These slow cooker recipes use easy ingredients to create flavorful dishes. Sunday is my long training day, and I rarely feel like cooking when I’m done. I fill the crockpot in the morning at 8am, and when I get home at 6pm there’s a ready-made dinner (and leftovers for Monday lunch!). That’s why Sunday slow cooker dinners are a must. Bonus: most of these recipes use tougher, cheaper cuts of meat that turn fall-apart tender in the slow cooker. Here are 27 of my favorite slow cooker recipes to start you off. Set ‘em and forget ‘em (okay, set ‘em and go lift weights).
Chicken and shrimp
Chicken Chili Verde
Chicken thighs, white beans, salsa verde, and green chiles = lean, flavorful chili. Chicken thighs fall-apart after 6 hours on low and literally shred right into the chili. One of my leanest chilis (and one of my favorites!). Serve with Greek yogurt, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.
Crockpot Shredded Chicken
Cook chicken breasts in your favorite seasonings and a splash of broth, and you’ll have chicken that shreds with a fork in seconds. Each serving has around 30 grams of protein. This shredded chicken is the foundation of so many of my meals, and I use it in wraps, salads, tacos, straight out of the container post-workout, you name it. I make this recipe almost every week!
Chicken Cacciatore
Peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, and chicken thighs (bone-in adds even more flavor) simmer in the slow cooker and make a rustic Italian stew. Serve over pasta or with roasted potatoes.
Shrimp Étouffée
This slow cooker shrimp etoufee is loaded with flavor thanks to the roux, trinity, and spices that simmer all day long. Add the shrimp at the end (they only need about 15 minutes in the slow cooker to stay nice and tender). This recipe is rich and spicy, but the shrimp still make it a lean protein choice.
Teriyaki Chicken
Chicken thighs simmer in homemade teriyaki sauce and are ready to shred in no time. This recipe is easy, protein-filled, and way cheaper than takeout teriyaki chicken! Serve with steamed broccoli and rice.
BBQ Chicken Sandwiches
Chicken breasts and barbecue sauce result in fall-apart tender shredded chicken that is perfect for sandwiches. Serve over toasted buns with pickles and slaw for a lean version of pulled pork sandwiches. You can also serve over a baked potato with any leftovers.
Chicken Thighs in White Wine
These juicy chicken thighs simmer with garlic and white wine. Serve over rice or with a side of green beans or salad. Be sure to save bread to sop up all the delicious white wine sauce!
Chicken Curry with Yellow Rice
This chicken curry recipe is mild so the whole family can enjoy! Chicken thighs simmer with curry powder, garlic, ginger, and onions to make a family-friendly, mild, and creamy chicken curry. Serve with yellow rice (add a pinch of turmeric to your rice to make it yellow). This flavorful curry is a cozy dinner and a protein-rich one too thanks to the chicken thighs.
Beef
Classic Pot Roast
Just be sure to thicken up the sauce before serving. If chuck roast and fall-apart beef brisket were to have a baby, it would be this beef chuck roast recipe. Braised with potatoes, carrots, and red wine, this chuck roast is perfect for Sunday dinner (this was literally my childhood Sunday dinner). High in protein and perfect for feeding a crowd. Be sure to spoon some of those luscious braising juices over the top before serving!
Beef and Butternut Squash Chili
This beef chili gets even more protein from kidney beans and sweetness (and fullness) from butternut squash. Serve with crushed tortilla chips and a dollop of sour cream. Freezes really well too!
Beef Bourguignon
Beef bourguignon is a French braise of beef chuck, mushrooms, bacon, and red wine. The beef is cooked until fork tender and the dish is traditionally served over mashed potatoes or egg noodles. Be sure to brown the beef first for maximum flavor! Definitely a weekend slow cooker recipe!
Braised Short Ribs
Rich in flavor, braised in beef broth and red wine, and melt-in-your-mouth tender, these slow cooker short ribs are perfect served over creamy mashed potatoes with braising liquid on top.
Slow Cooker Italian Meatballs
Make a double batch of these beef and pork meatballs and brown them real quick before dropping in the slow cooker to simmer in marinara for 4 hours. They’re fork tender and full of flavor. 4 or 5 meatballs will give you around 30 grams of protein. Serve over polenta, pasta, or in a hoagie roll.
