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?
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Stephanie
Instead of broiling can you cook these in a pan then add to slowcooker?
Kelley
Yes you can! Enjoy!
jana
Do you have to use panko crumbs or can you use regular bread crumbs?
Kelley
Hi Jana!
You can use regular bread crumbs if you prefer.
Thanks!
Kelley
Katie
This recipe is amazing! I made it for a potluck. I had to make a second batch because my husband ate half of the first batch! Thank you for this awesome recipe.
Kelley
So glad you enjoyed this! Thanks so much for sharing!
Mel
So it’s very early in the morning and I didn’t read the directions properly. I accidentally added all the ingredients in a bowl (including buffalo sauce, brown sugar, soy sauce) and stirred. Can I still bake them like this? They smell amazing if it’s any consolation.
Kelley
Hi Mel!
That’s hard to say. Is the mixture pretty loose? Could it be formed into meatballs? Maybe adding some more breadcrumbs may help?
Thanks! Keep me posted!
Kelley
Mel
The consistency was already pretty thick but I added maybe 1/3 cup more Panko. I baked them at 400*F for about 35 minutes and they turned out nice! It made 40 1-1.5” meatballs. I didn’t put in crock pot with sauce in case they were too saucy with ingredients already mixed into meatballs. I don’t think I needed to add any extra Panko, but I was the only one who thought they were too “bready” rather than meaty. I used a mix of gluten free Panko and gluten free Italian breadcrumbs. I have the ingredients to make these the correct way, so excited to see the difference.
Kelley
I am happy to hear they still turned out well Mel! Thanks for the update!
Jodi
I just did the same thing! Ugh.. They are baking in the oven now.. but I do want to put in a crock with the sauce for the game tomorrow. I’ll decide once I taste them when they’re done. Crossing my fingers!
Kelley
Hi Jodi,
I am so sorry this happened to you. I will go ahead and update the recipe to make it less confusing.
Thank you!
Kelley
Dina
Mel what ended up happening?? We are all anxiously waiting
LEIGH ANN THELMADATTER
This turned out to be a whole lotta meatballs to very little sauce to cook in a crock pot
Asia
We didn’t use the slow cooker but I baked the chicken balls till it was firm. Thru it in my air frier to cook through and that took out air frier attachment and baked in sauce for 15 minutes. It was so good. My kids loved it.
Kelley Simmons
So glad you and your kids enjoyed this recipe Asia! Thanks so much for sharing!
Tonya
This looks awesome….my oven just died….could I brown the meatballs on the stove instead using the broiler?
Kelley Simmons
Yes of course! Stove top would work fine as well. Sorry to hear about your oven!
Tonya
Making this for a party. It looks delish….but can I get clarification on one ingredient, please? When you list buffalo sauce….do you mean hot sauce like Franks….or the pre-made “buffalo wing sauce” you get in stores like Buffalo wild wings, primal or sweet baby rays? Thanks
Kelley Simmons
Hi Tonya!
Thanks so much! I use franks red hot buffalo sauce for this dish. Hope you enjoy!
Kelley
Amber
If you want to freeze these do you thaw out before putting in the crock pot?
Kelley Simmons
Hi Amber,
Yes I would thaw these out first before putting them in the slow cooker.
Thanks and enjoy!
Kelley
Joann Christensen
I have made these several times and always turns out delicious
The inky change I make is I use 1lb ground chicken, cut ingredients in half and I get about 20 appetizer size meatballs. I use the same amount of sauce even though only using 1lb ground chicken
I’m able to brown in my slow cooker, so I skip the oven part
Excellent recipe, thanks for sharing
Kelley Simmons
So glad you enjoyed these Joann! Love that you made these into appetizers!