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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!
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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 meatball recipes in the crockpot from now on. This was so easy and almost mess-free.
Start with the meatball mixture. I make mine using ground chicken, Italian seasoning, dijon, and parmesan cheese. Just mix everything together in a large bowl and roll it into meatballs. Then place them in the crock-pot 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 cloves, 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
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!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
What is supposed to happen to the onion in the initial crockpot combo? It’s still in big chunks, didn’t caramelize. I’m wishing I would have added it to the sheet pan with the garlic because then it might have had a chance to get golden and cook down.
Hi Annie,
Thanks for giving this recipe a try! The onion should soften and cook down. Please let me know if I can help in any other way!
Also, since others mentioned the garlic, I mashed it up and stirred it into the slow cooker with the cooked orzo. Delicious
Thanks again Wendy!
Thank you for this recipe. I was concerned this would turn into a bowl of glop – orzo would be mush and meatballs dissolved into a soupy mess. Decided to try it and sooooo glad I did. My husband and I ate ourselves into a food coma. The leftovers were amazing. Definitely a keeper. I’ve gotten bored with my slow cooker rotation. I’m excited to try other recipes from your site.
Hi Wendy,
Happy Fall Friday! Love to hear this recipe turned out nicely for you, thanks for making it and your comment!
Hi Teighan, the recipe calls for olive oil in the crock pot but doesn’t state an amount – what would you advise?
Hi Laurel,
You can use 2 tablespoons of olive oil. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try!
Hi! It pains me to say this, as I usually love HBH recipes, but this one was a hard no for me. I started everything in the crockpot (this recipe is not intuitively a crock pot recipe for me) and then I shifted gears, making the necessary adjustments, and did it on the stovetop after reading reviews (crock pot was barely even warm at that point, so it was fine). Used pork, the rosemary didn’t work with the flavour profile, IMO, but I added it anyways. Unnecessary amount of butter, lackluster flavour and dry meatballs. Less than mediocre, all around. Also, what to do with this trimmed bulb of garlic? Why not just mince it and sautee with the onion? Sorry, but this is a no for me 🙁
Hi Stefani,
Thanks so much for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback, I’m sorry to hear it was not enjoyed. xT
I’ve mad a lot of recipes over the years, but this one takes the cake as one of the worst! The meatballs were rubbery and dry and would have been better used as bouncy balls for my children to play with. The orzo was overcooked, and the crockpot made a somewhat simple dish overly time consuming and complicated. Would have made more sense to just cook the meatballs in the oven and the orzo on the stove. The crockpot actually made it take extra time, not less. I have never felt the need to comment on a recipe, ever, but this one is so egregiously bad that I wanted to warn others not to waste their time.
Hi Chris! I’m so sorry this recipe didn’t turn out well for you! The slow cooker is meant to make it hands off, but if you prefer, the meatballs can definitely be baked in the oven and the orzo cooked separately on the stove for more control over texture. That should give you tender meatballs and perfectly cooked orzo without the extra time in the crockpot. Thanks for sharing your feedback! xT
Made this with friends for a house dinner and it was an absolute hit! so delicious, it took probably 1.5h to make, because I didn’t use a slow cooker, I made them in a cast iron skillet and let set in the oven for about 20 mins and finished with orzo on the stove and it was perfect!
Thank you so so much Ana! So glad you and your friends loved this recipe! Always love to hear that! Happy Friday 🙂 xT
Not an ideal crock pot recipe – meatballs were very dry and orzo very overcooked.
Hi Christina,
Thanks for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback, sorry to hear it was not enjoyed! xx
Hi Tiegan,
I’m in the process of making this and just noticed I accidentally used a white Malbec instead of the Pinot Grigio/Sauvignon Blanc. Do we think this will turn out ok?
Hi Elisa,
That should be just fine:) I hope you love this recipe, thanks for giving it a try! xx
Myself, my girlfriend, and my family loved this!
Only thing that was unclear was the chopped onion. After it had cooked down in the orzo pot, it was almost caramelized and couldn’t be sliced. It tasted great, so no complaints there! I am wondering, though, if I was supposed to add another onion and just dice that one?
Hey Jack,
Awesome! So glad to hear this recipe was enjoyed by your family! No need to add another onion, but you totally could if you wanted! xx
Can you sub beef for the meatballs?
Hi Sam,
Sure, that will work nicely for you. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xx
Love most of your recipes! This one was a miss for me and my fam. The meatballs are pretty good. But the orzo mix lacks flavor. I loaded up more salt at the end but overall meh for us.
Hey Veronica,
Thanks so much for trying this recipe and so many others, so sorry to hear this was not a fave! xx
Hello! I’m hoping to make this tonight, but I don’t have wine… Do you have any recommendations for a substitute? Thanks!
Hi Andrea,
You bet, broth is a great option for this recipe! Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
Hi Tieghan, happy 2025!
Thanks for the recipe – my family loved it ! Is it part of one of your cookbooks? Would love to have it on paper 🙂
Thanks so much, Irina!! This recipe is only on the blog:) Happy New Year! xT
This was a great recipe. I’d just do some tweaks for next time. Tieghan, could I cook the meatballs in a combo of chicken broth and wine just to add a bit more saltiness?
Next time I would add some very small chopped up pieces of sundried tomato in the meatballs, add a small bit of breadcrumbs to keep some moisture and throw the whole Parmesan rind in the crockpot while everything cooks. Overall it was good!
Hey Laura,
Happy New Year!🥳 Thanks so much for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback, love to hear it turned out well for you! Totally, that sounds like a great idea. xx