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Crockpot Greek Chicken Meatballs with Creamy Tomato Orzo. Turning a meatball and pasta dinner into an easy slow cooker meal. We’re using white wine, garlic, herbs, and orzo today. Add in some vibrant summer cherry tomatoes for veggies, flavor, and a pop of color. This slow-cooked chicken meatball dinner is a delicious meal to come home to at the end of the day. And the best part? It’s the easiest, cozy, but still summery dinner to prepare. Directions for the Instant Pot and stove-top are also provided!
When it comes to sharing recipes, there are definitely times when I’m not sure what to make. I can be very indecisive. If I don’t love the idea on paper I tend to not even give the recipe a try.
When I’m feeling like I don’t have a concept that I LOVE, I like to head to the pantry. I look to see what’s there that needs to be used up. This is actually one of my favorite ways to create a recipe. I find they tend to be my most creative, simple, and yummy recipes.
When I saw all the cherry tomatoes on the counter that desperately needed to be used, I knew a summer tomato recipe would be delish. I went with that and somehow we got ourselves a meatball and orzo dinner in return.
When I think of crockpot recipes, I tend to associate them with the fall. But they’re honestly great all year round, especially in the summertime when it’s hot, hot, hot. The crockpot is the one machine that really doesn’t heat up the kitchen in any way, so having something slow cooking is no big deal!
We love that!
With this recipe, there is some oven broiling at the very end – which you can skip, but I do enjoy the crispness it gives to each little meatball.
Now, here are the details
Before I dive into the steps, I should mention that this recipe can be made in the crockpot, instant pot, or quickly on the stove. That all being said, the recipe works best in the crockpot and I think it’s easiest this way.
Either method is good, however, so use what works best for you!
Step 1: form the meatballs
I went with Greek-inspired flavors, using ground chicken, parmesan cheese, shallots, garlic, lots of fresh oregano, paprika, and balsamic vinegar.
You’ll want to season the mix up with salt, pepper, and chili flakes. Then roll the meat into balls. I like to use some olive oil when rolling to avoid getting the chicken all stuck on my hands.
Once the meatballs are formed, place them in the bowl of the crockpot. Then add the tomatoes and pour over the wine. Start slow cooking! Since these are meatballs, they can cook quickly on high for a couple of hours or cook them low and slow all day. Either is great and the meatballs are never dry. The wine will add moisture to them.
Step 2: Add the orzo and tomatoes
When the meatballs are cooked, pull them out along with the garlic, then set them aside on a baking sheet.
Add the orzo to all the yummy broth and tomatoes in the crockpot. Now simply cover and cook a few minutes longer, until the orzo is al dente.
Step 3: broil the meatballs with butter
Meanwhile, add butter to the meatballs and garlic and toss on some rosemary and thyme. You can also use oregano. Then place the sheet pan under the broiler for a couple of minutes to crisp them up.
What happens is that the butter browns around the meatballs, garlic, and herbs. I then chop up the garlic and crisp herbs and toss them back onto the pan with butter. Then toss the meatballs with the garlicky butter to finish. This step is optional, but I think it really adds flavor and finishes the meatballs nicely.
Set 4: serve
Finish up the orzo by stirring in a splash of milk or cream. Stir until the orzo becomes very creamy.
Now it’s time to serve. I do the orzo first, then the meatballs over the orzo. Crumble fresh feta cheese over the entire bowl, add some of that garlic butter from the pan, and top with either basil or dill. I love to use both if you have the option!
What I love most about this recipe is the fact that it’s a complete all-in-one dinner. It truly is no-fuss and is enjoyed by all. You can serve this up on busy weeknights, but it’s equally great for a summer dinner with friends in the backyard.
I also enjoy the fact that this dish is cozier, but still so wonderful for summer. Sometimes we crave a cozier dinner, even in the summer. This meatball and orzo is perfect for that!
Looking for other slow cooker meals? Here are a few ideas:
Crockpot Garlic Butter Chicken Meatballs with Creamy Orzo
Creamy White Bean Noodle Soup with Rosemary Bacon.
