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Easy Slow Cooker Recipes

The perfect hands-free way to cook flavorful meals. When life gets hectic, let one of these easy slow cooker recipes do the work for you.

Collage of slow cooker recipes.
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Easy Slow Cooker Recipes

I’m all about making recipes as easy as possible. Especially during busy weeknights – simplicity is key! That’s why I love to make easy crockpot recipes, as well as sheet pan dinners, 30-minute meals and freezer meals. Quick, simple and delicious!

Dinner is the one time every day our entire family gets to gather together and catch up. While having a meal together is something I look forward to, I don’t necessarily want to spend an hour prepping, chopping, and cooking dinner every evening.

Days like that are when crockpot cooking comes into play. I particularly love easy slow cooker recipes because I can simply add ingredients into the crockpot and let the cooking happen on my behalf while I get to spend time with my kids.

Here are some of the best slow cooker recipes—give them a try and you’ll love them too! Some of these are even 5-ingredient crockpot meals that we reach for again and again.

Chicken Recipes

Chicken is by far the most frequently consumed meat in our home. I particularly love slow cooker chicken recipes. Unless you are making something with ground chicken, you don’t need to cook the chicken beforehand–the crockpot will do all the work for you.

chicken taco bowl topped with sliced avocado, sour cream, cilantro, fresh limes and tortilla chips
Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Bowls
A delicious taco bowl loaded with cilantro lime rice, seasoned chicken, black beans and corn. Easily made in the slow cooker and dinner is ready when you are!
Total Time: 4 hours
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shredded chicken in a white crock pot
Crockpot Shredded Chicken Recipe
Easy shredded chicken made in the crockpot or instant pot. One of the most simple, versatile and tasty recipes out there. Perfect to put on salads, tacos, nachos…you name it! 
Total Time: 3 hours 5 minutes
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Shredded honey chicken and rice in a white bowl.
Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken
Slow cooker honey garlic chicken is one of my favorite crockpot chicken recipes that's quick, flavorful and absolutely delicious. It comes out perfectly tender every time!
Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes
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crockpot italian dressing chicken
Crockpot Creamy Italian Chicken
This creamy Italian chicken is made in the crockpot with just 4 simple ingredients. A family favorite meal that's perfect for busy weeknights.
Total Time: 5 hours 5 minutes
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BBQ chicken in the crockpot
BBQ Pulled Chicken
This crockpot BBQ chicken is only 3 ingredients and 5 minutes prep! Tender, flavorful and juicy shredded BBQ chicken that's perfect for sandwiches, salads, tacos, pizza and more.
Total Time: 4 hours 5 minutes
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Ranch Chicken Tacos
A tried and true family favorite recipe that takes just 4 ingredients and 5 minutes to prep! Quick, easy and healthy. These ranch chicken tacos are so juicy, tender and full of flavor!
Total Time: 6 hours
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teriyaki chicken in the crock pot
Crock Pot Teriyaki Chicken Recipe
Flavorful and easy teriyaki chicken made in the crockpot! Only 5 minutes of prep and an instant family favorite!
Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes
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Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga Tacos - 5 minutes to prep and it tastes like it came from a Mexican restaurant!
Crockpot Chicken Tinga Tacos Recipe
A delicious crockpot chicken tinga tacos recipe that tastes like it came straight from a Mexican restaurant. So easy and only takes 5 minutes to prep. These tinga tacos are authentic and amazing!
Total Time: 4 hours 5 minutes
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Slow Cooker Chicken Salad is so delicious and easy to make! Perfect for lunches all week!
Shredded Chicken Salad Recipe
Slow cooker chicken salad is a delicious make-ahead recipe that is perfect for lunches and potlucks. Made with some of the classic chicken salad ingredients but with a new spin!
Total Time: 4 hours 10 minutes
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salsa chicken
Salsa Chicken Recipe
This crockpot salsa chicken takes just 2 simple ingredients and is one of the easiest recipes ever! Perfect on salads, bowls, tacos, burritos and more. 
Total Time: 4 hours 5 minutes
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hawaiian haystack in a white bowl with toppings
Hawaiian Haystacks Recipe
These Hawaiian haystacks are a family favorite dinner that's easy, inexpensive and completely customizable. Made in the crockpot and perfect for busy weeknights.
Total Time: 6 hours 5 minutes
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Salsa Verde Chicken Recipe
The easiest salsa verde chicken made in the crockpot or Instant Pot. Use the flavorful, tender and juicy meat in tacos, tostadas, enchiladas or bowls!
Total Time: 3 hours 5 minutes
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Recipes with Beef

Beef is one of the most versatile ingredients out there—just think of the difference between ground beef and shredded beef. Each one of these recipes uses a cut of beef to create a filling (and tasty!) meal.

Insider’s Tip: Once I find a slow cooker recipe with beef that my entire family loves, I keep a close eye out to see when that cut goes on sale and stock up to make freezer meals.

