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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 found it to be gummy too…would try again with cooking the orzo separate and then adding to the crockpot
Hi Alisa,
Thanks for giving this recipe a try, so sorry to hear it was gummy for you! Please let me know if you give it another try and do anything differently! xT
Made this using ground chicken and cooked it stovetop. Everyone agreed it was a “make again”! My son-in-law remarked how the meatballs were so nice and moist. It occurred to me that it would be a nice recipe at Christmas time, with the green of the spinach and the red of the tomatoes.
Hey Linda,
Happy Sunday!!🎃 I truly appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your feedback, I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed!
How much olive oil goes in the slow cooker in step #1?
Hey Suzanne,
Just a drizzle of olive oil to coat the bottom of your slow cooker. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xT
*I used the crockpot version
Thanks again!!
This is my new favorite way to make meatballs!! The whole family loved it. I used chicken stock instead of water and wine. Followed the recipe exactly otherwise. It was fantastic. Thanks for this one!
Hey Sara,
Amazing!! I love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks so much for trying it out! Happy Friday! 👻
This recipe was pasty and awful.
Hi Erin,
Thanks for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback, sorry to hear you didn’t love it! Please let me know if I can help in any way! Hope you’re off to a great Friday! xT
Sounds like operator error, Erin. Either that or you didn’t really make it, and are just here to be obnoxious. If your cooking came out pasty and awful, that’s nobody’s fault but yours.
Yep. Made this tonight and it was fab! Half baked harvest has become my new go to.
Thanks so much Tiffany!!
I don’t have orzo. what would you suggest using?
Hi Haley,
Arborio rice would also work well for you! Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope this recipe turns out amazing for you! xT
I’m making the stove top version. After sautéing meatballs and adding wine, do you add orzo and water to the same skillet? And does the spinach cook after adding?
Hi Jeanette,
Yes, everything is getting added to the same skillet. The spinach, tomatoes, and cream is added after the cooking of the orzo. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
When do you do the rosemary/butter in the stove top method? This looks amazing.
Hi Leslie,
So sorry for any confusion, you are going to brown the butter in step 2 for the stove top! I hope you love the recipe! xx
The only thing I would change is to cook the orzo separately. Cooking it in the slow cooker made things starchier than I like Otherwise people enjoyed it!
Hey Cat,
Happy Friday!👻 Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a try and sharing your review! I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xT
Sauce is amazing and so easy to make!
Thanks so much Samantha!! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe and appreciate you giving it a try! xT
Hi Tieghan, do you cook the orzo with the meatballs on the stovetop? Or do you take the meatballs off the pan before cooking the orzo?
Hi Alessi,
For the stove top, you are going to cook the orzo with the meatballs, no need to remove them. Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope this recipe turns out amazing for you! xT
I’m making this now, I’m confused that in the pictures (which are beautiful by the way) it shows thyme and basil and also it shows the onions going in the oven. Am I missing something?
Hey Missy,
You can really use any herbs you enjoy, that’s the great thing about herbs is that they are so versatile! The onions do go in the oven in step 3. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I can see that you have a Parmesan rind in the crock pot…is that something you add at the beginning? Also in the photo it is thyme, not rosemary, can you do either? and what do you do with the onion?
Hey Julia,
You can add the parmesan rind with the onions and garlic. Any herbs that you enjoy will work, thyme is great to use if you don’t have rosemary. The onion is used to infuse the dish, if you want to serve it great, if not just toss it:) I hope you love this recipe! xT
I made this ahead of time for dinner tonight using the instant pot method and it turned out delicious. I used chicken broth instead of wine and removed the meatballs prior to adding the orzo 🙂 I also broiled the meatballs with the butter, garlic and rosemary like the slow cooker method. The delicious butter garlic sauce may be my favorite part!
Hey Carrie,
Awesome!!🤩 I truly appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your review and love to hear that it was a hit! xTieghan
I made this in the instant pot as well and would definitely recommend removing the meatballs before adding the orzo. Everything was sticking to the bottom of the pot once I added orzo. Also I used 2lb of chicken and a heavy hand with spices, cheese, and mustard and got 24 meatballs – Kids loved them (10m. old too ☺️)
Hey Ali,
Thanks so much for making this recipe and sharing your feedback regarding the instant pot! So glad to hear it was enjoyed by the kiddos! xT
Surely it’s three TEASPOONS of Italian seasoning and not tablespoons??
Hi Sarah,
Ground chicken is pretty bland so it needs lots of flavor…3 tablespoons is correct:) Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xT
Ahhh gotcha. My husband isn’t a fan of oregano so I held back on the Italian seasoning and used 1/2 lb spicy pork sausage and 1 lb ground pork. Turned out fabulous. I love how all of your recipes are so versatile for customizations.
Awesome!! Thanks so much:)