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Crockpot Garlic Butter Chicken Meatballs with Creamy Orzo. Turning a meatball and pasta dinner into an easy slow cooker meal. We’re using white wine, creamy Dijon mustard, garlic, herbs, parmesan cheese, and orzo. Then adding in some vibrant spinach and sun-dried 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 fall-winter dinner to prepare. Directions for the Instant Pot and stove-top are provided!
I know I’ve said something like this before. But when a recipe I’m not sure about works out so well, I get incredibly excited! When I had this idea, at first I didn’t want to make it. I was honestly scared it would end disastrously. But after some pushing from mom, I decided to just go for it.
I kept asking her about the recipe, “should I make this”? I think I asked her 3 days in a row until she finally said, “Tieghan, MAKE THE MEATBALLS”! Finally, I listened and I sent her a text a few hours later to thank her for the encouragement. The recipe turned out better than I’d imagined and more importantly, it was so delicious.
Here are all the easy details
To be honest, I may only want to make meatballs in the crockpot from now on. This was so easy and almost mess-free.
Start with the meatballs. I make mine using ground chicken, Italian seasoning, dijon, and parmesan cheese. Just mix everything together and roll it into meatballs. Then place them in the crockpot with a little olive oil to prevent any sticking.
Next, pour over white wine, add an onion, and a whole head of garlic. Cover and slow cook. 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.
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 in the crockpot. Now simply cover and cook a few minutes longer, until the orzo is al dente.
Meanwhile, I love to add butter to the meatballs and garlic and toss on some rosemary. 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 rosemary. I then chop up the garlic and rosemary 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.
When the orzo is finished, stir in the spinach and sun-dried tomatoes, then add the cream and parmesan, stirring until the orzo becomes very creamy.
Serve the garlic butter meatballs over the orzo, then drizzle any butter left on the pan over top.
So simple and quick with barely any clean-up and minimal hands-on time too.
What I love most about this recipe is the fact that it’s a complete all-in-one dinner. You have your protein, your carbs, and even your vegetables. You can serve this up on busy weeknights, but it’s equally great for those upcoming holiday dinners with friends and family.
Looking for other slow cooker meals? Here are a few ideas:
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 Garlic Butter Chicken Meatballs with Creamy 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 Garlic Butter Chicken Meatballs with Creamy Orzo
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 878 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
- 3 tablespoons Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 onion, quartered
- 1 head garlic, top trimmed off to reveal the cloves
- 1 cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc
- 6 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 2 cups dry orzo pasta
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach
- 1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
- 1/2 cup heavy cream or canned full fat coconut milk
Instructions
Slow Cooker
- 1. Add the chicken, Italian seasoning, dijon, and 1/2 cup parmesan to a bowl. Season with salt, and pepper. Mix to combine. Coat your hands with oil, and roll the meat into tablespoon-size balls (will make 15-16 meatballs). Add olive oil and place the meatballs in the bowl of your crockpot. 2. Pour over the wine and 1/2 cup water. Add the onion and garlic. Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours or on high for 1-2 hours.2. Preheat the broiler to high. Remove the meatballs and garlic from the slow cooker and place on a baking sheet.3. 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 spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, cream, and 1/2 cup parmesan.4. Arrange the butter and the rosemary around the meatballs and garlic, then broil 1-3 minutes, until crisp. Peel away the garlic skin, then chop and mix with the butter and rosemary on the sheet pan. Toss the meatballs in the butter. 5. Serve the meatballs over the orzo.
Instant Pot
- 1. Add the chicken, Italian seasoning, dijon, and 1/2 cup parmesan to a bowl. Season with salt, and pepper. 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, Pour in the wine and 1/2 cup water. Add 1 chopped onion. Cook 5 minutes, then add the butter, garlic and rosemary. Let the butter butter, 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 6-8 minutes, until the orzo is al dente. Stir in the spinach, tomatoes, cream, and parmesan.4. Serve the meatballs over the orzo.
Stove-Top
- 1. Add the chicken, Italian seasoning, dijon, and 1/2 cup parmesan to a bowl. Season with salt, and pepper. 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, then add the meatballs and sear until browned, about 5 minutes. Add 1 chopped onion. Cook 5 minutes, then add the butter, garlic and rosemary. Let the butter butter, another 2-3 minutes. 3. Reduce the heat to medium. Pour in the wine. Stir in the orzo and 1 1/2 cups water. Cook, stirring often, another 6-8 minutes, until the orzo is al dente. Stir in the spinach, tomatoes, cream, and 1/2 cup parmesan.4. Serve the chicken over the orzo. Enjoy!
