You can prep these Slow Cooker Chicken and Spinach Meatballs in under 15 minutes. Pop them in the slow cooker, fill your house with all the good smells and a few hours later – dinner is served!
When it comes to kitchen prep, there are a couple things I need to have. Good music, one of my two favorite kitchen aprons, my GelPro mats and depending on the time of day – some wine. You feel me on this right?
I got my first GelPro mat last year. One of the new fancy pants Decorator Collection mats. One of my besties (hey Jen B.!) in Philly has been preaching to me for years about how comfortable they are and what a game-changer it is for your back and overall comfort while prepping and cleaning up in the kitchen.
And, she was right. Sooo right. As soon as the mat got here, my husband and I started fighting over where it should go. I spend most of my kitchen time at the island prepping and cooking and he spends most of his kitchen time at the sink – cleaning up. So we wound up moving the mat around the kitchen depending on who was doing what. It was a little comical and a little crazy.
Then, we obviously had to get another mat, just to have in front of my island. No more constant re-arranging and on-going comfort at every spot. Heaven!
So, let’s get to these meatballs! These are the meatballs you want to make when you are short on time — when you can’t pan-fry them first or want to turn on the oven to bake them off. No need. There is enough flavor packed into these Chicken and Spinach Meatballs that you can, no joke, by-pass what are usually necessary meatball making steps.
TIME SAVER.
Now, enter the slow cooker and we are talking seriously easy stuff here. You can make a double batch and freeze half in some sauce for a later meal or portion out for lunches.
I like to serve them over zucchini noodles in the warmer months and spaghetti squash in the cooler months. Plus, a side salad of course. Oh, and there are already some greens in the spinach so that’s covered too.
- I used a 6.5 Quart slow cooker and there was enough room to easily do a double batch. I have this one and love it!
- Two of my favorite high-quality (sugar-free) jarred marinara sauces are Monte Bene and Victoria Fine Foods.
Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating below!
You can prep these Slow Cooker Chicken and Spinach Meatballs in under 15 minutes. Pop them in the slow cooker, fill your house with all the good smells and a few hours later - dinner is served!
- 1 pound ground chicken thighs
- 3 tablespoons golden flax meal OR substitute large egg
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 20 to 25 turns freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 3 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 small yellow onion grated
- handful flat leaf parsley finely chopped
- 1/4 pound baby spinach finely chopped
- 25 ounce jar of favorite marinara sauce
- zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash for serving
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Combine ground meat, flax meal, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes into a mixing bowl.
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Add in crushed garlic.
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Use a fine grater to grate the onion right into the bowl. Discard any large pieces that fall off or are too difficult to grate.
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Finely chop parsley and spinach and add meat mixture.
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Mix until well combined and roll into golf-sized meatballs. You should yield 12.
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Gently place each meatball into the slow cooker, allowing for some room around each one if possible.
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Cover with marinara sauce. Set slow cooker to low for 6 hours (or high for 3 hours). Serve over zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash and Enjoy!
Did you make this recipe? Tag @EverydayMaven on Instagram with the hashtag #EveryDayMaven and please give a star rating below.
Pam Geiken says
Can you use ground turkey instead? I often have trouble finding ground chicken
Alyssa Brantley says
Absolutely Pam! You can use any ground meat. I’ve made these with ground chicken, turkey, beef, and pork with great success (the beef and pork give off a lot more fat into the sauce)!
Jen says
Hi, if not using the flax meal just use one large egg? Just to make sure ! Also I have ground flaxseed how much of that would I use ?
Alyssa Brantley says
Hey Jen! Yes, you can omit the flax and just use 1 large egg. If you use ground flax, it’s 3T. Hope you love them!