Mustard Herb Chicken and Creamy Orzo
Crockpot Crispy Buffalo Chicken Tacos with Jalapeño Ranch
Slow Cooker Saucy Sunday Bolognese Pasta
Slow Cooker Herbed Chicken and Rice Pilaf
Crockpot Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Bolognese
Lastly, if you make this Crockpot Greek Chicken Meatballs with Creamy Tomato Orzo, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Crockpot Greek Chicken Meatballs with Creamy Tomato Orzo
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 684 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds ground chicken, pork, or turkey
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 8 cloves garlic, 2 chopped, 6 whole
- 1/4 cup fresh oregano, chopped
- 2 teaspoons sweet or regular paprika
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- kosher salt and black pepper
- chili flakes
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 2 cups dry orzo pasta
- 1/2 cup heavy cream or whole milk
- 6 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta
- fresh basil and dill, for serving
Instructions
Crockpot
- 1. Add the chicken, parmesan, shallot, 2 chopped cloves of garlic, oregano, paprika, and balsamic vinegar to a bowl. Season with salt, pepper, and chili flakes. Mix to combine. Coat your hands with oil, and roll the meat into tablespoon-size balls (will make 15-16 meatballs). Drizzle with olive oil and place the meatballs in the bowl of your crockpot.2. Add the tomatoes. Pour over the wine and 1/2 cup water. Add the whole garlic cloves. Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours or on high for 1-2 hours.3. Preheat the broiler to high. Remove the meatballs and garlic from the slow cooker and place on a baking sheet.4. Crank the heat on the slow cooker to high. Stir in the orzo, and 1 cup water. Cover and cook 20-30 minutes, or until the orzo is al dente. If the orzo needs more liquid, add additional water. Stir in the milk/cream. 5. Arrange the butter, rosemary, and thyme, around the meatballs and garlic, then broil for 1-3 minutes, until crisp. Peel away the garlic skin, then chop and mix with the butter and herbs on the sheet pan. Toss the meatballs in the butter.6. Serve the meatballs over the orzo with feta cheese, fresh basil, and dill.
Instant Pot
- 1. Add the chicken, parmesan, shallot, 2 chopped cloves of garlic, oregano, paprika, and balsamic vinegar to a bowl. Season with salt, pepper, and chili flakes. Mix to combine. Coat your hands with oil, and roll the meat into tablespoon-size balls (will make 15-16 meatballs). 2. Set the instant pot to sauté. Add olive oil, then add the meatballs to the instant pot and sear until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes. Pour in the wine and 1/2 cup water. Cook for 5 minutes, then add the butter, whole garlic cloves, rosemary, and thyme. Let the butter brown for another 2-3 minutes. Cover and cook on high pressure for 6 minutes.3. Once done cooking, release the steam. Set the Instant Pot to sauté. Remove the garlic. Stir in the orzo, and 1 cup water. Cook for 6-8 minutes, until the orzo is al dente. Stir in the milk.4. Mash the garlic and stir into the orzo. Discard the herb stems. Serve the meatballs over the orzo with feta cheese, fresh basil, and dill
Stove-Top
- 1. Add the chicken, parmesan, shallot, 2 chopped cloves of garlic, oregano, paprika, and balsamic vinegar to a bowl. Season with salt, pepper, and chili flakes. Mix to combine. Coat your hands with oil, and roll the meat into tablespoon-size balls (will make 15-16 meatballs). 2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil, the meatballs, and sear until browned, about 5 minutes. Then add the tomatoes, butter, garlic, rosemary, and thyme. Let the butter brown for another 2-3 minutes. Remove the garlic. 3. Reduce the heat to medium. Stir in the orzo. Cook 1 minute, then pour in the wine and 1 1/2 cups water. Cook, stirring often, another 6-8 minutes, until the orzo is al dente. Stir in the milk.4. Mash the garlic and stir into the orzo. Discard the herb stems. Serve the meatballs over the orzo with feta cheese, fresh basil, and dill.
I made this using the stove top method. I did make the meatballs ahead of time and refrigerated them for a few hours. I had no fresh herbs, so I subbed dried herbs using my judgement. It turned out great….not counting the meatballs ahead of time, it took about 45 minutes.
Hey Jane,
Awesome!! So glad to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for making it! xT
Meatballs turned out super dry for me… not sure what I did wrong. I did the crockpot method and cooked the orzo on sate. The orzo was delicious. Due to the number of ingredients, and outcome, I don’t think this one is a remake for me.
Hi Melanie,
Thanks for trying this dish and sharing your feedback! Sorry to hear your meatballs were so dry, the ground chicken definitely has less fat than beef, so it can be tricky to work with! xx
I wanted to love this but as others stated my meatballs were also very dry. We did chicken stock instead of water for the orzo and had to add about 1/2 cup additional liquid and the orzo came out delicious. I did the instant pot version of the recipe but I think I would do the stove pot one next time.
