This easy recipe for Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken Meatballs is a creamy and cozy dinner recipe that's just as perfect for company as it is for busy weeknights.
Juicy chicken meatballs pair with pillowy gnocchi and a Tuscan-inspired cream sauce for a flavorful meal you won't soon forget.
These tender baked chicken meatballs finish cooking in a creamy and fragrant Italian sauce featuring garlic, sundried tomatoes, and fresh spinach. Served alongside tender potato gnocchi, this is a complete meal that's easy enough for any day of the week (but nice enough to serve to your Mother-in-law).
I know a lot of folks don't like the idea of having to cook the meatballs before adding them to the slow cooker, but trust me: I will only ask you to do something like this if it's absolutely necessary. Besides, if you're really not in the mood, you can use your favorite precooked frozen chicken meatballs instead.
This is an easy, mostly hands-off weeknight-friendly dinner that still feels generous and a little indulgent. It pairs perfectly with a green salad and some crusty garlic bread (and perhaps a glass of dry white wine, if you're so inclined).
Why You'll Love it:
- A complete meal. Protein, veggies, and carbs - it has everything you need for a well-rounded meal.
- Easy to make. Who doesn't love a good slow cooker recipe on a busy day? This one is cozy, yet simple to put together.
- Creamy and delicious. Need I say more?
Ingredients
- Gnocchi: This is a potato-based pasta that is absolutely delicious! Once cooked, they are like tender little dumplings. So good!
- Spinach: We recommend baby spinach as it doesn't need to be chopped, and the stems are super tender. If you are using full-sized spinach, remove the stems and chop it into 2-3" pieces.
- Heavy cream: Silky, creamy, delicious - all thanks to heavy cream! It also stands up to slow cooking without curdling, which can't be said about milk or roux-based sauces.
- Sun-dried tomatoes: We recommend the type packed in oil, as they are slightly juicier and plumper; drain off the oil before measuring.
- Parmesan cheese: Nutty, salty, savory - it's the best complement to this Italian-style meal.
- Broth: We recommend chicken broth, but it can be from a box, from concentrate (we like Better than Bouillon), or homemade - it's up to you!
For the Meatballs
- Ground chicken: We love to make our meatball mixture from scratch using ground chicken. If you prefer, you can use frozen chicken meatballs, but for the most tender chicken meatballs, we recommend the homemade route.
- Breadcrumbs: Use either regular dry breadcrumbs or panko breadcrumbs.
- Parmesan: More cheese for extra flavor!
- Egg: This acts as a binder and holds everything together.
- Seasoning: Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper.
- Milk (or cream)
- Olive oil
- Fresh garlic
How to Make Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken Meatballs
This recipe features homemade chicken meatballs, which make for the most delicious slow cooker dinner ever! Frozen can be used instead, but if you have the time and the inclination, be sure to try the from-scratch version first. When paired with gnocchi, it's pure perfection!
First, make the meatballs
- Add the ground chicken, breadcrumbs, parmesan, egg, garlic, seasonings, cream, and olive oil to a large bowl.
- Gently combine all of the ingredients, careful not to overwork them, which can make for tough meatballs.
- Use a medium cookie scoop to portion the meatball mixture, and roll them into balls. Brush them lightly with olive oil.
- Bake them in a 400ºF (200ºC) oven for 13-16 minutes, or until they are browned on the outside and cooked most of the way through (they will continue cooking in the crock pot).
Next, add them to the slow cooker
- Whisk together the sauce ingredients in the insert of your slow cooker: 1 ½ cups chicken broth, 1 cup of heavy cream, 2-3 cloves of minced garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon of black pepper. Once the sauce is combined, add the meatballs to the sauce, nestling them in.
- Cook on LOW for 2-3 hours.
- Add the gnocchi and gently stir it until it's fully submerged under the sauce.
- Cook on LOW for another 30-40 minutes, or until the gnocchi is tender.
- Once the gnocchi is soft and tender, add the spinach and parmesan and cook for another 5-10 minutes, or until the spinach is wilted and the parmesan is melted into the sauce.
- Taste and adjust the seasonings, cheese, etc., according to your preference. Serve hot with extra parmesan cheese and freshly cracked black pepper!
Serve it with:
- Crusty bread (or breadsticks)
- Caesar salad or green salad of choice
- White wine (we like Sauvignon blanc)
- Garlic knots (or classic garlic bread)
Substitutions
- Using ground turkey: If you prefer, you can swap the ground chicken for ground turkey. They swap out for each other very well, so no tweaks should be needed.