Crockpot lasagna cooking.
Crockpot Lasagna Recipe
This crockpot lasagna recipe is the easiest way to make lasagna! Simple to assemble with tender pasta noodles, meat sauce and cheese then it cooks hands off for busy days.
Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes
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shredded beef taco recipe
Shredded Beef Tacos
These shredded beef tacos are a great meal for busy school nights. They are so simple – the slow cooker does all the work for you. The whole family will love them!
Total Time: 8 hours 10 minutes
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Mississippi pot roast on white plate
Mississippi Pot Roast Recipe
Tender and juicy Mississippi pot roast that's made in the crock pot. Just 6 ingredients and 5 minutes of prep to make this easy dump and go dinner! 
Total Time: 8 hours 5 minutes
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Beef and broccoli cooking in the crockpot.
Crockpot Beef and Broccoli Recipe
Forget takeout and make restaurant-worthy crockpot beef and broccoli at home. This easy recipe takes only 10 minutes to prep. Let your crockpot do the work for tender, flavorful beef and broccoli.
Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes
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A BBQ brisket sandwich with coleslaw on a plate
Slow Cooker BBQ Brisket Sandwiches
Sliced, tender brisket is cooked in the slow cooker to perfection then sliced and piled high on a soft roll. Top with coleslaw and extra sauce for the perfect summer meal.
Total Time: 5 hours 20 minutes
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Corned beef and cabbage on a white plate.
Corned Beef and Cabbage Recipe
This corned beef and cabbage recipe is an easy dinner for St. Patrick's Day made with tender corned beef, cabbage, carrots and potatoes simmered in the slow cooker all day for the best results!
Total Time: 8 hours 10 minutes
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taco lasagna in crockpot
Slow Cooker Taco Lasagna
Layers of tortillas, cream cheese, beans, taco meat, enchilada sauce and cheese. This slow cooker taco lasagna is perfectly creamy, cheesy and has tons of flavor. 
Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
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Hawaiian meatballs in a bowl with rice.
Hawaiian Meatballs
These Hawaiian meatballs are easy, tasty and always a crowd pleaser. Meatballs are cooked in BBQ sauce with pineapple and ginger for the perfect appetizer or main dish.
Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes
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beef stroganoff served over egg noodles in a white bowl
Crock Pot Beef Stroganoff
This slow cooker beef stroganoff only takes 5 minutes to prep and is made with less than 10 ingredients! A classic comfort food dish that's packed with flavor in a creamy sauce.
Total Time: 4 hours 5 minutes
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stacked green chili burritos on white plate
Green Chili Burritos
Warm flour tortillas filled with tender slow cooker shredded beef and finished off with your favorite toppings. These green chili burritos are delicious, easy, and perfect for a weeknight dinner for busy families!
Total Time: 8 hours 5 minutes
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crockpot filled with chili
Crockpot Chili
This crockpot chili is a hearty and flavor-loaded recipe that's cooked nice and slow so the flavors meld and each spoonful is better than the one before!
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
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Pork Recipes

Pork slow cooker recipes are definitely underrated. In fact, these are some of the best recipes out there! Pork is another meat that can be used in so many different ways and with so many different cuisines.

bbq pulled pork in white slow cooker
Pulled Pork Recipe
This easy BBQ pulled pork takes just 5 minutes to prep with 5 simple ingredients. It's perfectly juicy and tender, with delicious BBQ flavor. Make it in the crockpot OR instant pot! 
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
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carnitas tacos on a taco holder stand
Slow Cooker Carnitas Recipe
These slow cooker carnitas are super easy to make and taste great in tacos, nachos, enchiladas or burritos! So tender and full of flavor.
Total Time: 8 hours 10 minutes
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shredded kalua pork in a white bowl
Instant Pot Kalua Pork
Perfectly tender and juicy instant pot kalua pork with the best smoky Hawaiian flavor. So easy to make with only 3 ingredients and 5 minutes of prep!
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
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ribs with sauce on top
Slow Cooker Ribs
Easy baby back ribs smothered with a homemade rub and sweet and tangy barbecue sauce. Cooked to perfection in the crockpot and fall off the bone delicious. These are the best slow cooker ribs!
Total Time: 5 hours 15 minutes
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spiral ham
Slow Cooker Spiral Ham
Learn how to cook crockpot spiral ham with only 5 minutes prep! With the best juicy and tender results, cooking a spiral ham has never been easier for the holidays.
Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
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sweet pork tacos on a white plate
Slow Cooker Sweet Pork
This slow cooker sweet pork is made with 5 ingredients and only takes 5 minutes of prep work! Tastes great in tacos, burritos, salads and enchiladas! 
Total Time: 8 hours
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Soups

Over the cooler months, these easy crockpot recipes are in constant rotation at my home. There is truly nothing like a steaming bowl of homemade soup to warm you right up!

