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Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Meatballs

Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Meatballs

Meghan
Homemade chicken meatballs with a sweet and tangy sauce. These cocktail meatballs are always at a hit at parties!
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Servings 24 meatballs (approx.)

Ingredients
  

For the Meatballs:

  • 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
  • 1/2 cup minced onion
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon snipped parsley (or 1 teaspoon dried parsley)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 pound ground chicken (or ground beef or turkey)
  • extra-virgin olive oil

For the Sauce:

  • 12 ounces jarred chili sauce (like Heinz)
  • 10 ounces grape jelly

Instructions
 

To Make the Meatballs:

  • Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Combine first 8 ingredients of the meatballs and mix well. Add meat and mix until evenly incorporated.
  • Form 1-inch meatballs, using olive oil on your hands to keep the mixture from sticking. Place formed meatballs on parchment lined baking sheet.
  • Bake meatballs until cooked through 15 - 25 minutes, depending on size.
  • If making ahead, freeze meatballs in a single layer in a gallon sized freezer bag. If making immediately, proceed to make the sauce.

To Make the Sauce:

  • In a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine chili sauce and grape jelly, and stir frequently until jelly has melted completely. Place meatballs in a slow cooker and pour the heated sauce on top.
  • To make in an Instant Pot, add the sauce ingredients to the Instant Pot bowl and cook on the saute setting until the jelly has dissolved. Add the meatballs to the sauce and stir to coat.
  • Cook on slow cook setting on low for 3 to 4 hours or longer, stirring occasionally.

For Quicker Meatballs:

  • Add the meatballs to the sauce in the saucepan, stir to coat, and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.

Notes

Source: Adapted from the Betty Crocker Cookbook
You're Gonna Bake It After All
bakeitafterall.com
Keyword appetizer, holiday, party, snack