10+ Crockpot Recipes for Easy and Delicious Meals

If you want easy meals that save time, crockpot recipes are a great choice. Using a slow cooker lets you prepare food ahead and cook it slowly with little effort.

Crockpot recipes help you make tasty, hands-off meals with simple ingredients.

You don’t need to stand by the stove or watch the clock. Crockpots work well for busy days.

Whether you like chicken, beef, or vegetarian dishes, there are many options to fit your taste and schedule.

1) Crockpot Butter Chicken

Butter chicken is a creamy and flavorful dish that’s easy to make in your crockpot. Add chicken thighs, spices, garlic, ginger, and tomato sauce to the slow cooker.

Cook on low for 4 to 6 hours or on high for 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours until the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C). The slow heat blends the flavors well.

Finish with a bit of cream or coconut milk for richness. Serve with rice or naan for a simple meal.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs boneless chicken thighs
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup heavy cream or coconut milk
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon ginger, grated
• 1 tablespoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter

Cooking Instructions

1. Add garlic, ginger, tomato sauce, spices, salt, and sugar to your crockpot.
2. Stir to mix all ingredients.
3. Add chicken thighs and coat with the sauce.
4. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours or high for 1.5-2.5 hours.
5. Check chicken reaches 165°F (74°C).
6. Stir in cream or coconut milk and butter.
7. Heat for another 5-10 minutes before serving.

2) Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff

Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff is a simple, comforting meal you can set and forget. Combine beef, mushrooms, onions, and creamy sauce ingredients in the crockpot.

After hours of slow cooking, the meat turns tender, and the sauce becomes rich. Serve over egg noodles or rice.

You can add sour cream or cream cheese for extra creaminess.

Ingredients

• Beef strips or stew meat
• Sliced mushrooms
• Chopped onions
• Beef broth or water
• Cream of mushroom soup
• Sour cream or cream cheese
• Worcestershire sauce
• Egg noodles (for serving)

Cooking Instructions

1. Place beef, mushrooms, onions, broth, soup, and Worcestershire sauce into the slow cooker.
2. Cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours.
3. Stir in sour cream or cream cheese about 15 minutes before serving.
4. Cook egg noodles separately according to package instructions.
5. Serve stroganoff over noodles while hot.

More details on slow cooker beef stroganoff can be found here.

3) Crockpot Chicken and Noodles

Crockpot chicken and noodles is an easy and comforting meal. Add chicken, broth, and seasonings to the slow cooker.

After cooking, shred the chicken and mix in noodles to finish the dish. This meal cooks for 6 to 7 hours on low.

Adding creamy soup or heavy cream gives a smooth texture. You can add vegetables like carrots, celery, and onions for extra flavor.

When you add the noodles, cook for a couple more hours until tender.

Ingredients

• Chicken breasts
• Egg noodles (fresh or frozen)
• Chicken broth
• Cream of chicken soup or heavy cream
• Carrots, celery, onions (optional)
• Butter
• Salt and pepper

Cooking Instructions

1. Put chicken breasts in the crockpot.
2. Pour chicken broth and cream of chicken soup over the chicken.
3. Add chopped vegetables if using.
4. Cook on low for 6-7 hours (about 140°F / 60°C).
5. Remove chicken and shred it.
6. Put shredded chicken back in crockpot.
7. Add noodles and butter on top.
8. Cook on low for 2 more hours until noodles are soft.

4) Glazed Crockpot Pork Chops

You can make tender pork chops with a sweet glaze in your crockpot. The pork chops cook in a mix of apple juice, broth, onions, and seasonings.

The glaze thickens as it cooks, coating the pork chops. Just set it and come back to a warm meal.

Ingredients

• 4 pork chops
• 1 cup apple juice
• 1/2 cup broth
• 1 onion, sliced
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Your choice of seasonings (like garlic powder or thyme)

Cooking Instructions

1. Season the pork chops with salt, pepper, and seasonings.
2. Place the sliced onions at the bottom of the crockpot.
3. Put the pork chops on top of the onions.
4. Pour apple juice and broth over the chops.
5. Cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
6. Check the pork chops to make sure they reach 145°F (63°C) before serving.

Find more details about this dish at glazed crock pot pork chops.

5) Crockpot Chili

Crockpot chili is a simple and tasty meal you can prepare ahead of time. Add ground beef, beans, tomato sauce, and spices into your slow cooker.

Let it cook slowly while you do other things. This chili gets more flavorful the longer it cooks.

