Chicken Marsala Meatballs with Mushrooms

As a big fan of chicken marsala, when I came across the idea for marsala chicken meatballs, I knew I had to create my own version. These chicken marsala meatballs are juicy, packed with flavour, easy to make and great for meal prep and a quick dinner. The creamy mushroom marsala sauce is perfect paired with the meatballs over polenta, pasta, rice or mashed potatoes. So choose your own adventure friends!

Ingredients

• ground chicken (I prefer using a mix of white and dark meat here, but you do you)
• breadcrumbs
• milk
• egg
• parsley
• garlic
• mushrooms
• shallot
• dry marsala wine
• chicken stock/broth
• heavy cream
• polenta (for serving, optional)

How to Make Chicken Marsala Meatballs

The chicken marsala meatballs are fairly easy and quick to throw together. Plus, they can be prepped in advance and reheated in the sauce when making it fresh.

In a small bowl, combine some of the breadcrumbs with the milk and set aside for about ten minutes to thicken.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the egg, parsley, garlic, salt and pepper. Stir in the soaked breadcrumbs and chicken and gently mix. Stir in the reserved 1/3 cup breadcrumbs, as needed to make the mixture hold together better.

Form the meat mixture into balls, using about 2 1/2 tablespoons of meat per ball. Use a cookie scoop to make this quick and easy.

Place the balls on a baking sheet and spray with avocado oil. Broil for six to seven minutes, until just starting to brown on top. Set them aside while you make the sauce.

How to Make the Creamy Marsala Sauce

In a large, deep skillet, over medium heat drizzle in the oil. Once hot, add the mushrooms and cook until most of the water has released, about six to seven minutes. Add the shallot and cook until softened, about four minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about one minute, reducing the heat if needed.

Remove the mushroom mixture and set the skillet over medium-low heat. Add the butter and let it melt and then pour in the flour. Stir with a wooden spoon until the flour has been absorbed by the butter, about one minute. Continue cooking, stirring constantly until the mixture is fairly smooth and thickened, up to one more minute.

Pour in the marsala and whisk constantly to incorporate the roux into the liquid. Increase the heat to medium to bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Cook until the marsala has reduced by about half, about three to four minutes.

Pour in the stock and heavy cream and season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium low and add the chicken meatballs to the sauce. Cover with a lid and cook for about five to six minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through completely.

Serve the meatballs with polenta, spooning more of the sauce over top. Garnish with parsley and season with more salt and pepper, as needed.

Tips

• Choose your baking sheet wisely: I don’t use parchment paper often if I don’t need to and especially if broiling as it will burn and is not oven safe at that high of a heat. I recommend using good quality, light coloured baking sheets like these ones (I love them and own two, they are the BEST!).
• Don’t skip the roux: cooking the flour and butter first before making the sauce will help your sauce thicken a little more. Technically, you can skip it, but, the creamy sauce will be on the thinner side.
• Add the breadcrumbs as needed: soaking the breadcrumbs with the milk and adding this to the ground chicken will result in a wetter chicken mixture, but this also means they will be super moist, fluffy and delicious. The remaining breadcrumbs should be added as needed to be able to form the chicken into balls so they hold together better.
• Dark meat: I typically use dark ground chicken meat (or turkey) rather than white meat as it has a lot more flavour and won’t dry out as much. If you can, use a mix of the two or all dark meat.
• Prep ahead: to make this a simpler weeknight meal, make the meatballs ahead and then reheat them on low with the marsala sauce until warmed through. The marsala sauce is best made fresh/the day of.

Ingredients & Products I Recommend:

Kosher salt:

I exclusively use Diamond Crystal kosher salt for all of my recipes. I prefer the texture, taste and consistency of this brand and highly recommend it for everyday cooking.

Polenta: 

I use Bob’s Red Mill polenta because I love the brand and the consistency of the product.

Ready to make this? Let’s go!

If you make these chicken marsala meatballs, please let me know by tagging me on Instagram, or leave a comment and/or review below!‍

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