Tender, juicy, and rich, these Creamy Dairy Free ‘Marry Me’ Chicken Meatballs are comfort food made easy. Savory, baked chicken meatballs are tossed in a silky, sun-dried tomato cream sauce made with coconut milk. They’re also completely gluten-free, grain-free, and egg-free — a cozy, flavor-packed 30-minute meal the whole family will love!
As the creator of hundreds of gluten-free and dairy-free recipes, I love making classic dishes allergy-friendly without skimping on bold, delicious flavor!
And this chicken meatball recipe is no exception. In this dairy-free twist on the viral Marry Me Chicken, I create a rich, creamy sauce–without the heavy cream or parmesan cheese. Plus, instead of chicken breasts, I’m making juicy, flavor-packed meatballs.
Like all my meatball recipes, these are completely egg-free and grain-free — no breadcrumbs or flour, not even the gluten-free versions.
HOT TAKE: You don’t need cheese, breadcrumbs, or eggs to make the juiciest, most flavorful meatballs. No fillers or binders required!
Like my Sticky Honey Lemon Chicken Meatballs, these baked meatballs stay tender thanks to olive oil and onions, and are seasoned with a simple blend of savory dried herbs.
For the luscious, velvety sauce, I use coconut milk, just like in my Chicken Meatballs in Creamy Mushroom Sauce. I promise it doesn’t have an overpowering coconut taste!
The rest of the sauce stays true to marry me chicken’s classic flavors, with sun-dried tomatoes as the standout ingredient. They add a vibrant color and a tangy depth, balanced by garlic, chicken broth, and crushed red pepper flakes for warmth and flavor. Fresh basil tops it off for a bright, herbaceous bite.
Ingredient Notes
- If you don’t need this recipe to be grain-free, feel free to use cornstarch instead of arrowroot starch.
- I couldn’t find sun-dried tomatoes in oil so I tested with the dry ones and found I needed less than I thought. If you’re using the ones packed in oil, I’d recommend using a bit more than what the dried version calls for.
- Full fat coconut milk from a can, not boxed or ‘lite’, is my dairy-free milk of choice in this recipe because of its thickness. Cashew milk would be my second option, although I don’t think it’d be as silky.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Meal Prep Tip: Meatballs are easy to whip up on busy weeknights, but I also like to batch cook them during my Sunday meal prep and freeze half. That way, I can mix and match with sides for a quick lunch or dinner during the week!
Storage & Reheating Instructions
- Fridge: Store cooled, baked meatballs or leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: You can freeze these meatballs either baked or unbaked for up to 3 months. Thaw them in the fridge overnight.
- Place unbaked meatballs on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until firm. Then, transfer them to a freezer-safe, resealable bag or container. Place them in even layers separated by parchment paper.
- Store baked meatballs, with or without the sauce, in a freezer-safe, resealable bag or container.
- Reheating: Reheat leftovers or thawed, cooked meatballs on the stovetop or in the microwave until heated through. You may need to add a splash of water to thin out the sauce.
- For thawed, uncooked meatballs, bake as directed, adding extra time if needed.
As the creator of an online gluten-free and dairy-free baking school, I know how difficult it can be to find dairy and gluten-free dishes that taste as delicious as their conventional counterparts. These Creamy Marry Me Chicken Meatballs are juicy, stay together, and full of rich, creamy flavor without any dairy, gluten, grains, or eggs! If you try this dish, I would appreciate it if you would give the recipe a rating and review. Be sure to snap a picture of the finished product and share it with me on Instagram by tagging @healmedelicious and using the hashtag #healmedelicious.
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Creamy Dairy Free Marry Me Chicken Meatballs (GF)
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 18 meatballs 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Tender, juicy, and rich, these Creamy Dairy Free ‘Marry Me’ Chicken Meatballs are comfort food made easy. Savory, baked chicken meatballs are tossed in a silky, sun-dried tomato cream sauce made with coconut milk. They’re also completely gluten-free, grain-free, and egg-free — a cozy, flavor-packed 30-minute meal the whole family will love!
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 lb ground chicken or ground turkey
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 3/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 TBSP olive oil
Marry Me Chicken Sauce
- 2 TBSP olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup dry sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (or about 1/3 – 1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, oil drained)
- 2 cups canned full fat coconut milk
- 1/2 cup chicken bone broth or stock
- 1 TBSP apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar
- 1 TBSP arrowroot starch + 1 TBSP water
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped (plus more for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, onion, garlic powder, dried oregano, dried thyme, sea salt, black pepper, and olive oil. Stir until evenly distributed and well combined, using your hands if necessary. Avoid overpacking the meat.
- Using a large spoon, scoop, or your hands, shape the seasoned meat into meatballs about 1-inch in diameter. Place the meatballs in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.*
- Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 15 minutes or until the meatballs reach an internal temperature of 165F. Once baked, remove from oven and set aside.
- To a large skillet, add olive oil over medium heat. Sauté minced garlic until almost golden brown and add red pepper flakes and sun-dried tomatoes to the pan. Cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, adding a splash of water or a TBSP more oil if necessary.
- Add the coconut milk, chicken bone broth, and apple cider vinegar, and bring to a simmer.
- In a small bowl, combine arrowroot starch and water. Whisk the slurry into the pan to thicken the sauce.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper to taste.**
- Stir in the fresh basil and transfer meatballs to pan, garnishing with even more basil if desired.
- Serve hot with ‘plain’ sides that will soak up the sauce and flavor like rice, gluten-free pasta, dairy-free mashed potatoes, or gluten-free bread.
Notes
*Space out the meatballs to avoid overcrowding the baking sheet. Use two baking sheets if needed.
**Adjust for salt depending on your preference and the sodium content of your broth/stock.
The sauce doesn’t have a strong coconut flavor. If the sun-dried tomato flavor is too strong for you, you can cut it with more coconut milk.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Mains
- Method: Baked & Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian inspired
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