Busy days don’t have to mean sad dinners. I learned that a little prep in the morning—like tossing a few ingredients into the slow cooker—can make all the difference when dinnertime rolls around. These meals take ten minutes or less to throw together, and the payoff?
Cozy, flavorful, and ready when you are. Whether you’re cooking for a crowd or just trying to make life easier, these recipes have saved my week more times than I can count.
1. BBQ Pulled Chicken
Pour your favorite BBQ sauce over boneless chicken breasts or thighs, add a dash of apple cider vinegar, and toss in a little brown sugar if you’re into sweet heat. Let it cook low and slow until it shreds effortlessly. Pile onto buns or baked potatoes.
BBQ pulled chicken is saucy, simple, and totally satisfying.
2. Creamy Italian Chicken Pasta
Place chicken breasts in the pot with a block of cream cheese, a packet of Italian dressing mix, and a little broth. Cook until tender, then stir in your favorite cooked pasta.
The sauce becomes thick and smooth without any extra effort.
3. Beef And Vegetable Stew
Toss chopped carrots, potatoes, onion, and beef stew meat into the slow cooker. Pour in beef broth and add tomato paste, garlic, and thyme.
Let everything simmer until the vegetables are soft and the meat falls apart with a fork.
4. Honey Garlic Meatballs
Combine frozen meatballs with honey, soy sauce, garlic, and ketchup. Stir briefly to coat, then let the slow cooker handle the rest.
The result is sticky, flavorful, and great for serving over rice or as a party appetizer.
5. Salsa Verde Pork Tacos
Place a pork shoulder in the slow cooker and pour a jar of salsa verde on top. Add cumin, garlic powder, and lime juice.
After cooking, shred the meat and use it in tacos, burrito bowls, or on top of greens.
6. Vegetarian Lentil Soup
Rinse lentils and toss them into the pot with chopped carrots, celery, tomatoes, onion, and vegetable broth. A few bay leaves and dried thyme help build flavor while it cooks.
No need to soak or babysit the lentils—they hold up well over hours.
7. Chicken Alfredo Tortellini
Layer frozen tortellini with raw chicken and pour over jarred Alfredo sauce and a bit of water. Let it cook until the pasta is tender and the chicken is fully cooked.
A final sprinkle of parmesan cheese brings everything together.
8. Sweet And Sour Kielbasa
Slice kielbasa into thick rounds and mix with canned pineapple, barbecue sauce, and brown sugar. Let the flavors cook down together until they thicken into a glossy glaze.
Serve with rice or crusty bread for something more filling.
9. Chili Mac And Cheese
Start with cooked ground beef, canned tomatoes, beans, taco seasoning, and dry pasta. Stir in shredded cheddar cheese during the last 10 minutes of cooking.
This dish works well for feeding a group or packing into lunchboxes the next day.
10. Teriyaki Chicken With Pineapple
Combine chicken thighs, canned pineapple, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger in the pot. Everything cooks down into a rich, slightly sweet sauce.
The chicken turns out tender enough to shred or serve whole.
11. Butternut Squash And Apple Soup
Add peeled squash, sliced apples, chopped onion, garlic, and broth to the slow cooker. Cook until soft, then blend until smooth using an immersion blender or food processor.
A swirl of cream or coconut milk adds richness without much work.
12. Sloppy Joe Sliders
Brown your ground beef ahead of time, then mix with ketchup, mustard, vinegar, and a little sugar. Cook until the flavors deepen and the sauce thickens.
Serve on slider buns for a quick meal that’s easy to portion.
13. Garlic Butter Chicken Thighs
Melt butter and stir in garlic, parsley, and a pinch of salt. Pour over chicken thighs and cook until the meat is juicy and tender.
Spoon some of the garlic butter from the bottom of the pot over the chicken when serving.
14. Beef Stroganoff With Mushrooms
Add stew beef, sliced mushrooms, onions, broth, and Worcestershire sauce to your cooker. Cook until the beef is soft enough to pull apart with a spoon.
Stir in sour cream and cooked egg noodles right before serving.
15. Cheesy Broccoli And Rice Casserole
Combine frozen broccoli, uncooked rice, cream of chicken soup, water, and shredded cheddar in the slow cooker. Everything cooks together without needing to stir.
The rice absorbs the flavor while the cheese melts into a creamy texture.
16. Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Toss shredded cooked chicken with hot sauce, cream cheese, and a bit of ranch seasoning. Let it warm up and stir until creamy.
Spoon into romaine leaves or serve with celery sticks on the side.
17. Spaghetti Squash Marinara
Place a whole spaghetti squash in your slow cooker with a jar of marinara sauce. After a few hours, cut the squash in half, remove the seeds, and scrape out the strands.
Mix with the sauce already in the pot for a simple, low-carb meal.
18. Turkey Taco Chili
Use ground turkey, beans, canned tomatoes, corn, onion, and taco seasoning. Mix everything together and let it simmer until thick.
Spoon into bowls and top with sour cream, avocado, or crushed tortilla chips.
19. Sausage And Peppers
Layer sliced sausage with bell peppers, onion, and a can of crushed tomatoes. Add a little garlic and Italian seasoning.
Serve in toasted hoagie rolls or over pasta for something more filling.
20. Chicken Enchilada Soup
Mix cooked chicken, enchilada sauce, tomatoes, corn, black beans, and broth in your slow cooker.
Add cream cheese at the end and stir until fully blended. Top with crushed tortilla chips and shredded cheese before serving.