Plus, this is a great way to add lots of fiber and protein to your day in an easy-to-digest form. The vegetarian slow cooker recipes on this list are absolutely incredible and are just the thing to make for Meatless Mondays.

slow cooker potato soup
Crockpot Potato Soup
The ultimate comfort food in a bowl! This simple crockpot potato soup takes just 5 minutes of prep and turns out absolutely amazing. Just throw it all in the slow cooker and forget it!
Total Time: 4 hours 5 minutes
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Chicken enchilada soup in white bowl.
Chicken Enchilada Soup
This slow cooker chicken enchilada soup is creamy, warm and absolutely delicious! One of my favorite 'set it and forget it' crockpot meals that's perfect for busy weeknights! 
Total Time: 3 hours 5 minutes
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A close up of cabbage soup in a silver ladle
Crockpot Cabbage Soup
This crockpot cabbage soup is not only delicious and flavorful but chock full of vegetables with lots of fiber and is very satisfying. All you need to do is dump everything in the slow cooker and let it do the work for you!
Total Time: 4 hours 10 minutes
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Mexican chicken soup in white bowl
Mexican Chicken Soup
Paleo, gluten-free and Whole30 friendly! An easy crock pot soup recipe that takes just 5 minutes of prep. This Mexican chicken soup is packed with veggies and is healthy and delicious!
Total Time: 3 hours 5 minutes
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Bowl of crockpot white chicken chili.
Crockpot White Chicken Chili
This crockpot white chicken chili recipe is made with tender chicken, beans, flavorful salsa and a creamy base. Takes just 5 minutes of prep and is great for busy weeknights.
Total Time: 3 hours 35 minutes
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Ladle full of seafood stew.
Slow Cooker Seafood Stew
A delicious seafood recipe cooked in a tomato-based broth with potatoes. This slow cooker seafood stew is comforting and is an easy-to-make dinner idea!
Total Time: 3 hours 45 minutes
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Ladle full of beef bourguignon in a slow cooker.
Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon
An easy and hearty meal made with beef, burgundy wine, fresh vegetables, and herbs, all cooked to perfection within the slow cooker! In this beef bourguignon recipe, the alcohol is cooked out, leaving a rich and thick liquid for the beef and vegetables to cook in.
Total Time: 6 hours 20 minutes
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Chicken and rice soup in a blue pot.
Chicken and Rice Soup
This easy chicken and rice soup is a comforting and delicious one-pot meal loaded with tender vegetables, chicken and a flavorful broth that the whole family will love! Makes the perfect soup recipe for chilly weather!
Total Time: 30 minutes
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Chicken Vegetable Soup
This chicken vegetable soup is a simple yet hearty recipe that is easy to make in the slow cooker! Made with chicken breasts, vegetables, a flavorful broth and seasonings, it's comfort food in a bowl.
Total Time: 3 hours 5 minutes
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green enchilada chicken soup in bowl with avocado
Green Enchilada Chicken Soup
This slow cooker green enchilada soup has everything you love about the classic green chile chicken enchiladas in the form of soup. It only takes about 10 minutes to prep and then the crockpot does all the rest!
Total Time: 5 hours
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Crockpot lasagna soup in a bowl.
Crockpot Lasagna Soup
This easy crockpot lasagna soup is a meaty, saucy recipe that has all the delicious flavors we love in a traditionally baked classic lasagna but in the form of a comforting, hearty, soup!
Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
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beef stew in white bowl
Crockpot Beef Stew
Crockpot beef stew has loads of chunky beef, tender vegetables, and a simple seasoning slow-cooked in a flavorful broth for a melt-in-your-mouth spoonful the whole family will enjoy!
Total Time: 6 hours 20 minutes
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Crockpot Side Dishes

These are perfect to make for the holidays or for a dinner party where you don’t want to leave meal prep to the last minute. These slow cooker side dishes are completely portable too—just let it cook all day, then when it’s time to go take your crockpot with you, and plug it in to keep it warm.

dipping a fork into a bowl of creamy macaroni and cheese
Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese Recipe
Only takes 10 minutes to prep and is made with only a few simple ingredients! Pure comfort in a bowl and tastes absolutely amazing.
Total Time: 2 hours
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Mashed potatoes in crockpot.
Crockpot Mashed Potatoes Recipe
These crockpot mashed potatoes are easy to make in your slow cooker and result in creamy, smooth and velvety mashed potatoes! Best of all there is no boiling on the stovetop involved.
Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes
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creamed corn
Crockpot Creamed Corn
This slow cooker creamed corn is made with a secret ingredient to give this classic dish a twist! Super creamy, rich and has amazing flavor. 
Total Time: 3 hours 5 minutes
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Slow Cooker Risotto with Butternut Squash and Sausage
Slow Cooker Risotto
This butternut squash risotto recipe is a savory, good-for-you dinner that's loaded with veggies and bits of sausage, all cooked together in the slow cooker. This dinner practically prepares itself and everyone will clamor for seconds.
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
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Brown sugar carrots in a white bowl.
Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots Recipe
Using only 4 ingredients, these easy brown sugar glazed carrots are a definite crowd-pleaser. Coated in a butter and a brown sugar glaze, it's the perfect balance of tender and crunch in every bite!
Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes
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If you aren’t pulling your crockpot out of your cabinet right now, what are you waiting for? :) Give yourself a break and reach for any of these easy slow cooker recipes. Enjoy!

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