Crockpot BBQ Chicken Meatballs Recipe

4.80 from 5 votes

Crockpot BBQ Chicken Meatballs Recipe

These Crockpot BBQ chicken meatballs are tender, juicy, and simmered in sweet-tangy BBQ sauce. Perfect for parties, game days, or an easy make-ahead appetizer that everyone will love.

Prep Time20

Cook Time2

Bake Time10

Total Time2 30

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Servings: meatballs

Calories: 105kcal

Author: Becky Hardin

Equipment

5- or 6-Qt. Crockpot

Ingredients

1 pound ground chicken *
1 large egg
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard **
½ cup Panko breadcrumbs ***
⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese ****
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups BBQ sauce *****

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper and spray lightly with nonstick spray. Set aside.
In a large bowl, gently combine the chicken, egg, oil, mustard, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, garlic and onion powders, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
1 pound ground chicken, 1 large egg, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs, ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Form into firm 1-inch meatballs. Place meatballs on prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 10-12 minutes.
Transfer the meatballs to the Crockpot insert. Pour the BBQ sauce over the meatballs and stir to coat. Cook on LOW for 1-2 hours, or until warmed through.
2 cups BBQ sauce

Video

Notes

*Instead of ground chicken, feel free to make these meatballs with ground pork, turkey, or beef. Or swap in frozen/pre-made meatballs and they'll be ready to go into the slow cooker.

**You can swap the Dijon for yellow mustard, or try a grainy mustard for extra texture.

***Regular or Italian breadcrumbs also work well. If using Italian breadcrumbs, I recommend halving or omitting the Italian seasoning.

****Pecorino Romano works great here, too.

*****Use any barbecue sauce you like: sweet, smoky, or tangy! My go-to is Stubb's Original.

Tips:

Don't overmix the meatball mixture, or they will turn out dense and dry.
Pre-baking the meatballs locks in juices and helps them hold their shape in the sauce.
To cook entirely in the Crockpot: cover meatballs with sauce and cook LOW 2-4 hrs or HIGH 1-2 hrs. Sauce may thin; remove meatballs and simmer the sauce on HIGH to thicken.
For that classic, slightly sweet cocktail meatball flavor, add ½ cup of grape jelly in with the BBQ sauce.
Frozen meatballs work in a pinch (HIGH 2-4 hrs, LOW 4-8 hrs), but homemade tastes best.
Properly cooked meatballs should reach 165°F internally.
Keep warm in the crockpot for up to 3 hours.
Serve with toothpicks for parties, over rice for dinner, or in sliders with buns.

Make-Ahead: Follow the recipe through baking, then freeze the cooked meatballs in an airtight container for up to 2 months. When ready to serve, transfer the frozen meatballs to your Crockpot and continue with step 4. Add an extra hour to the slow cooking time.

Storage: Store BBQ chicken meatballs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition