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Crockpot Sweet Chili Meatballs

Crockpot sweet chili meatballs with a sticky-sweet, slightly thickened sauce that clings to fully cooked frozen meatballs. Minimal prep—whisk the glaze, slow-cook until hot, then garnish with sesame seeds and green onions.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 5 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Asian-American
Calories: 450
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Frozen meatballs
  • 32 oz frozen fully cooked meatballs Use fully cooked frozen meatballs so they just need heating through.
Sweet chili glaze
  • 12 oz sweet chili sauce
  • 0.25 cup soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 2 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 3 garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
Garnish
  • 1 sesame seeds Optional but recommended for texture and aroma.
  • 1 sliced green onions Optional but recommended for fresh color and flavor.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Load and glaze
  1. Place the frozen fully cooked meatballs in the slow cooker.
  2. Whisk together sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, garlic, and grated ginger until smooth.
  3. Pour the sauce over the meatballs and stir to coat evenly.
Slow-cook
  1. Cook on low for 4 hours or high for 2 hours, until the meatballs are heated through and the sauce has thickened slightly.
  2. Stir gently to re-coat all meatballs before serving.
Serve
  1. Transfer the meatballs to a serving platter and garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions.

Notes

For the best glossy coating, stir once halfway through if your slow cooker runs hot and reduces sauce quickly. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; reheat gently until hot. Freezing is yes—freeze up to 2 months and reheat on low to prevent the glaze from getting too thick. For a lower-sugar option, use a reduced-sugar sweet chili sauce and keep the rest of the glaze the same.