Description
Delicious and comforting Crockpot Garlic Butter Chicken Meatballs paired with creamy orzo pasta, enriched with parmesan, fresh spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, and a buttery garlic rosemary finish. Perfect for an easy, flavorful dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 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 to taste
- 1 onion, quartered
- 1 head garlic, top trimmed off to reveal the cloves
- Olive oil for coating and searing
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 6 tablespoons salted butter
Orzo Pasta
- 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
- 1 cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc
- 1 1/2 cups water (divided as needed)
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese (divided as needed)
Instructions
- Prepare meatballs: In a bowl, combine ground chicken (or pork/turkey), Italian seasoning, dijon mustard, and 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese. Season with kosher salt and black pepper. Mix until combined. Lightly coat your hands with olive oil and roll the mixture into tablespoon-size meatballs, making about 15-16 meatballs.
- Slow cook meatballs: Place olive oil in the crockpot bowl then add the meatballs. Pour in 1 cup dry white wine and 1/2 cup water. Add quartered onion and head of garlic with the top trimmed off to expose cloves. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours until meatballs are cooked through and flavors meld.
- Cook orzo: Remove meatballs and garlic from the crockpot and place on a baking sheet. Turn the crockpot to high heat and stir in the dry orzo pasta along with 1 cup water. Cover and cook for 30 minutes until orzo is al dente. If needed, add more water during cooking to ensure pasta cooks well.
- Finish orzo and meatballs: Stir fresh baby spinach, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, 1/2 cup heavy cream (or full fat coconut milk), and the remaining 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese into the orzo.
- Broil meatballs and garlic: Arrange butter pats and rosemary sprig around the meatballs and garlic on the baking sheet. Broil on high for 1-3 minutes until crisp and golden. Peel the garlic cloves from their skins, chop finely, and mix with the melted butter and rosemary on the sheet pan. Toss the meatballs in this flavorful buttery mixture.
- Serve: Plate the creamy orzo and top with the garlic butter coated meatballs for a rich, comforting main dish.
Notes
- You can substitute ground pork or turkey for the chicken based on preference.
- If you prefer a dairy-free option, use canned full fat coconut milk instead of heavy cream.
- Adding more water when cooking the orzo ensures it doesn't dry out or stick to the crockpot.
- The broil step crisps up the meatballs and infuses them with rich garlic butter flavor—do not skip.
- Use a good quality dry white wine like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc for best flavor.
- Leftovers reheat well and can be stored up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