This recipe also needed a bit more clarity compared to others I’ve tried. I do think the meatballs should come out before you add the wine and tomatoes and I probably seared them way too long.
Phenomenal as usual! Stovetop method:
I used orecchiette because I couldn’t find orzo at my store (so strange) so therefore had to cook longer and increase water and wine. Honestly in my opinion there is no need to make meatballs since they fell apart anyway. Just brown it with the same ingredients. Also added some onion. Kept the garlic in the whole time it boiled. Mashed and stirred in after. Was so amazing!!!
Thank you so much! Hope you have a great fall season! 🙂 xT
I am planning on making this recipe for tonight! On the stovetop, should I remove the meatballs from the pan before adding the wine, water, and orzo?
MY EXACT QUESTION!
I’ve made this recipe a few times on both the stove and in the instant pot, and I do remove the meatballs before adding everything else! My usual process is to remove the meatballs, add in the tomatoes, butter, etc. and let the butter brown, then I add in the wine to deglaze the pan, then I add in the orzo and water, and then add the meatballs back in. It works well for me! 🙂
I made it on the stove top. I did not remove the meatballs before adding water, etc. I had just browned them all (two batches for me because I was using a dutch oven type pan).
Hi Jane,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try! So glad to hear it turned out well for you:) xT
This was tasty! I changed a few things: I used broth instead of wine, I only used 1 tablespoon oil, and 4 tablespoons butter. I added crushed red pepper flakes to the orzo because I do that with everything and like a little heat in all of my food. I cooked this on the stove top and it turned out perfectly! Personally, I might add some more tomatoes next time just because I love tomatoes, but this is a hit for me!
Thank you for trying out the recipe! Have a great week! xT
A rare miss from HBH. Good concept, but the meatballs lacked flavor and were falling apart. The orzo was much too oily. With spice adjustments and browning the meatballs in a pan and discarding the oil before finishing the recipe would make this much better.
Hey Karli! SO sorry this recipe didn’t turn out for for you! Thanks for letting me know! xT
I like a lot of Half Baked Harvest recipes but this one was a miss for me – the meatballs were dry and the orzo was gummy, and it was kind of a lot of work/mess between the crockpot and broiling etc.
Hey Stacie! I’m really sorry you didn’t enjoy this recipe! Thank you for letting me know! xT
really disappointed in this one I usually love all your recipes but this one lacked flavor, the meatballs were dry, and the orzo was super thick :/
Oh no I’m so sorry about this! Thanks for letting me know! xT
I have never had an issue with your recipes. I have always been able to switch them to gluten free with NO issues….until I made this one. I substituted the orzo pasta for Arborio rice which has never been a problem. My husband tasted it and said it was fantastic. Then I added the cream and it clumped up and was gross. Thank God my siblings were the one to suffer through it. LOL! IF, I make this again I will leave out the cream.
Oh no I’m so sorry about that! Was your cream room temp before adding? Sometimes that can help the dish to not seize up! xT
We thoroughly enjoyed this meal. I made it in the crockpot. The only deviation from your recipe was that the orzo cooked more quickly than suggested and luckily I caught it just in the right amount of time. It was all very good. Thank you!
Hi! Thanks so much! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe! xT
Made this on the stove top and everyone loved it. My red meat-eating son went back for seconds and said ok I’m enjoying it more than I thought I would. 🙂 Thank you so much for all your wonderful recipes I pick a week’s worth out each Sunday and meal prep for the week. Life Changing!!!
Thank you so so much for giving the recipe a try! Love to hear that it was enjoyed! xT
This was phenomenal!!!! One of the best things I have ever made in a slow cooker, and I’ve been using a slow cooker for 25 years! The orzo only needed 20 minutes exactly and was al dente. Used fresh tomatoes and herbs from the garden. So flavorful and perfect on a late summer evening. Thanks for sharing this keeper!
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Have a great week! xT
I have a question-Im in the process of making this on the stove top-the recipe says to serve the meatballs over the orzo but the recipe does not say to remove the meatballs before cooking the orzo-should I do that?
Same question here. Both the instant pot and stove top don’t say to remove the meatballs and I’m not sure what to do.
I am confused by the same thing!
Made this on the stove top. Orzo needed to cook way longer than suggested and it thought it had an oily finish. However, the flavors were amazing. I’ll be making this again with some adjustments. Everyone loved it!
Thank you Elizabeth! xT
Can this be frozen if I separate out the meatballs?
Yes, I believe so! xT