Description
This Crockpot Garlic Butter Chicken Meatballs with Creamy Orzo recipe offers a comforting, flavorful dish featuring tender meatballs cooked slowly with garlic and herbs, served atop a creamy, cheesy orzo pasta infused with spinach and sun-dried tomatoes. Perfect for a hearty family meal, this recipe provides versatile cooking methods including slow cooker, instant pot, or stovetop, ensuring a delicious, melt-in-your-mouth experience.
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 (divided)
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- Olive oil, for coating hands and sautéing
Aromatics and Broth
- 1 onion, quartered (slow cooker) or chopped (instant pot and stovetop)
- 1 head garlic, top trimmed to reveal cloves
- 1 cup dry white wine (such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc)
- 1 sprig rosemary
- Water (1/2 cup + 1 cup where specified)
- 6 tablespoons salted butter
Orzo and Veggies
- 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
- Prepare the Meatballs: In a large bowl, combine ground meat, Italian seasoning, dijon mustard, and 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese. Season generously with kosher salt and black pepper. Mix thoroughly until combined. Coat your hands lightly with olive oil and roll the mixture into approximately 15-16 tablespoon-sized meatballs.
- Slow Cooker Method – Cook Meatballs: Add a drizzle of olive oil to the crockpot bowl, then place the rolled meatballs inside. Pour in the white wine and 1/2 cup water. Nestle the quartered onion and whole garlic head into the liquid. Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours or on high for 1-2 hours until meatballs are cooked through.
- Slow Cooker Method – Broil Meatballs: Preheat the broiler to high. Carefully remove the meatballs and garlic head from the crockpot and arrange on a baking sheet. Set the crockpot to high heat level.
- Slow Cooker Method – Cook Orzo: Into the crockpot, stir in the dry orzo and 1 cup water. Cover and cook for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the orzo is al dente. Add more water if needed to achieve desired texture. Stir in fresh spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, heavy cream, and remaining 1/2 cup parmesan cheese.
- Slow Cooker Method – Finish Meatballs: Place the butter and rosemary sprig on the baking sheet with the meatballs and garlic. Broil for 1-3 minutes until the butter bubbles and meatball surfaces are crisp. Remove from oven, peel garlic cloves from skins, chop finely, and mix with the melted butter and rosemary on the pan. Toss the meatballs gently to coat them in the garlic butter mixture.
- Instant Pot Method – Sauté Meatballs: Set your Instant Pot to sauté mode, add olive oil, and brown the meatballs on all sides for about 5 minutes. Pour in the white wine and 1/2 cup water. Add the chopped onion and cook together for 5 minutes to soften the onion.
- Instant Pot Method – Pressure Cook: Add the butter, whole garlic head, and rosemary sprig to the pot. Let the butter melt and infuse the flavors for 2-3 minutes. Seal the lid and cook on high pressure for 6 minutes. Release pressure carefully once cooking is complete.
- Instant Pot Method – Cook Orzo: Remove the garlic head from the pot, set the Instant Pot back to sauté mode. Stir in the dry orzo and 1 cup water. Cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring often, until the orzo is tender but firm. Stir in fresh spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, cream, and the remaining parmesan cheese.
- Stovetop Method – Sauté Meatballs: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and brown them evenly for about 5 minutes. Add chopped onion and cook for another 5 minutes until soft. Add the butter, whole garlic head, and rosemary sprig, allowing the butter to melt and infuse the aromatics for 2-3 minutes.
- Stovetop Method – Simmer Orzo: Reduce heat to medium. Pour in the white wine. Add dry orzo and 1 1/2 cups water. Stir frequently and cook for 6-8 minutes until orzo is al dente. Stir in fresh spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, cream, and remaining parmesan cheese to complete the creamy base.
- Serve: Plate the creamy orzo and place the garlic butter-coated meatballs on top. Remove garlic cloves from the head if using whole garlic in stovetop or slow cooker methods and toss with the butter for an extra burst of flavor. Enjoy your comforting and rich garlic butter chicken meatballs over the creamy orzo pasta.
Notes
- Choose your preferred meat: chicken, pork, or turkey all work well for the meatballs.
- White wine adds depth but can be substituted with chicken broth if preferred.
- For a dairy-free version, use canned full-fat coconut milk instead of heavy cream and substitute parmesan with a vegan alternative.
- Be cautious when broiling meatballs to prevent burning; keep a close eye.
- The recipe is adaptable for multiple cooking appliances: slow cooker, Instant Pot, or stovetop.
- If the orzo absorbs too much liquid during cooking, add additional water in small increments to achieve the perfect creamy consistency.
- Leftover meatballs and orzo reheat well and can be stored in airtight containers in the refrigerator up to 3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approximately 1/6th of recipe)
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 670mg
- Fat: 34g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 29g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 110mg
