Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken Meatballs are a deliciously simple way to transform dinner into something special. These tender chicken meatballs are slow cooked in a sticky honey garlic sauce, balanced with soy and a touch of ginger for a comforting, flavour-packed meal.
Serve them over jasmine rice and your favourite greens for a family-friendly dinner that feels effortless yet satisfying. Perfect for those evenings when you want big flavours without the fuss!
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Calories in Crockpot Honey Garlic Chicken Meatballs
This recipe serves 4 and is 316 calories per serving
If you're looking for more recipes within the same calorie range, you'll find an abundance of options in my dedicated collection of 300+ calorie recipes.
If you're following a calorie-controlled diet or a healthy eating plan, it's important to calculate your daily calorie intake using a reliable calorie calculator. Please note that the calorie counts provided are estimates and can vary based on specific ingredients and serving sizes. Personalizing your calculations is essential to meet your individual needs. By using a calorie calculator, you can make informed choices and stay on track with your dietary goals.
See the recipe card for full nutritional estimation.
Ingredients Notes
To make this recipe you will need the following ingredients:
- Extra Lean Ground Chicken: A lighter protein option that keeps the meatballs tender and juicy. Ensure it's no leaner than 5% fat, as leaner meat can result in dry meatballs.
- Garlic Powder & Onion Powder: These pantry staples add a savoury depth of flavour to the meatballs, evenly seasoning the mixture without overpowering.
- Breadcrumbs: Act as a binder, ensuring the meatballs hold their shape while also keeping them soft and tender. Regular or panko breadcrumbs work well.
- Egg: The essential binder that brings everything together, helping the meatballs hold their shape during cooking.
- Salt: Enhances the natural flavours of the meatballs and balances the seasoning.
- Spring Onions: Finely chopped spring onions add a fresh, slightly sweet note and a pop of colour to the meatball mixture.
For the Sauce:
- Honey: The star of the sauce, providing natural sweetness that balances the savoury and tangy flavours.
- Passata: A smooth tomato base that adds richness and body to the sauce while subtly mellowing the sweetness of the honey.
- Soy Sauce: Brings savoury depth and umami, tying the sauce's flavours together beautifully. Opt for reduced-sodium soy sauce if preferred.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic intensifies the sauce's flavour, offering a sharper, more robust garlic note compared to the powder in the meatballs.
- Ginger: adds a touch of flavour to the sauce
- Chilli Flakes: Adds a gentle hint of heat that cuts through the sweetness, balancing the sauce without making it overly spicy.
- Water: Thins the sauce slightly to ensure the meatballs cook evenly in the slow cooker without becoming too dry or thick.
- Sesame Seeds: A nutty garnish sprinkled over the finished dish, adding texture and visual appeal. Perfect for tying in with the Asian-inspired flavours.
Once you've gathered all the ingredients and prepared them accordingly, you're all set to create this easy and delightful recipe.
See the recipe card for specific quantities and instructions.
Variations and Substitutes
Feel free to experiment with the recipe to suit your taste, here are some suggestions:
- Ground Meat Options: This recipe works beautifully with ground pork, beef, or turkey in place of chicken. Each type of meat brings a slightly different flavour and texture, so feel free to choose your favourite.
- Ready-Made Meatballs: For a quicker option, use lean frozen meatballs. Simply add them straight to the slow cooker with the sauce and let them cook through as directed. It's a simple, fuss-free alternative for busy days.
- Chicken Thighs: If you're not in the mood for meatballs, boneless, skinless chicken thighs are an excellent substitute. They stay juicy and tender in the slow cooker, soaking up all the delicious honey garlic sauce.
- Adding Vegetables: For a more balanced meal, add vegetables such as broccoli, bell peppers, carrots, or sugar snap peas along with the meatballs. Keep in mind that the vegetables will release moisture as they cook, which can dilute the sauce. To counter this, consider reducing the amount of water in the sauce or doubling the sauce ingredients to ensure you have enough flavour to coat everything.
- Gluten Free: For a gluten-free version, simply swap the regular breadcrumbs for gluten-free breadcrumbs and use a gluten-free soy sauce. These easy substitutions will ensure you still get the same great taste without the gluten.
These variations make it easy to customise the recipe to suit your preferences or adapt it to what you have on hand!
Choosing the Best Slow Cooker
Choosing the right slow cooker can transform your kitchen experience. Look for one with both low and high temperature settings, allowing you to adjust cooking times to fit your schedule. A sear and sauté function is especially useful, as it lets you brown ingredients directly in the cooker, reducing cleanup by keeping everything in one pot from start to finish.
Consider a model with a keep-warm function to ensure your meal stays at the perfect serving temperature until you're ready to eat. Removable, dishwasher-safe inserts are another great feature, making cleanup quick and hassle-free. Select a slow cooker that matches your needs and lifestyle for effortless, enjoyable cooking.
I use the Ninja Foodi Possible Cooker which is an 8in1 slow cooker with removable non stick pot and love it for cooking my slow cooker recipes.
