These super easy slow cooker firecracker chicken meatballs are the perfect blend of spicy and sweet. They make a great appetizer or main dish! Perfect for holiday parties and meal-prep.
If you love easy appetizers, then you need to try my Italian pinwheels and my easy BLT dip!
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Why This Recipe Is So Good
These slow cooker firecracker chicken meatballs are one of my favorite meatball recipes to make. I added a sweet and spicy twist to these meatballs and cooked them low and slow in the slow cooker.
This is a perfect make-ahead appetizer or dinner. You can toss them in the sauce and throw in a crock pot to keep warm or make the meatballs in advance and freeze any leftovers.
These chicken meatballs are simmered in a sweet and spicy firecracker sauce. I use equal parts buffalo sauce and brown sugar with a splash of soy sauce. Its the perfect combination of sweet and spicy!
Do you love firecracker sauce? Then try my firecracker baked chicken and my firecracker salmon!
Key Ingredients
- Ground Chicken: I prefer ground chicken for this recipe, but you could also use ground turkey, ground pork, or even lean ground beef.
- Garlic: I prefer to use garlic in the meatballs rather than in the sauce so that it permeates the chicken thoroughly and you get a taste of it in every bite.
- Firecracker Sauce: You only need to make your own restaurant-quality firecracker sauce at home — buffalo sauce, brown sugar, and soy sauce. It’s tangy, sweet, and packed with some heat.
How To Make Them
- In a large bowl combine chicken, breadcrumbs, eggs, onion, garlic and parsley. Sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper.
- Form into meatballs. I made about 2 dozen meatballs.
- Place the meatballs on a baking sheet lined with foil. Spray with a bit of cooking spray.
- Brown meatballs under the broiler (I use the high setting) until browned. About 6 minutes on each side. Flip half way through.
- Place meatballs in the slow cooker and add in the buffalo sauce, brown sugar and soy sauce.
- Cook on low for 2 hours or until cooked through.
- Serve warm with chopped parsley and crushed red pepper flakes, if desired!
Serving Suggestions
They make an awesome appetizer or can be served as a main course. If you serve these as an appetizer I like to make the meatballs a bit smaller. This makes them easier to eat and serves more people! I also like to serve these meatballs for dinner with a side of mashed potatoes, zucchini noodle stir fry, or roasted veggies.
Storage Instructions
- Store cooled, leftover firecracker chicken meatballs in an airtight container or plastic bag in the fridge for up to 3 days. Store any leftover sauce in a separate container.
- Freeze cooked, cooled chicken meatballs in an airtight, freezer-safe container or plastic bag for up to 3 months.
- Reheat from chilled in the microwave or in a skillet until warmed through. Be careful not to dry out. You can reheat from frozen in the microwave, but I recommend letting them thaw first.
More Meatball Recipes To Try
- Thai Red Curry Chicken Meatballs
- Teriyaki Beef Meatballs
- Asian Style Chicken Meatballs
- Slow Cooker Asian Sesame Meatballs
Slow Cooker Firecracker Chicken Meatballs
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground chicken
- 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
- salt and pepper
Firecracker Sauce
- 1/2 cup buffalo sauce
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
For Serving
- chopped parsley for serving, if desired
- crushed red pepper flakes for serving, if desired
Instructions
- In a large bowl combine chicken, breadcrumbs, eggs, onion, garlic and parsley. Sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper.
- Form into meatballs. I made about 2 dozen meatballs.
- Place the meatballs on a baking sheet lined with foil. Spray with a bit of cooking spray.
- Brown meatballs under the broiler (I use the high setting) until browned. About 6 minutes on each side. Flip half way through.
- Place meatballs in the slow cooker and add in the buffalo sauce, brown sugar and soy sauce.
- Cook on low for 2 hours. Serve warm with chopped parsley and crushed red pepper flakes, if desired!
Nutrition Information
Did you make this?
I'd love to hear your feedback! Leave a review and make sure to share your pictures on social media! Don't forget to follow @thechefsavvy.
Sarah
These look amazing but we don’t have buffalo sauce here in Ireland. Do you have any ideas for an alternative sauce that would work with these?
Kelley
Hi Sarah!
You can make your own buffalo sauce at home with hot sauce and butter!
Thanks!
Kelley
Carrie
Frank’s Red Hot Sauce would be perfect for this.
cjb
Not a big chicken fan. Can you substitute good old ground beef? Thanks.
Kelley
Yes you can! I like to use lean ground beef. You can even use a mix of ground beef and pork or even ground turkey!
Thanks!
Kelley
Jennifer Leonard
The meatballs are ok at the most. But the sauce is one of the best!!! Will try to reconfigure out a better meat for this receipt.
Vicky Bryant
This is a great recipe!! Different than the normal crockpot meatball. I made mine stovetop. Keeper!!
Tanna J.
Omg I made these yesterday! I used frozen turkey meatballs and doubled the sauce because we like saucy meatballs. These were sooooo yummy! I also used Splenda sugar. Wow! We loved this! We ate the meatballs with a side of smashed cauliflower.
Elizabeth
How did you go about cooking frozen turkey meatballs with this recipe? I have already cooked frozen turkey meatballs that I want to use. Thanks!
JP
I’m never good at guessing how much salt and pepper to use when the instructions don’t tell me specifically how much should be in the recipe. Since the salt and pepper are being added to raw meat here, there isn’t any way to season to taste.
Can you give me a ball park amount to start with, for each, so that my first attempt at this recipe isn’t too bland to be enjoyed?
Kelley
Hi!
I would do 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper.
Thanks & Enjoy!
Kelley
Colleen
If I double this recipe, does it need to cook longer in the slow cooker? Thanks!
Kelley
Hi Colleen,
No this should not take much longer with double the meatballs. I would just check them after 2 hours.
Thanks!
Kelley
Melissa
Can you cook them for longer? 8 hours?
Kelley
Hi Melissa,
Yes you could cook them on low for 6 hours and keep warm for two.
Thanks!
Kelley
Aly
Was wondering what kind of ground chicken you used – was curious when checking out the nutritional information – I used lean. By the way these are THE BEST meatballs I’ve ever had! Eat them as a main course, on a sandwich, just to pick .. delicious!!! Thanks for the reciepe!
Kelley
Hi Aly!
I used lean ground chicken as well! I am so glad to hear you enjoyed these. Thanks so much for sharing!!
Kelley
Jeannie
Can I add spinach and water chestnuts to these meatballs?
Kelley
Of course!! Let me know how they turn out!
Kelley