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.
When making the batch to freeze do you freeze after prepping or after cooking?
I like to freeze after cooking so all I need to do is reheat!
Spinach isn’t always available affordably where I live. I happened to have scored a bag in a stall of the farmer’s market. Will other greens like mangold or turnip greens or kale work as well or are they likely to be too strong with chicken or turkey? The kids loved these, greens, flaxseed and all (of course chopping everything fine and not saying anything helped).
So, it depends on the sauce you use. If you use a mild sauce, then those hearty and bitter greens may really impact the flavor. However, if you use a bold or spicy sauce, you should be able to get away with it!
Hi Alyssa! The meatballs look great and I would love to try this recipe, but I’m wondering; where did you get ground chicken thighs? Do you buy it like that or grind it yourself? Thanks!!
Hi Beth! I usually buy it – when you go to your supermarket, look for the ground chicken – usually there are two options – one very light in color (from breast meat) and one that is darker in color (from thighs, legs). That has a bit more fat and a lot more flavor IMO. You can always use the ground chicken breast but you may need just a touch of olive oil!
Thanks so much, Alyssa!
This would be a dream come true for me, as I have degenerative disc disease and suffer back pain related to it.
Michelle – make sure you head over to GelPro’s site and have a friend or family member enter you into this http://www.gelpro.com/Random-Acts-Of-Comfort Good luck!!!
Those mats look cool. But those meatballs look WAY cool! And wonderful. What a terrific recipe — thanks so much.
Hey John! Thank you – they are super easy to make!
Who knew chicken thighs could be made into into meatballs! I love chix thighs!! Definitely trying this recipe! Thanks for the shout out on the mats! I am due for new ones and love Gel-Pros new designs, so i did enter to win! Thanks for making that chance happen!
Hope you love it Jen! The designer mats are soooo nice – good luck 🙂
Yum!! I will make these for sure.
Love meatballs and the addition of spinach is one I have to try. Love the gel mat! Need that in my kitchen for sure, I am there more than anywhere!
I am putting these meatballs on my next rotation.
the meatballs…and the mat…both look great. thanks for the chance to win one!