Description
This Crockpot Garlic Butter Chicken Meatballs with Creamy Orzo recipe offers a comforting, flavorful meal that combines tender chicken meatballs cooked in garlic butter with a creamy orzo pasta infused with spinach and sun-dried tomatoes. Perfectly suited for slow cooking or Instant Pot preparation, this dish is ideal for cozy dinners with rich, savory flavors and a creamy texture.
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: 1/2 cup for meatballs, 1/2 cup for orzo)
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- Olive oil, for coating hands and cooking
Slow Cooker/Instant Pot Additions
- 1 onion, quartered (slow cooker) or chopped (Instant Pot and stovetop)
- 1 head garlic, top trimmed off to reveal cloves
- 1 cup dry white wine (e.g., Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc)
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 6 tablespoons salted butter
Orzo and Vegetables
- 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
- Additional water as needed for cooking orzo (1/2 to 1 1/2 cups)
Instructions
- Prepare the Meatballs: In a bowl, combine ground chicken (or pork/turkey), Italian seasoning, Dijon mustard, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, salt, and pepper. Mix well. Coat your hands with olive oil and roll the mixture into tablespoon-sized meatballs, making about 15-16 meatballs.
- Cook Meatballs: Choose your preferred cooking method:
- Slow Cooker: Place olive oil and meatballs in the crockpot. Pour in 1 cup white wine and 1/2 cup water. Add quartered onion and garlic head. Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours or high for 1-2 hours.
- Instant Pot: Set Instant Pot to sauté mode, add olive oil and brown meatballs for about 5 minutes. Add chopped onion, white wine, and 1/2 cup water. Cook for 5 minutes, then add butter, garlic, and rosemary. Sauté for 2-3 minutes. Seal and cook on high pressure for 6 minutes, then release steam.
- Stovetop: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown meatballs for about 5 minutes. Add chopped onion, cook 5 minutes. Add butter, garlic, and rosemary, cook 2-3 minutes to infuse flavors.
- Prepare the Orzo:
- Slow Cooker: Remove meatballs and garlic from crockpot onto a baking sheet. Crank crockpot heat to high, add orzo and 1 cup water. Cover and cook 20-30 minutes until orzo is al dente, adding more water if necessary. Stir in spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, cream, and remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan.
- Instant Pot: Set to sauté, remove garlic, stir in orzo and 1 cup water. Cook 6-8 minutes until orzo is al dente. Stir in spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, cream, and remaining Parmesan.
- Stovetop: Pour in white wine (if not already added). Stir in orzo and 1 1/2 cups water. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, 6-8 minutes until orzo is al dente. Stir in spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, cream, and remaining Parmesan.
- Broil Meatballs and Garlic (Slow Cooker Method Only): Preheat broiler to high. Place meatballs and garlic on a baking sheet. Arrange butter and rosemary around them and broil for 1-3 minutes until crispy. Peel garlic skin, chop garlic, and mix with butter and rosemary. Toss meatballs in the garlic butter mixture.
- Serve: Plate meatballs over the creamy orzo and enjoy your flavorful, comforting meal.
Notes
- You can substitute the ground chicken with ground pork or turkey as per preference.
- Dry white wine enhances the flavor but can be replaced with chicken broth for a non-alcoholic version.
- Heavy cream can be substituted with full-fat coconut milk to make the dish dairy-free.
- Keep an eye on the orzo liquid levels to ensure it cooks perfectly and does not dry out.
- This recipe works well with slow cooker, Instant Pot, or stovetop methods, allowing flexibility based on your available equipment.
- To reduce sodium, use unsalted butter and low-sodium broth or water and adjust salt to taste.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 1/6 of recipe)
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 580mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 38g
- Cholesterol: 110mg
