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Marry Me Chicken Meatballs 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, creamy orzo pasta, and a rich tomato cream sauce.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
35 mins
Servings: 6
Calories: 450 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

FOR THE MEATBALLS
  • ½ cup (66g) sun-dried tomatoes , drained (reserve the oil) *see note 1
  • 1 onion , roughly chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • Handful fresh basil leaves
  • 1 lb. (500g) ground chicken (chicken mince) *see note 2
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp ground pepper
  • 3 tbsp grated parmesan
  • ½ cup (75g) Panko breadcrumbs, more if needed
TO COOK
  • 2 tbsp of the sun-dried tomato oil or olive oil
  • 2 tbsp dry white wine or cooking sherry
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 onion finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • ½ cup (66g) sun-dried tomatoes, chopped *see note 1
  • 1 ½ cups (300g) orzo pasta
  • 3 cups (720ml) chicken broth or stock made using 2 chicken stock cubes
  • ⅓ cup (80ml) cream, heavy / double
  • 3 tbsp grated parmesan plus extra to serve
  • 7 oz (200g) baby spinach leaves , roughly chopped

Instructions

MAKE THE MEATBALLS
    Cup of Yum
  1. Blitz the sundried tomatoes, onion, garlic and basil leaves in a mini chopper or finely chop by hand. Empty into a large mixing bowl/
  2. Add the ground chicken, Panko breadcrumbs, egg, Parmesan, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper into the bowl. Mix really well with a wooden spoon or your hands.
  3. 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. 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.
PUT IT ALL TOGETHER
  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.
  2. Stir in the butter until it starts to sizzle then add the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring, over medium low heat until softened.
  3. Add the orzo and sundried tomatoes or pesto and stir to combine. Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a simmer.
  4. Place the meatballs back into the pan and cook for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the orzo from sticking.
  5. Add the cream and grated Parmesan and finally stir in the chopped spinach, allowing to just wilt down. Your marry-me chicken meatball orzo is ready to be served!

Notes

  • Note 1: replace the sundried tomatoes with sundried tomato pesto (I like the Belazu brand).
  • Note 2: you can use ground turkey or pork instead of the chicken if preferred.

Nutrition Information

Calories 450kcal (23%) Carbohydrates 51g (17%) Protein 26g (52%) Fat 17g (26%) Saturated Fat 5g (25%) Polyunsaturated Fat 3g Monounsaturated Fat 7g Trans Fat 0.1g Cholesterol 104mg (35%) Sodium 682mg (28%) Potassium 1443mg (41%) Fiber 6g (24%) Sugar 11g (22%) Vitamin A 3413IU (68%) Vitamin C 21mg (23%) Calcium 152mg (15%) Iron 5mg (28%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 450

% Daily Value*

Calories 450kcal 23%
Carbohydrates 51g 17%
Protein 26g 52%
Fat 17g 26%
Saturated Fat 5g 25%
Polyunsaturated Fat 3g 18%
Monounsaturated Fat 7g 35%
Trans Fat 0.1g 5%
Cholesterol 104mg 35%
Sodium 682mg 28%
Potassium 1443mg 31%
Fiber 6g 24%
Sugar 11g 22%
Vitamin A 3413IU 68%
Vitamin C 21mg 23%
Calcium 152mg 15%
Iron 5mg 28%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.