- Fresh gnocchi: We strongly recommend that you use shelf-stable gnocchi, which holds up to the low and slow cooking used in this recipe. If you insist, you can use fresh gnocchi - just add it at the very end and cook it for just 10 minutes.
- Other greens: You don't have to use spinach; in fact, you can use pretty much any green you like! We like spinach because it's tender and mild in flavor, but feel free to swap it for chopped kale or Swiss chard to switch up the flavor.
Prep Ahead Tips
- If you want to make some of this Tuscan chicken meatballs recipe in advance, you can prepare the meatballs up to one day in advance.
- If preparing the meatballs ahead of time, ensure they are cooked all the way through (165ºF/74ºC). Once cooled, add them to an airtight container and keep refrigerated until needed.
- On the day of cooking, add the meatballs to the slow cooker along with the sauce ingredients. Since the meatballs start off cold, you may need to add 30-60 minutes to the total cooking time.
More Slow Cooker Dinner Ideas:
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Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken Meatballs with Gnocchi
This easy recipe for slow cooker Tuscan chicken meatballs with gnocchi is a cozy dinner recipe perfect for both company AND busy weeknights.
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Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 511kcal
Ingredients
Chicken Meatballs: (or use 1 ½ pounds frozen meatballs)
- 1 pound ground chicken
- ½ cup dry breadcrumbs or panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground if possible
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning or a blend of thyme and oregano
- 2 tablespoons cream or milk
- 1 tablespoon olive oil for brushing
Gnocchi and Tuscan Cream Sauce:
- 1 pound potato gnocchi
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2-3 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅓ cup sun dried tomatoes packed in oil, measured after draining and slicing
- 3 cups packed baby spinach
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese (plus more for serving)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF (this is for precooking the meatballs; disregard if using frozen meatballs)
- Prepare the meatballs. In a large bowl, gently combine all of the meatball ingredients just until mixed. Avoid overworking the mixture, which can cause it to become tough. Roll into 1 ½ inch meatballs (I like to use a medium cookie scoop to portion the meatball mixture) and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Lightly brush the tops with olive oil.
- Bake the meatballs. Place the baking sheet of meatballs in the preheated oven and bake for 13-16 minutes, or until they are lightly golden, crisp on the outside, and cooked most of the way through (they will continue to cook in the slow cooker, so it's okay if they aren't up to temperature yet).
- Assemble the slow cooker sauce. Add the chicken broth, heavy cream, garlic, salt, pepper, and sun-dried tomatoes to the slow cooker. Stir well, then add the meatballs, nestling them under the sauce.
- Cook on LOW for 2-3 hours.
- Add the gnocchi. After the meatballs have cooked in the sauce for a few hours, it's time to add the gnocchi. Gently turn to coat it in the sauce, keeping it submerged.
- Cover and cook on LOW for another 30-40 minutes, or until the gnocchi is tender.
- Add the spinach. Once the gnocchi is tender, fold in the baby spinach and Parmesan cheese. Cover again and cook for another 5-10 minutes, or just until the spinach is wilted and the sauce is silky.
- Finish and serve. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper (if needed) and add any extra ingredients according to your taste (Parmesan, sun-dried tomatoes, etc.). Serve hot with extra Parmesan and freshly cracked pepper.
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Notes
If you need to thin sauce: If the sauce thickens more than you would like, loosen it with a splash of warm broth or cream before serving.
Make ahead: The meatballs can be baked and refrigerated a day in advance – just be sure to cook them to temperature (165ºF) if you plan to do this.
Storing: Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The sauce will thicken as it cools, but it can be thinned by adding extra warm broth or cream.
Reheating: Reheat any leftovers gently and slowly, in 30-second intervals in the microwave or on the stovetop over low heat. Adding extra liquid will be helpful to thin the sauce.
Gluten free: Substitute the breadcrumbs for gluten-free panko breadcrumbs, and use gluten-free gnocchi in place of standard.
What type of gnocchi should I use? We recommend using shelf-stable potato gnocchi, which can be found in the pasta section of your local grocery store. Fresh gnocchi is softer, and can lose texture when cooked for longer periods of time. For that reason, we recommend using the shelf-stable kind. Gluten-free can be used if you prefer.
Nutrition
Calories: 511kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 151mg | Sodium: 1354mg | Potassium: 800mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 2237IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 178mg | Iron: 5mg
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Dorothy Bigelow says
This is so easy and creamy, and a big hit with the whole family!