Birria Bowls
Traditionally served in tacos, I prefer to serve my slow cooker birria recipe in a bowl over rice with avocado and birria broth on top. This slow cooker beef recipe is full of tender beef and braising liquid from braising beef with a chile-infused birria broth. Be sure to have extra birria broth on hand for dipping!
Barbacoa Tostadas
Barbacoa is fall-apart tender braised beef with lots of flavor from braising with chipotles, garlic, and cumin. Serve over a crispy tostada with guacamole. Leftovers freeze well too!
USDA FoodData Central values for roasted chicken breast, roasted chicken thigh meat and cooked 90% lean ground beef sit behind the protein figures in these slow cooker dinners. Read how we calculate nutrition for the full method.
Pork
Pork shoulder and pork loin, sliced or shredded after cooking.
Slow Cooker Pork Roast
Pork shoulder is usually one of the best values at the meat counter and when rubbed with brown sugar, paprika, and garlic and braised over a bed of onions for 8 hours, you get this incredible tender pork roast. After cooking you can either shred or slice! Leftovers can be repurposed into delicious tacos, sandwiches, or rice bowls over the next 3 to 4 days.
Kalua Pork Sliders
All you need are 3 ingredients to make this slow cooker pulled pork: sea salt, liquid smoke, and of course pork! Let it simmer away for 10 hours! Serve in a Hawaiian roll with coleslaw for game day (or any day really!)
Pork Carnitas Tacos
After braising in the slow cooker, these slow cooker carnitas get crisped under the broiler for texture. The pork is full of flavor from cumin, orange juice, and garlic. I make a huge batch of carnitas so I can have carnitas tacos at least twice that week. Top with onion, cilantro, and lime.
BBQ Pork Loin
Cooked low and slow with barbecue sauce, this slow cooker pork loin roast recipe stays moist and juicy. One of the leanest slow cooker recipes you can make! Slice thick for dinner or shred for sandwiches. I like to serve with roasted sweet potatoes and coleslaw.
Pulled Pork Rice Bowls
Leftover shredded pork plus rice plus a drizzle of barbecue sauce or spoonful of salsa equals shredded pork bowls. My favorite way to repurpose leftover slow cooker pork. Make these high-protein bowls for lunches 3 or 4 days in a row! Swap in brown rice to increase fiber!
Pozole Rojo
This slow cooker pozole recipe features tender shredded pork and hominy simmered in a deep red chile sauce. The slow cooker does all the work so all you have to do is provide toppings like radishes, shredded cabbage, and lime! A great slow cooker dinner recipe for cold nights.
Beans with sausage, bacon or ham
Red Beans and Rice
Smoky sausage, rich-tasting beans, and the holy Cajun trinity of onion, celery, and bell pepper simmer until thick and smoky. This slow cooker recipe is so flavorful and cheap enough to be made weekly! Serve with white rice and hot sauce on the side. Packed with protein and fiber, these beans are so flavorful I will often have a bowl with grilled sausage for dinner!
Smoky Baked Beans
Cooked low and slow with smoky bacon and just a touch of brown sugar, these slow cooker beans are perfect next to barbecue.
Pinto Beans and Chile Lime Rice
Flavorful and packed with fiber and plant protein, slow cooker pinto beans are a filling and frugal dinner recipe. Cook with garlic, onion, and a smoked ham hock for even more flavor! Serve over chile lime rice. Top with salsa and cheese.
Meatless
Beans, chickpeas, and squash carry these pots.
White Bean Tomato Rosemary Stew
White beans simmer with tomatoes and garlic in this thick stew-like recipe! Rustic and hearty! The beans carry the protein and fiber.
Chickpea Curry
This cozy curry is loaded with warm curry spices, tender chickpeas, and coconut milk. My favorite meatless dinner recipe! The chickpeas provide fiber and plant protein. Serve with warm naan bread for scooping!
Butternut Squash Broccoli Curry
Rich and flavorful, this vegan curry recipe is made with butternut squash, coconut milk, and broccoli. Add some chicken or chickpeas to make it more filling and protein-filled. The butternut squash makes the coconut sauce even richer! Top with fresh cilantro.
