Best Slow Cooker Dinners | Laura Fuentes

Published: Jan 16, 2021 · Updated: Jul 10, 2023 by Laura Fuentes · This post may contain affiliate links

These slow cooker meals are delicious, healthy, and require low effort for easy weeknight dinners and meal prep.

5 from 7 votes

Check out these delicious and healthy slow cooker meals you can make for easy weeknight dinners and meal prep.

You don’t need to spend hours in the kitchen prepping a million different vegetables or waiting for the meat to finish cooking to eat a balanced meal.

With slow cooker recipes, you can make incredible and ready-to-eat meals with basic pantry staples and minimal time in the kitchen. It’s an easy and effective way to avoid burnout and make tasty recipes that the family will enjoy.

Slow Cooker Recipes

Everyone should have a slow cooker in their kitchen. They’re the ultimate cooking tool for prepping ahead on days when you can’t be bothered to spend hours in the kitchen. Just toss your ingredients in the dish, set to cook, and dinner is made. Even better, you’ll come home to a house filled with delicious smells.

Not to mention, slow cooker recipes are incredibly versatile and make an easy way to use up those freezer and pantry staples for a party appetizer, soup, or high protein dinner. There’s definitely a recipe for you.

Slow Cooker Chicken Dinners

Chicken is the one ingredient almost everyone can agree on and the perfect fit for countless slow cooker recipes. Craving Mexican, Italian, or Asian take-out? The recipes below have got you covered.

Buffalo Chicken Baked Sweet Potato

5 from 22 votes

This buffalo chicken baked sweet potato is a simple meal that will satisfy that craving for a healthy meal that is loaded with flavor!

Make This Recipe Thai Chicken Lettuce Cups with Peanut Sauce

4.94 from 31 votes

This slow-cooker Thai chicken recipe is an irresistible blend of Asian-inspired flavors in a taco or lettuce cup. It’s perfect for lunch or dinner! 

Make This Recipe Salsa Chicken Cauliflower Rice Bowls

5 from 29 votes

Everything you love about rice bowls with none of the carbs! This burrito-style recipe promise to be your next favorite dish!

Make This Recipe Healthy Buffalo Chicken Power Bowls

5 from 30 votes

These power-packed buffalo chicken bowls have it all with slow cooker Buffalo chicken, avocado, tomato, blue cheese, and homemade Ranch drizzles. They’re perfect to prep for school or the office. 

Make This Recipe Chicken Parmesan

5 from 22 votes

A slow-cooker version of a classic Italian dinner, this delicious chicken parmesan is the ultimate easy comfort food.

Make This Recipe

Can’t get enough chicken? I get it, and with over 70 recipes, I decided to put together an ENTIRE BOOK of incredible chicken dinner ideas that are easy to make and eliminate any chances of chicken burnout. 

THE Only Chicken Cookbook You’ll Need

The 70+ recipes inside Chicken. It’s What’s For Dinner will make everyone’s favorite white meat more exciting to eat!

Whether you’re just learning to cook or know your way around the kitchen, the recipes inside the eBook are simple and delicious.

Slow Cooker Soups

Slow cooker soups are a lifesaver, and even better, the leftovers make epic thermos lunches. 

Slow Cooker Chili Recipe

5 from 27 votes

Made with no beans, this Slow Cooker Chili Recipe is super hearty, kid-approved, and perfect for Paleo and Whole30 diets.

Make This Recipe Parmesan Chicken Soup

5 from 36 votes

This slow cooker chicken soup is a flavorful twist on the classic Chicken Parmesan made with pasta, chicken, and cheese in a delicious tomato broth. Double the recipe because you’re going to want seconds! 

Make This Recipe Easy Pho at Home

5 from 46 votes

The perfect comfort food, this easy Homemade Pho recipe brings all the flavors of your favorite take-out right to your own kitchen.

Make This Recipe Lasagna Soup

4.97 from 30 votes

Just like traditional lasagna, but with none of the work! This lasagna soup combines all the Italian flavors you love with the ease of a slow cooker recipe!

Make This Recipe Chicken Pot Pie Soup

5 from 17 votes

Filled with traditional flavors and made in half the time, this Slow Cooker Chicken Pot Pie Soup is a lightened-up version of your favorite chicken pot pies.

Make This Recipe Mexican Bean and Vegetable Soup

5 from 23 votes

This Mexican Bean and Vegetable Soup is hearty and full of flavor for a quick meal that can feed a crowd. 