I made this in the crockpot, following the directions exactly. The meatballs came out wonderful but the orzo…not so much. The flavors were wonderful but the orzo itself turned it a paste. I tried adding more water, waited, no luck. I’m wondering if you need a really good, high quality brand orzo (I had purchased store brand.) Also, I’m dying to know, what are you supposed to do with the onions? It is mentioned once but never again?
Oh no I’m so sorry about that! Also the onions are added in Step 2 🙂
I used the stove top method and it was soooo good!! Will definitely be making this again. Even my picky toddler devoured it, huge win!
Thank you so much for giving the recipe a try! Have a great day! xT
This recipe is ridiculous. It doesn’t even tell you what to do with the heavy cream, spinach, and sun dried tomatoes unless you’re doing the stovetop version of the recipe. And by that point if you’re following one of the other versions of the recipe everything is already cooked so you’re just over cooking all the elements. I’m sure the recipe itself is fine, but the instructions need serious work.
Hey Natalie! Thanks for this feedback. I apologize you are having trouble! I am going to go back over this recipe and see how I can make it easiest for you all to follow. Thanks again for the feedback. Have a wonderful day and weekend ahead! xT
Is there another ingredient that can be substituted for the white wine?
You can use chicken broth! xT
I made this recipe exactly as directed and it was very disappointing. Bland. Not memorable in any way. This recipe truly missed the mark.
Hi there! Oh no! I am so sorry about that! Is there anything I can do to help?
WOW, this was AMAZING. With the wine broth, the flavors are actually quite decadent! I actually do not like the taste of dried herbs so I took an ingredient from one of your other recipes (Simple Thai Chicken & Zucchini Meatballs) and sub’d the dried Italian herbs with a fresh grated zucchini from my garden. I think it really kept the meatballs tender. I’ll definitely be making this again, for guests next time 🙂 and will be trying the Thai meatballs next – they sound great too! Thank you!
Thank you so much for trying out this recipe! Have a lovely day! xT
Followed recipe and made in a slow cooker. Chicken didn’t turn out great, was dry and rubbery and the orzo took awhile to reach Al dente. Definitely recommend making stovetop!
Sorry this may have been asked before but what size slow cooker do you tend to use for your recipes?
I want to try so many of them and just in the process of which slow cooker to get!
Hi Ellie! I usually use a 7 quart slow cooker but you can use whatever size works best for your family! xT
Hi Tieghan.
I’ve made this recipe before and it was an absolute hit I loved it!! Everything about it was perfect and delicious. I always love recipes from the slow cooker. It makes cooking even easier without much effort. A couple weeks ago I made this for a client of mine. He was thrilled said it was amazing so delicious!! They had leftovers as well and his wife took it work a couple times.. I must say of all the recipes I make yours are always the best! Thanks for the inspiration as always 🙂
Thank you so much Mike! xT
I love half baked harvest, but this recipe just didn’t work for me. The orzo was like glue, the meatballs were tough and greasy, and the flavor just wasn’t there. I might have had different results on the stovetop, but tonight we needed the convenience of a slow cooker.
I’m so sorry about that! Thanks for letting me know
I have some beef meatballs in the freezer that I need to use up. Would you do anything differently to this recipe in light of that?
Hi Mary ! I would just cook the meatballs in the oven or on a skillet and then add them in with the orzo! xT
I have made dozens of Half Baked Harvest recipes over the years. These recipes are always a win!
I was also a little bit nervous about making this particular one, after reading some of the reviews about the toughness of the meatballs. However, I went ahead and gave it a go, following the recipe for the slow cooker exactly as specified. It turned out AMAZINGLY well! What a fantastic dish, and I am also in agreement with one of the other commenters that one can never have too much garlic…. It was delicious!
I have had the “hockey puck” meatball experience as well, and I am so sorry for those who had this happen. Sometimes, even when I do follow a recipe exactly, it’s a miss. I just wanted to respond with my experience on this dish, when following exactly as originally noted.
Kristine
Thank you so so much Kristine! I am so glad this recipe turned out well for you! xT
Absolutely delicious! Husband said these are the best chicken meatballs he has ever had. Used fresh tomatoes instead of the sun dried tomatoes because it’s what I had. Toddler is happy too 🙂
Thanks sooo much for trying out the recipe! I hope it was a hit! xT