Crockpot Grape Jelly Meatballs Recipe

scooping grape jelly chicken meatballs from a crockpot.

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Crockpot Grape Jelly Meatballs Recipe

These Crockpot chicken meatballs are a lighter, leaner twist on the classic party appetizer! Simmered in a grape jelly chili sauce, these cocktail meatballs emerge from the slow cooker with a thick, glossy glaze.

Prep Time10

Cook Time2 20

Total Time2 30

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Servings: people

Calories: 507kcal

Author: Becky Hardin

Equipment

1½-2 Tablespoon Cookie Portion Scoop optional
Baking Sheet
6-Qt Crockpot

Ingredients

For the Meatballs:

2 pounds ground chicken *
¾ cup Panko breadcrumbs **
2 large eggs
1½ tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper

For the Glaze:

18 ounces grape jelly 1 large jar
12 ounces chili sauce 1 bottle***

Optional Garnish:

chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F.
In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, breadcrumbs, egg, olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
2 pounds ground chicken, ¾ cup Panko breadcrumbs, 2 large eggs, 1½ tablespoons olive oil, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, 1½ teaspoons kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Use a cookie scoop to portion out the mixture into meatballs, about 1½-2 tablespoons each. Roll into balls and place on a baking sheet with space between.
Bake the meatballs for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown on the outside.
Spray the slow cooker with nonstick spray. Combine the grape jelly and chili sauce in slow cooker. Add the meatballs to the slow cooker and gently toss them in the sauce until fully coated.
18 ounces grape jelly, 12 ounces chili sauce
Cook on HIGH for 2-3 hours or on LOW for 3-4 hours, until cooked through. Garnish with parsley before serving.
chopped fresh parsley

Notes

Yield: This recipe makes approx. 42 mini meatballs. A serving is 6 meatballs.

*Ground turkey, pork, or beef also works great.

**Regular breadcrumbs also work, but Panko give a lighter texture.

***I used regular Heinz chili sauce, but sweet chili sauce also works for a sweeter sauce.

Tips:

Mix the meat gently to prevent overworking it. Overworked meat will produce dense, dry meatballs.
For a richer umami flavor (more like beef), add a splash of Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, or a tsp of Dijon mustard to the chicken mixture.
Lightly oil your hands before shaping the meatballs to keep them from sticking.
If the mixture feels too wet to hold together, gently fold in an extra 2 tbsp of Panko before shaping.
The meatballs should be pale to light brown, but set and "matte" on the outside after baking. If they are still quite wet looking, continue baking until the outside is fully set.
If your sauce is too runny at the end, whisk in a slurry made from 1 tsp cornstarch and 1 tbsp water, and cook on HIGH, stirring often, for about 15 min, or until thickened to your liking.
Optionally remove the crockpot lid and cook on HIGH for the last 30 minutes to create a stickier, more concentrated glaze.
Keep warm for up to 3 hours using your crockpot's "keep warm" function.

Using Frozen Meatballs: For a quicker version, use frozen chicken meatballs. After combining the grape jelly and chili sauce in the slow cooker, add in the frozen meatballs and cook according to the instructions above.

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

Nutrition