This Marry Me Chicken Meatball Pasta with Basil Pesto is a flavorful twist on the viral favorite. Tender homemade chicken meatballs simmer in a creamy, sun-dried tomato “marry me” sauce, loaded with parmesan cheese, fresh basil, garlic, and pesto. Tossed with pasta for a complete, comfort-filled dinner, it’s a recipe that’s impressive and surprisingly easy to make!
I love this dish because the meatballs are cooked in the same pan that the sauce is made in making for easy clean up! The chicken meatballs stay super moist from the parmesan cheese and pesto but get a little crispy when pan frying. The basily, sun dried tomato sauce is creamy but thick enough to stick to the meatballs.
This would make an amazing meatball sub paired with a toasted hoagie bun or a garlic roll! Any type of pasta works for this dish but I prefer a small shape that can hold some of the sauce like farfalle, rigatoni, or mostaccioli.
If you’re a fan of this you’ll also like my chicken piccata meatballs or these marry me baked dumplings which are my spin on the viral baked dumpling trend! Find all of my dinner recipes here for more inspiration!
Why You’ll Love These
This recipe takes the beloved flavors of creamy marry me chicken and gives a fresh twist with homemade chicken meatballs, pasta, and a swirl of basil pesto. It’s rich and comforting, but still bright thanks to the fresh basil and sun-dried tomatoes.
The whole dish comes together in under an hour, making it just as perfect for weeknights as it is for Sunday dinner! Plus, it’s easy to customize to your liking, swap the pasta, change the protein, or add extra veggies to make it your own.
-Rachel
Perfect Pairing: Kickin’ Chicken Blend
This blend brings bold, savory flavor to any chicken dish. It’s a mix of herbs, garlic, and a touch of heat that gives perfectly seasoned, golden brown results every time. Try it on baked, grilled, or air fried chicken. It also adds great flavor to veggies and potatoes.
Key Meatball Ingredients
- Farfalle pasta: sturdy enough to hold the sauce; penne, rigatoni, or spaghetti also work.
- Ground chicken: keeps the meatballs moist; can substitute ground beef, turkey, or pork.
- Plain bread crumbs: helps bind the meatballs; panko or crushed crackers can be used.
- Garlic: adds savory depth; garlic powder works in a pinch.
- Parmesan cheese, shredded: adds richness and saltiness; pecorino Romano is a good swap.
- Basil pesto: adds herby freshness; homemade or store-bought both work.
- Extra virgin olive oil: for browning the meatballs; avocado oil or canola oil can also be used.
- Red onion or shallot, finely diced: adds sweet, mild onion flavor; yellow or white onion can be used.
- Tomato paste: rich, concentrated tomato flavor; tomato purée can work but will be less intense.
- Heavy cream: makes the sauce silky and rich; half-and-half for a lighter version.
- Sun-dried tomatoes, julienned: adds tangy-sweet flavor; roasted red peppers are a good substitute.
- Fresh basil leaves: garnish that adds freshness; parsley or oregano leaves can also be used.
How to Make The Meatballs
Let’s talk a little about how to make the Marry Me Chicken Meatball Pasta with Basil Pesto (The printable instructions are in the recipe card below.)
Quick Overview:
- Make meatball mixture and roll.
- Pan fry, make sauce, combine.
- Cook pasta. Toss everything together!
- Cook Farfalle according to package directions, reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water for the sauce. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl combine ground chicken, bread crumbs, garlic, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, parmesan, and pesto. Mix well to combine. Use a 1 oz. portion scoop or a measuring spoon to scoop about 1 oz. meatballs. Roll into balls and place onto a sheet pan.
- In a large braising pan or Dutch oven heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Once warm, add in the meatballs, sear until golden brown on each side and cooked through, 8-10 minutes. Remove cooked meatballs from the skillet and set aside.
- Keeping the heat over medium-high, add in the diced onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes until onion begins to soften. Add in the garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Sauté for another 1-2 minutes.
- Mix in the reserved pasta water, stir to combine, let simmer. Mix in the tomato paste, basil pesto, heavy cream, and sun dried tomatoes. Remove from the heat and stir in the parmesan cheese until melted.
- Add the cooked meatballs back to the pan along with the fresh basil. Stir everything to combine. Toss with the cooked pasta and enjoy immediately topped with extra parmesan cheese and more fresh basil!
Marry Me Chicken Meatball Pasta with Basil Pesto
Equipment
Ingredients
- 12 oz. Package Farfalle pasta , cooked according to package directions
For the meatballs:
- 1 lb. Ground chicken
- 1/2 cup Plain bread crumbs
- 2-3 cloves Garlic, minced
- 2 tsp Kosher salt
- Fresh cracked black pepper
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
- 2 tbsp Basil pesto, homemade or store-bought
- 2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
For the marry me sauce:
- 1 small Red onion or shallot, finely diced
- 2-3 cloves Garlic , minced
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- Fresh cracked black pepper
- 1/2 cup Reserved pasta water
- 6 oz. Tomato paste
- 1/2 cup Basil Pesto , homemade or store-bought
- 2 cups Heavy cream
- 6 oz. Sun dried tomatoes packed in oil, julienned , drain excess oil
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
- Fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- Cook Farfalle according to package directions, reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water for the sauce. Set aside.12 oz. Package Farfalle pasta
- In a large mixing bowl combine ground chicken, bread crumbs, garlic, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, parmesan, and pesto. Mix well to combine. Use a 1 oz. portion scoop or a measuring spoon to scoop about 1 oz. meatballs. Roll into balls and place onto a sheet pan.1 lb. Ground chicken, 1/2 cup Plain bread crumbs , 2-3 cloves Garlic, 2 tsp Kosher salt, Fresh cracked black pepper, 1 tbsp Italian seasoning , 1 cup Parmesan cheese, 2 tbsp Basil pesto
- In a large braising pan or Dutch oven heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Once warm, add in the meatballs, sear until golden brown on each side and cooked through, 8-10 minutes. Remove cooked meatballs from the skillet and set aside.2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
- Keeping the heat over medium-high, add in the diced onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes until onion begins to soften. Add in the garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Sauté for another 1-2 minutes.1 small Red onion or shallot, 2-3 cloves Garlic , 1 tbsp Italian seasoning , 1 tsp kosher salt, Fresh cracked black pepper
- Mix in the reserved pasta water, stir to combine, let simmer. Mix in the tomato paste, basil pesto, heavy cream, and sun dried tomatoes. Remove from the heat and stir in the parmesan cheese until melted.1/2 cup Reserved pasta water , 6 oz. Tomato paste , 1/2 cup Basil Pesto , 2 cups Heavy cream , 6 oz. Sun dried tomatoes packed in oil, julienned , 1 cup Parmesan cheese
- Add the cooked meatballs back to the pan along with the fresh basil. Stir everything to combine. Toss with the cooked pasta and enjoy immediately topped with extra parmesan cheese and more fresh basil!Fresh basil leaves
Notes
- Make ahead: You can shape the meatballs up to 24 hours in advance, store them covered in the fridge, and cook when ready.
- Pasta choice: Short pasta like farfalle, penne or rigatoni holds the creamy sauce well, but spaghetti or fettuccine works too.
- Adjust the heat: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce for a little extra kick.
- Sauce consistency: If the sauce thickens too much, loosen it with a splash of pasta water or broth before serving.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days; reheat gently with a splash of broth or cream.
Nutrition
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Storage & Reheating
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. For the best texture, store pasta and sauce separately if possible. If freezing, meatballs and sauce can be frozen without the pasta. Place in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating and toss with fresh cooked pasta.
Reheating: Warm on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a splash of broth or cream to loosen the sauce if needed. For a single serving, reheat gently in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! If you’re short on time, you can use pre-cooked meatballs. Just warm them in the sauce until heated through before adding the pasta. Chicken, pork, or beef meatballs all work great.
You totally can, serve the meatballs and sauce over polenta, zucchini noodles, mashed potatoes, or roasted vegetables for a lower-carb option. These are also great with just the meatballs and sauce.
Both homemade and store-bought pesto work well. For the best flavor, choose one with fresh basil as the first ingredient.
Yes! Swap the cream for full-fat coconut milk and use a dairy-free cheese substitute.
Meatballs can fall apart for a handful of reasons, it usually has to do with the binding agents used. One issue can be that the meatball mixture had too many or too few breadcrumbs. Breadcrumbs help keep the mixture together, but to many can make the mixture to dry and it will begin to wall apart. Chicken is more moist than beef, so adding the correct amount of bread crumbs and parmesan is important.
Leftover marry me meatballs can be stored for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
Tools I Recommend
- Tongs – A must kitchen utensil, perfect for cooking the meatballs. I love these locking tongs for saving space and the different sizes are useful for different recipe needs.
- Enamel cast iron skillet: this Le Creuset cast iron skillet is my go to. With the enamel coating it is super easy to clean and you can cook both on the stove top and in the oven making it great for recipes like this. It’s the perfect size for family dinners.
- Wooden Spoons – perfect for sautéing and mixing, and great for not scratching your pans. Remember to deep clean your wooden utensils once a month!
- Cheese Grater – this grater is a must if you grate your own cheese! It’s also handy for several other things, like shaving chocolate, shredding vegetables, zesting, or grinding spices.
Did you try this recipe?
Let me know what you thought by leaving a comment below and sharing your final dish on Instagram, Facebook, & Pinterest!
Cheers!
-Rachel