You can add toppings like cheese, onions, or jalapeños. Make your own chili seasoning mix or use a pre-made one.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 can beans (kidney or black)
• 1 can tomato sauce
• 1 chopped onion
• 1-2 cloves minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Instructions:

1. Brown the ground beef in a pan, then drain the fat.
2. Add all ingredients to the crockpot and stir well.
3. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
4. Stir before serving and add your favorite toppings.

6) Pulled Pork in the Crockpot

Pulled pork is easy to make in your crockpot and turns out tender every time. Use a boneless pork shoulder for the best results.

Cooking it low and slow makes the meat juicy and easy to shred. Season the pork with simple spices or add barbecue sauce and cola for more flavor.

The crockpot does the work, so it’s great for busy days or feeding a crowd. Serve it on buns, over rice, or in bowls with slaw.

Ingredients

• 3 to 4 pounds boneless pork shoulder
• 1 cup barbecue sauce
• 1/2 cup cola (optional)
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Cooking Instructions

1. Mix paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Rub the pork with the spice mix.
2. Place pork in crockpot. Pour barbecue sauce and cola over the meat.
3. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours.
4. Remove pork and shred with two forks.
5. Return shredded pork to crockpot. Mix with juices before serving.

7) Marry Me Chicken Sandwiches

Marry Me Chicken Sandwiches are easy to make in your crockpot. The chicken cooks slowly, soaking up flavors from garlic, herbs, and sun-dried tomatoes.

When it’s done, the meat is tender and juicy, perfect for sandwiches. Serve the chicken on buns with melted cheese and your favorite toppings.

You can find a simple version of this recipe with clear instructions at Cooking in the Midwest.

Ingredients

• 1 lb chicken breasts
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes (optional)
• 1/2 cup cream or broth
• Sandwich buns
• Cheese slices

Cooking Instructions

1. Season chicken with salt, pepper, and spices.
2. Place chicken in the crockpot.
3. Add sun-dried tomatoes and cream or broth.
4. Cook on low for 4-6 hours or until chicken reaches 165°F (74°C).
5. Shred chicken and mix with the sauce.
6. Serve on buns with cheese.

8) Slow Cooker Pot Roast

A slow cooker pot roast is an easy way to enjoy a hearty meal with little effort. Add your beef roast, vegetables, and seasonings to the slow cooker.

Let it cook on low heat for 8 to 10 hours until the meat becomes tender and juicy. This recipe usually uses carrots, potatoes, and onions.

Slow cooking blends the flavors and makes the meat very soft. You can also make a tasty gravy from the juices in the slow cooker.

Ingredients:

• 3 to 4 pounds beef chuck roast
• 4 carrots, cut into chunks
• 4 potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 cups beef broth
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Instructions:

1. Season your roast with salt and pepper.
2. Place the roast in the slow cooker.
3. Add carrots, potatoes, onion, and garlic around the roast.
4. Pour beef broth over everything.
5. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 6-7 hours.
6. Remove roast and vegetables, then serve with the gravy made from cooking juices.

For detailed timing and tips, see a slow cooker pot roast recipe.

9) Parmesan Garlic Chicken Mac and Cheese

This crockpot recipe makes a creamy and tasty meal. Start by adding boneless chicken breasts to the slow cooker.

Season the chicken with salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder. Add broth and cream cheese to make a rich sauce.

Cook everything on low for about 4 to 5 hours. Make sure the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) before serving.

When the chicken is done, shred it and mix in cooked macaroni and grated Parmesan cheese. Let it cook a bit longer so the flavors blend.

Ingredients

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 8 oz cream cheese
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cups cooked macaroni
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cooking Instructions

1. Place chicken in crockpot.
2. Add broth, cream cheese, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper.
3. Cook on low for 4-5 hours or until chicken reaches 165°F (74°C).
4. Remove chicken, shred it, then return to pot.
5. Stir in cooked macaroni and Parmesan cheese.
6. Cook for another 10-15 minutes.

See more details at the Parmesan Garlic Chicken Mac and Cheese recipe.

10) Crockpot Chicken and Gravy

This crockpot chicken and gravy recipe is easy and comforting. Add chicken breasts, cream of chicken soup, gravy mix, and seasonings to your slow cooker.

The slow cooker does the hard work while your chicken cooks and gets tender. After a few hours, you have a creamy meal that pairs well with rice or mashed potatoes.

You can adjust the seasoning with pepper, garlic powder, or herbs like thyme to suit your taste.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs chicken breasts
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1 packet chicken gravy mix
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme

Cooking Instructions

1. Place chicken breasts in the crockpot.

2. Mix cream of chicken soup, gravy mix, broth, and seasonings in a bowl.

3. Pour the mixture over the chicken.

4. Cover the crockpot. Cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.

5. Stir the contents before serving.