Some nights you just want a warm, comforting dinner without spending an hour in the kitchen. These 10 delicious slow cooker recipes cover the classic comfort food cravings: hearty beef stew, tender garlic chicken, creamy sauces, BBQ chicken, and cheesy pasta. Every recipe uses simple ingredients, and you can load the crockpot in a few minutes.
What Makes These Crockpot Recipes Easy?
The best dinner recipes for the crockpot use ingredients you can find at any grocery store and need very little prep. Here is what you will find in this list:
- Hearty beef dinners: beef stew, garlic butter beef bites, and lasagna.
- Garlic and creamy chicken: honey garlic chicken, mushroom chicken, million dollar chicken, and chicken and gravy.
- Fast comfort food: BBQ pulled chicken and mac and cheese that finishes in 2 to 3 hours.
10 Delicious Slow Cooker Recipes
1. Crock Pot Beef Stew
Beef stew meat, potatoes, carrots, onion, garlic, tomato paste, and thyme simmer in beef broth until the meat is tender. It is the hearty beef stew you want on a cold night. Cook time: 6-8 hours on low. Get the Crock Pot Beef Stew recipe.
2. Crockpot Honey Garlic Chicken
Chicken breasts simmer in honey, soy sauce, garlic, apple cider vinegar, and ginger until tender. This garlic chicken is a good pick when you are home in the late afternoon. Cook time: 4-6 hours on low. Get the Crockpot Honey Garlic Chicken recipe.
3. Slow Cooker Mushroom Chicken
Chicken breasts cook with cream of mushroom soup, sliced mushrooms, onion, and garlic into a creamy, savory sauce. Serve it over noodles, rice, or potatoes. Cook time: 6-8 hours on low. Get the Slow Cooker Mushroom Chicken recipe.
4. Crockpot BBQ Pulled Chicken
Chicken breasts cook low and slow with BBQ sauce, onion, garlic powder, and smoked paprika, then shred right back into the sauce. Pile it on buns or serve it with a simple side. Cook time: 6-8 hours on low. Get the Crockpot BBQ Pulled Chicken recipe.
5. Creamy Crockpot Mac and Cheese
Elbow macaroni, shredded cheese, milk, heavy cream, butter, garlic powder, and onion powder cook into a creamy mac and cheese. It is the quickest recipe on this list. Cook time: 2-3 hours on low. Get the Creamy Crockpot Mac and Cheese recipe.
6. Slow Cooker Garlic Butter Beef Bites and Potatoes
Stew meat or chuck and baby potatoes cook in garlic butter, beef broth, Worcestershire, and Italian seasoning. It tastes like steakhouse food and takes almost no work. Cook time: 6-8 hours on low. Get the Slow Cooker Garlic Butter Beef Bites and Potatoes recipe.
7. Crockpot Garlic Butter Chicken with Potatoes and Carrots
Juicy chicken cooks with potatoes, carrots, garlic, butter, and herbs, so the protein, the vegetables, and the sauce all come out of one crockpot. Cook time: 6-8 hours on low. Get the Crockpot Garlic Butter Chicken with Potatoes and Carrots recipe.
8. Crockpot Million Dollar Chicken
Chicken breasts cook in a creamy mix of cream cheese, sour cream, shredded cheese, and ranch seasoning. Serve it over pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes to soak up the sauce. Cook time: 6-8 hours on low. Get the Crockpot Million Dollar Chicken recipe.
9. Crockpot Chicken and Gravy
Boneless chicken breasts cook with cream of chicken soup and chicken gravy mix until they shred easily into a smooth, savory gravy. Spoon it over mashed potatoes, rice, or egg noodles. Cook time: 4-6 hours on low. Get the Crockpot Chicken and Gravy recipe.
10. Simple Crockpot Lasagna
Layers of ground beef, ricotta, tomato sauce, lasagna noodles, and melted mozzarella cook in the slow cooker, so you get lasagna without turning on the oven. Cook time: 6-8 hours on low. Get the Simple Crockpot Lasagna recipe.
Tips For Easy Crockpot Recipes
- Prep ahead: chop vegetables and measure seasonings the night before and keep them in the refrigerator.
- Thaw meat first: thaw chicken and beef in the refrigerator before cooking so it cooks evenly.
- Keep the lid on: opening the lid releases heat and adds cooking time.
- Match the time to your day: use the 6 to 8 hour recipes for a full day away and the 2 to 6 hour recipes for shorter days.
- Check the temperature: chicken is done at 165°F and ground beef at 160°F.
More Slow Cooker Recipes You’ll Love
- 14 Easy Crockpot Dinners for Busy Weeknights
- 12 Set and Forget Crockpot Dinners for Busy Moms at Work
- 12 Easy Crockpot Dinners for Kids and Picky Eaters
- 8 Crockpot Roast Recipes: Easy Slow Cooker Pot Roast Dinners
FAQs
What Are The Easiest Crockpot Recipes For Dinner?
Mac and cheese, BBQ pulled chicken, and honey garlic chicken need only a few ingredients and a few minutes of prep. Add everything to the slow cooker, set it, and come back to dinner.
Can I Make BBQ Pulled Pork In The Crockpot?
This list does not include a pulled pork recipe. The Crockpot BBQ Pulled Chicken uses the same low and slow method, where the meat cooks in BBQ sauce and shreds back into the sauce at the end.
What Is The Best Garlic Chicken In The Crockpot?
The Honey Garlic Chicken is sweet and savory and cooks in 4 to 6 hours, while the Garlic Butter Chicken with Potatoes and Carrots cooks the chicken and the sides together in one pot. Mushroom Chicken is a good creamy option with garlic and cream of mushroom soup.
How Long Do Crockpot Leftovers Keep?
Store leftovers in airtight containers in the refrigerator and use them within 3 to 4 days. Beef stew and shredded chicken also freeze well in freezer-safe containers.
What Can I Serve With These Crockpot Recipes?
Mashed potatoes, rice, egg noodles, steamed vegetables, crusty bread, or a green salad all work with these recipes.