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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 think the negative feedback on this recipe is based on the unclear directions. I actually went back and read all the stuff before the actual recipe and followed those directions. This turned out great! I usually don’t take the time to read all the stuff beforehand and prefer to just skip to the recipe. So maybe it would be a good idea to add a few things 🙂
I made the Instant Pot version btw
Thanks again Lyndsey!
Hey Lyndsey,
Happy Monday! 👻 I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks so much for making it! Thanks for sharing your feedback on the instructions! Happy Halloween! 🎃
Unfortunately this was the first HBH meal I’ve made that was a flop. I followed the slow cooker directions to a T but the orzo turned out to be a gloppy mess and the whole dish just didn’t work, I am sorry to say! It was also unclear what to do with the quartered onions once they were cooked, I removed them as they looked unappealing but that edit could probably be made into the recipe for clarity.
Hi Colleen,
So sorry to hear that this recipe was not enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! The onions can be served or skipped, totally up to you. Again, so sorry for the trouble! xT
Did the stovetop option because the instructions seemed easier to follow than the crockpot option. Once everything was prepped the meal was really easy to put together! I did cook the orzo separately and omitted the water in the instructions, which worked out really well. One confusing part of the recipe was what to do with the garlic? I roasted mine in advance and then added it in, but this wasn’t noted in the instructions. I will definitely make this again!
Hey Danielle,
Happy Monday! 👻 I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks so much for making it! The garlic is used in step 2:) Happy Halloween! 🎃
Happy Monday! Yes, I saw that in step 2, but wasn’t sure if you toss the whole head of raw garlic into the skillet?
Yes, it will infused into the dish:) I hope this helps!!
Made the crockpot version and it smelled so good as it was cooking! Unfortunately, the meatballs were very dry and way too much Italian seasoning. Orzo was-ok. I don’t think I will make it again. First, recipe of HBH I’ve made that was a miss for me and the kids:(
Hi Katie,
So sorry to hear that this recipe was not enjoyed, please let me know if there is anything that I can help with! I appreciate you giving it a try! xT
Did the instant pot version of this one and I loved the way the orzo came out (buttery and lovely) but the meatballs tasted flavorless to me? I used an egg and breadcrumbs in them as well, salt and pepper and the allotted Italian seasoning and parm. Not sure why they tasted so bland, but eating them with a big scoop of orzo made me notice less. If I can get the meatballs to have a little more flavor this will be a go-to limited dishes recipe for me
Hi Lauren,
Thanks for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback! Sorry to hear you didn’t love it! Maybe try the meatballs without the egg and breadcrumbs? Let me know how that turns out for you! xT
We made the crockpot version. We upped the meat to 2 lbs to give us some leftovers. Delicious!!! Next time will definitely use more butter to pour over the orzo. We also pitched our onion, but it provided wonderful flavor to cook the chicken/ Turkey in.
Thanks for all your wonderful creations!
Hey LaNae,
Happy Sunday! 🎃 So glad to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks a lot for making it and sharing your feedback! xx
Unfortunately all of the negative reviews below are accurate. The orzo ends up being a weird texture, the onion pieces are massive, the meatballs are dry. Overall the flavor is fine but nothing special. Also, you absolutely must salt the orzo while it’s cooking. Otherwise it will be even more bland.
Hi there,
So sorry to hear this recipe was not enjoyed, thanks for making it and sharing your feedback! xT
What do you do with the quartered onion??
Hi Tiffanie,
You can serve the onions or not, totally up to you! I hope this recipe turns out well for you, please let me know if you give it a try! xT
Literally so good it’s hard to not inhale it all at once! Thank you!!!
Hey Sarah,
Love to hear this!! Thanks so much for making this dish, so glad it was a hit! Happy Weekend! xT
This was easy and delicious. I used half a pound of ground pork since my pound of ground chicken was breast meat. The meatballs were not dry. The 3 Tbs of Italian seasoning seemed too much to me, too, so used 1-1/2 Tbs. I used chicken broth instead of water. I’ll make this again for sure.
Hey Cindy,
Perfect!! Thanks so much for making this dish and sharing what worked well for you! So glad to hear it was enjoyed:) xx
I made this with turkey and it was amazing! The only reason I did not give 5 stars is because I did the stove top method, and it does not say to remove meatballs to cook orzo. In hindsight I think the orzo would cook better if you removed the meatballs. I had to add more water and keep cooking to get the orzo done. Very delicious anyway and my family loved it! It is also not difficult if you dont consider yourself an experienced cook, anyone can make this!
Hey Marci,
Happy Friday!🎃 I am delighted to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for trying it out and sharing your review! xx
I thought the recipe was good although I made some modifications. I only used 1T Italian seasoning, 3T butter and I used rice that I precooked, and skipped the water. Meatballs were not dry, I would make this again.
Hi Krista,
Happy Friday! Thanks a lot for trying this dish and sharing what worked well for you! So glad to hear that it was enjoyed! xx
I think it was supposed to be 3 teaspoons Italian seasoning in the meatballs. Too much with 3 tablespoons
Hi Samantha,
Happy Friday! Thanks for sharing your feedback, the 3 tablespoons is correct:) Please let me know if there is anything else I can help with! xT
This recipe was AMAZING! I was nervous after I read the comments about how it would come out but I decided to just go for it and was so happy I did. The flavors were absolutely wonderful! My husband thought it was a big hit as well. I used the slow cooker version and followed the recipe except for I added 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs and one egg to my chicken meatball mixture and they didn’t come out dry in my opinion. Will be adding this to my rotation!!
Hey Sadie,
Happy Friday!🎃 I am delighted to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for trying it out and sharing your review! xx
Love the flavors. Was really tasty, but the stovetop instructions suck.
They dont seem to line up with the other cooking methods for the sand dish.
Are the meatballs supposed to stay in while you cook the onions?
In the other methods, the garlic butter is done separately, but in this one, it’s done with everything else.
It was really confusing.
Hi there,
Thanks for making this recipe and sharing your feedback. I have reread the stove top instructions, they are different than the other methods because it’s a different method of cooking. No need to remove the meatballs and yes, the garlic butter is done with everything else on the stove top. Please let me know if I can help in any other way! xx