Sides for Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Meatballs
Wondering what sides to pair with the meatballs? Here are some suggestions:
- Plain Jasmine Rice: The subtle, fragrant flavours of jasmine rice pair perfectly with the honey garlic sauce, soaking up all the goodness. It's a simple and classic choice that complements the dish beautifully.
- Egg Fried Rice: For a bit more flavour, egg fried rice is an excellent side. The eggs add richness, while the fried rice absorbs the sauce, making every bite extra satisfying.
- Cauliflower Rice (Low-Carb Option): For a low-carb alternative, cauliflower rice is a great option. It provides a similar texture to rice but with fewer carbs, making it ideal if you're watching your carb intake.
- Egg Fried Cauliflower Rice: Combine the benefits of cauliflower rice with the deliciousness of egg fried rice for a satisfying, low-carb option that's full of flavour and perfect for pairing with the honey garlic meatballs.
- Noodles: If you're in the mood for something different, noodles are a fantastic choice. The honey garlic sauce coats them beautifully, making each bite as tasty as the last. Try using rice noodles, egg noodles, or even soba for a fun twist.
- Suitable Vegetables: To balance out the dish, consider serving it with vegetables like steamed broccoli, sautéed spinach or shredded cabbage, or stir-fried bell peppers, carrots, green beans etc. These vegetables add colour, texture, and a healthy dose of nutrients to your meal.
These sides will enhance the flavours of your slow cooker honey garlic chicken meatballs, creating a well-rounded and satisfying meal. Choose what suits your dietary needs or preferences!
More Chicken Mince (Ground Chicken) Recipes
Looking for some more recipes using Chicken Mince? Check out the following:
See more Chicken Mince Recipes →
or if you would like more recipe ideas - head on over to the FULL RECIPE INDEX where you will find over 900 delicious recipes with calories and you can search by meal type, ingredients, course, diet and more.
All recipes on Slimming Eats have estimated nutritional information for your convenience.
FAQ for Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken Meatballs
Yes, you can use lean frozen meatballs instead of homemade ones. Simply add them straight to the slow cooker with the sauce and cook them according to the recipe instructions. This is a great time-saver!
Absolutely! To make the dish gluten-free, use gluten-free breadcrumbs and ensure you're using gluten-free soy sauce. These simple swaps will maintain the flavour while meeting gluten-free dietary needs.
Store any leftover honey garlic chicken meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, simply warm them in the microwave or on the stovetop, adding a splash of water if needed to loosen the sauce.
Yes, you can freeze the honey garlic chicken meatballs. Once cooked and cooled, store the meatballs and sauce in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag. They can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Yes, you can easily double the recipe. Just ensure your slow cooker is large enough to accommodate the extra ingredients and adjust the cooking time slightly if needed. The sauce should be sufficient for the doubled portion, but feel free to increase the sauce ingredients if you like it extra saucy.
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Recipe Card
Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken Meatballs
Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken Meatballs are a deliciously simple way to transform dinner into something special. These tender chicken meatballs are slow cooked in a sticky honey garlic sauce, balanced with soy and a touch of ginger for a comforting, flavour-packed meal.
Ingredients
For the Meatballs:
- 455g (1lb) of extra lean ground chicken (mince) - do not use less than 5% fat
- 2 spring onions, finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon of garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon of onion powder
- 30g (1oz) of panko breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg
- pinch of salt
- low calorie spray
For the Honey Garlic Sauce:
- 5 tablespoons of honey
- ¼ cup (60g) of passata
- ⅓ cup (80ml) of soy sauce
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon of grated fresh ginger
- ⅓ cup (80ml) of water
- pinch of chilli flakes (optional)
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon of toasted sesame seeds
- 2 spring onions (green part), chopped (to garnish)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the mince, green onions, garlic powder, onion powder, breadcrumbs, egg, and a pinch of salt.
- Use the sauté (sear) function of your slow cooker, or heat a frying pan over medium-high heat, and brown the meatballs in low calorie spray.
- Once browned, transfer the meatballs to the slow cooker and add the chopped onion.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the sauce ingredients, excluding the onion, sesame seeds, and additional green onions.
- Pour the sauce over the meatballs in the slow cooker, then cover and cook on low for 6 hours.
- Once cooked, garnish with the reserved spring onions and a pinch of sesame seeds.
- Enjoy your delicious honey garlic meatballs!
Notes
Please see below for full nutritional info and additional details about recipe:
- Calories - scroll down to nutritional info box
- WW Points and other Slimming or Weight Loss programs - due to plans regularly changing and updating, we recommend calculating with the official tools you get as a member to those plans to ensure accuracy of values.
- Suitable for Freezing ❄️ - see FAQ
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Nutrition Information
Yield 4 Serving Size 1 SERVINGAmount Per Serving Calories 316Total Fat 10gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 47mgSodium 852mgCarbohydrates 32gFiber 1gSugar 23gProtein 24g
Nutritional information and values etc are an estimate and is to be used for informational purposes only. Ingredients can vary greatly from brand to brand and therefore it would be impossible to give accurate information. It is always advised that you calculate by the ingredients you use.
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