Make This Recipe Easy Chicken and Noodle Soup

5 from 22 votes

Ditch canned soup for good with this Easy Slow Cooker Chicken and Noodle Soup! 

Make This Recipe Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Hearty and robust, this soup is the easiest gluten-free meal prep ever – perfect for busy nights when you just don’t have time to cook. 

Make This Recipe Veggie Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Sticks

Delicious, simple, and totally satisfying, this Veggie Tomato Soup is a healthy dinner your whole family will enjoy. Plus, it’s an easy way to get your kids to eat more veggies! 

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Slow Cooker Tacos

As if you needed another reason to eat tacos. These recipes can be prepped ahead and assembled come dinner time, so Taco Tuesday stays easy and always delicious. 

Easy Crock-Pot Chicken Tacos

5 from 26 votes

Made with just two ingredients and super easy, this taco recipe gives you tender, juicy chicken every time. 

Make This Recipe Pork Carnitas Tacos

5 from 29 votes

These Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas taste just like your restaurant favorites and are a super versatile meal prep recipe you can enjoy all week long.

Make This Recipe Pork Carnitas Lettuce Wraps

5 from 22 votes

Make Taco Tuesday low-carb by serving these pork carnitas in lettuce cups! Light, crunchy, and delicious!

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Recipe Basics in the Slow Cooker

Easily adaptable, these slow cooker meal basics can be made to fit any dietary needs for the easiest meal prep ever, whether it’s low-carb, vegetarian, or Whole30 approved. 

Spaghetti Squash

5 from 20 votes

Spaghetti squash is a fantastic healthy side dish or substitute for pasta that’s low-carb, high in fiber, and delicious. With this easy slow cooker preparation, it’ll be your new favorite veggie. 

Make This Recipe Sweet and Sour Turkey Meatball Recipe

5 from 10 votes

Made with a secret ingredient, these Sweet and Sour Turkey Meatballs are a crowd-pleasing easy meal prep recipe.  

Make This Recipe Asian Beef and Broccoli Bowls

4.93 from 66 votes

Made with real ingredients and full of nutrients, these Asian Beef and Broccoli Bowls are the best budget-friendly alternative to your favorite take-out dinner. 

Make This Recipe How to Cook Dry Bean

Don’t be intimidated by dry beans! This slow cooker method will give you soft, flavorful results every time. 

Make This Recipe How to Cook Ground Beef in a Crockpot

Thanks to the slow cooker, you can now cook ground beef without beef splatters or watching the stove. Once cooked, this recipe is perfect for tacos, nachos, spaghetti, and more! 

Make This Recipe Homemade Velveeta Cheese Sauce

Looking for a healthier version of boxed cheese? This Homemade Velveeta Cheese Recipe performs like the real thing and tastes delicious!

Make This Recipe Crockpot Tomato Sauce

This simple crockpot tomato sauce is easy to prepare and great for pizza, pasta, calzones, and more! No peeling or seeding is required. 

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Which slow cooker recipe will you try first? 

Best Slow Cooker Dinners

Laura Fuentes

These slow cooker meals are delicious, healthy, and require low effort for easy weeknight dinners and meal prep.

5 from 7 votes

Servings 6

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 4 hours hrs

Total Time 4 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Ingredients 

Crockpot Parmesan Chicken

• 1 can (28oz) crushed tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 3 garlic cloves, grated or, 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 lbs chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
• ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
• ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Cooked angel hair pasta, for serving (optional)
• Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)

Instructions 

• In a large (6 quart) slow cooker, place half of the crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, garlic, and salt. Place chicken breasts inside the slow cooker, top with half of the mozzarella and Parmesan cheese, and pour remaining crushed tomatoes on top.

• Cover the slow cooker and cook, on low for 8 hours or 4 on high.

• Meanwhile, heat broiler and line a baking sheet with foil. In a small bowl, combine panko breadcrumbs with olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Spread in a thin, even layer on foil-lined baking sheet. Broil 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until breadcrumbs are evenly golden brown.

• When chicken is cooked through, sprinkle remaining mozzarella cheese over top. Serve in bowls over pasta, if desired, topping the chicken with breadcrumbs and remaining Parmesan cheese.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 chicken breast with 1 cup pasta and sauceCalories: 289kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 39gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 116mgSodium: 656mgPotassium: 626mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 211IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 274mgIron: 1mg

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