sauce!

• Ground chicken (chicken mince) – lean and healthy and perfect for meatballs
• Sun-dried tomatoes or sun-dried tomato pesto
• Onion, finely chopped or grated
• Olive oil or oil from the sun-dried tomatoes
• Panko or fresh breadcrumbs
• Grated Parmesan
• butter and olive oil
• onion and garlic cloves
• sun-dried tomatoes or pesto
• white wine (or cooking sherry)
• chicken broth / chicken stock
• heavy cream or evaporated milk
• grated Parmesan cheese
• baby spinach

If the mixture feels too wet to shape: don’t add more dry panko – it keeps releasing moisture as the meatballs cook. The reliable fix is to swap in a handful of fresh breadcrumbs soaked briefly in milk and squeezed out, which binds the mixture far better. Chill the shaped meatballs for 20–30 minutes before cooking so they hold their shape.

How to Make Marry Me Meatballs

Prepare the Meatballs

1. Blitz the sun-dried tomatoes and onion in a mini chopper or finely chop by hand.
2. Combine the ground chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, onion, Panko breadcrumbs, egg, Parmesan, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Mix really well with a wooden spoon or your hands.

1. Use a small cookie scoop to make the meatballs, about 24 golf-ball sized ones. Roll with oiled hands to make them perfectly round.

Cook the Meatballs

1. Heat olive oil in a large casserole dish and pan fry the meatballs for about 5 minutes, gently turning them over so that they are nicely browned on all sides. Scoop them out of the pan and set aside.

NOTE: At this point the meatballs will not be cooked all the way through but we will be adding them into the sauce to finish cooking.

Make the Orzo

1. Add a splash of white wine or sherry to the hot pan to deglaze, using a wooden spoon to scrape any stuck browned bits in the pan loose. Cook the wine down until it is almost gone (you can tell as the wine aroma will disappear).

1. Stir in the butter until it starts to sizzle then add the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring, over medium low heat until softened.
2. Add the orzo and sun-dried tomatoes or pesto and stir to combine. Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a simmer.

1. Place the meatballs back into the pan and cook for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the orzo from sticking.

1. Add the cream and grated Parmesan and finally stir in the chopped spinach, allowing to just wilt down. Check the seasoning and garnish with some extra freshly-grated Parmesan. Et Voila! Your marry-me chicken meatballs are ready to be served!

Recipe Notes and Tips

• Marry me meatballs are just as delicious served over rice or mashed potatoes. If you wish to make this recipe without including the orzo, use only 1 cup (250ml) of broth and follow the method as written.

• The recipe is not suitable for freezing but you can definitely freeze the meatballs on their own. They can be frozen before cooking – spread them on a tray, freeze until solid then transfer to a ziplock bag and use within six weeks. You can add them to a sauce straight from frozen – just make sure they are cooked all they way through before serving.

For another one-pan orzo dinner, try my One Pot Chicken Scarpariello Orzo – crispy chicken thighs and Italian sausage with sweet-tangy drop peppers.