Easy meals to cook in crock pot

Soy sauce, honey, garlic and ginger (along with the natural juices of the chicken) become irresistible sauce to serve over chicken thighs and rice. If you like a thicker sauce, simply add cornstarch at the end and cook a little longer.

Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Chicken Thighs

This slow-cooker version of the classic soup is super-easy to make. Chicken thighs are best here, as they're less expensive than breasts and tend to not dry out. If you like, skip the noodles and stir in your favorite cooked grain at the end.

Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup

Perfect for any casual party or get-together, these miniature sandwiches cook in the slow cooker — so that all you have to do with your guests arrive is spoon the meat mix onto the buns. Sliders, served!

Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Sloppy Joe Sliders

Cooking chuck roast low and slow along with cremini mushrooms and beef broth leaves it melt-in-your-mouth tender and full of meaty flavor — perfect for shredding and serving over creamy polenta.

Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Beef and Polenta

You don't have to live by the shore to enjoy a good old-fashioned New England-style shrimp boil. Use a slow cooker to cook potatoes and seasonings, then add the corn, shrimp and sausage to cook in the flavorful broth at the end.

Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Shrimp Boil

This easy and delicious slow-cooker recipe will impress any taco lover. While it's an extra step, crisping up the shredded meat in a skillet before serving adds extra flavor and creates the crunchy bits that are typical of carnitas. And don’t skip the pickled red onions! They complement the richness of the pork.

Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Pork Carnitas

Hosting family and friends? Prepare this simple creamed corn ahead of time (and let the slow cooker work its magic) while you cook the main dish.

Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Creamed Corn

Yes, you can cook ribs in a slow cooker! In this easy recipe, the seasoning paste transforms into a savory dipping sauce. Slather it on the ribs and pop them on the grill just before serving for a final char.

Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Barbecue Ribs

The slow cooker is the perfect tool for making this crowd-pleasing side dish. The sweet potatoes cook up perfectly tender and the brown sugar-orange juice mixture thickens up to become the sweetest and most delicious glaze — for almost no work at all!

Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Sweet Potatoes

Love Chinese takeout? Try this healthier (and oh-so-easy to prepare) version. The flavor of leeks, ginger and garlic sing when paired with bok choy and tender beef.

Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Beef and Bok Choy

Skip the grill and let your slow cooker do all the work on this simple brisket. No charcoal needed!

Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Brisket

Although this dough has no color, it is light and airy, like the soft inside of a loaf of French bread. The other surprising part is there's no need to let it rise. You can go directly from making the dough to baking with no waiting around. Magic.

Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Bread

Trisha Yearwood tops bone-in pork roast with a homemade barbecue sauce and slowly cooks until tender.

Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Georgia Pulled Pork Barbeque

Assemble this in the morning, and when you return for dinner you'll be rewarded with sweet, sticky drumsticks with an irresistible sauce that thickens and concentrates as the drumsticks cook.

Get the Recipe: Hoisin and Honey Slow-Cooker Chicken Drumsticks

The Pioneer Woman gets a head start on dinner by loading the makings of a core-warming white chili into her slow cooker. Brimming with chicken, beans, sweet corn, peppers and spices, it's best served with a dollop of sour cream, extra cheese and cilantro, plus warm corn tortillas on the side. 

Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker White Chicken Chili

Making the mole sauce for this recipe takes a bit of prep and planning but you’re going to be so impressed with the result. The combination of chiles, chocolate and fragrant spices give the chicken so much flavor that you’ll wonder why you ever ordered Mexican take out!

Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Chicken Mole

Trisha's four-ingredient dessert is super easy to make. Layer peanuts, sweet chocolate squares, semisweet chocolate chips and white almond bark before slow cooking into a creamy mixture that can be dropped into cupcake liners for a hand-held treat.

Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Chocolate Candy

Sandra browns her brisket on the stove and then places it in a warm slow cooker to finish cooking. If you have a hot piece of meat, you have to put it in a warmed-up slow cooker so you don't crack the sleeve.

Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Brisket with Brown Gravy

The slow cooker does double duty in this easy-to-make recipe. It cooks the ribs — while simultaneously making a sweet sauce that you can glaze them in.

Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Teriyaki Ribs

A steaming bowl of this meaty stew is the perfect companion for a cold night. Italian sausage, smoky tomatoes and Parmesan rind create a rich broth without complicating the shopping list.

Get the Recipe: Sausage, Bean and Pasta Stew

Chicken thighs are the ideal slow-cooker meat because they emerge tender and juicy, even after hours of cooking. The sauce is a guaranteed kid-pleaser: Rich, sweet and low on spice and tang. Make a couple of batches to keep in the freezer for busy weeks when you know you'll have limited time for meal prep.

Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Freezer-Pack BBQ Chicken Sandwiches

Nothing beats a good, one-pot dish — like Molly’s savory collard greens cooked with pancetta, beans and French bread dumplings. Just put everything into the slow cooker and 4 hours later, it’s time to eat.

Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Greens and Dumplings

This slow-cooked cobbler makes great use of frozen peaches and is so easy to put together. Add some toasted, chopped pecans for a little Southern flair.

Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Peach Cobbler

The key to these super flavorful, tender wings is cooking them low and slow in a sticky-sweet Chinese-style BBQ sauce. A quick trip under the broiler gives them a crispy char, just like at your favorite wing joint.

Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Chicken Wings

The hardest step in making this fragrant curry-inspired pork tenderloin is waiting 7 hours for it to cook.

Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Pork Curry

Turn fresh apples into apple butter with just a few spices, apple juice, applesauce and sugar. Store the butter and use on hot biscuits, toast or scones.

Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Apple Butter Recipe

You'll hardly believe this dish came out of a slow cooker. Searing the meat and coating it with a fresh-herb paste gives this roast a good head start. A little rest and some fresh parsley and egg noodles ensures a great finish. Serve with roasted or mashed potatoes if that's what your crowd likes.

Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Pork Roast

Move over, beef. Chicken is in the house. This great weeknight meal takes less than 15 minutes to prep. The slow cooker does the rest.

Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Chicken Stroganoff

Take the time up front to make a thick gravy and you'll love how rich and delicious it makes this slow-cooked stew. Even though the caraway is optional, we recommend giving it a try — it's a simple way to add something special to a classic.

Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Beef Stew

Hawaiian barbecue has a sweet teriyaki-like flavor. For extra char, we finished these ribs under the broiler.

Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Hawaiian Barbecue Ribs

Break out your slow cooker to make one of Ree Drummond's favorite soups. Canned tomatoes, chicken broth, chipotle peppers and loads of spices create the soup's base, which is brimming with chicken and black beans.

Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken Soup

Instead of taco Tuesday, why not break out your slow-cooker and make it a tostada Tuesday instead? Tender, meaty brisket is right at home on top of a crisp corn shell — along with some shredded lettuce, avocado, cheese and salsa, of course!

Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Brisket Tostadas

This meaty slow-cooker chili makes a great weeknight meal.

Get the Recipe: Beanless Beef Chili

Good barbecue always brings a blend of flavors (smoky, spicy, savory and sweet) and this Chinese-inspired dish is no exception. Hoisin sauce, sambal oelek, and Chinese 5-spice powder work together to give this simple, slow-cooked dish a bold, balanced flavor.

Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Barbecue Beef

This no-fuss whole chicken is moist and tender. We rub it in spices and prop it up on canning lids, suspending it above the juices for a roasted effect right in the slow cooker. Piercing the skin on the bottom lets excess juices run out, allowing for even and gentle cooking. A simple homemade barbecue sauce comes together in mere minutes, perfect for slathering all over.

Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Whole Chicken

Jeff Mauro cooks boneless pork shoulder in a slow cooker before turning it into a sandwich. When the meat is ready, layer it with Swiss, ham, pickles and onions.

Get the Recipe: Slow Cooked Cuban Sandwich

Lemon and dill brighten the deep flavors of this low-and-slow soup for the soul.

Get the Recipe: Healthy Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice Soup

All you need to do is season the chicken and add everything to the slow-cooker — it will do the rest! That gives you plenty of time to make the sauce and prep the toppings.

Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Barbecue Chicken Sandwiches

Easily feed a crowd on a busy morning with Ree’s simple recipe. Just pop a few ingredients into your slow cooker the night before and wake up to a big batch of sweet, creamy oatmeal.

Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Irish Oats

Draping paper towels over the top of the slow cooker helps absorb extra moisture and keeps this sweet, caramelized cake from getting soggy. We line the insert with a double layer of foil to prevent burning around the edges.

Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

When it comes to flavor, this dish has it all: sweet maple syrup and molasses, tangy mustard, smoky ham and spicy chili powder.

Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Barbecue Ham and Black-Eyed Peas

Ree’s beefy stew calls for buttery lemon-parsley noodles instead of rice, a variation that everyone in your family is guaranteed to enjoy.

Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Sunday Stew

A warm dip is a welcome addition to any party, and a dip as easy as this one is even better. Stir frozen corn, cream cheese, pimentos, jalapenos, garlic and a little chili powder together, then let the slow cooker do all the work.

Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Corn Dip

This recipe is a two-for-one! If you slow-cook a 4-pound roast, you’ll have enough shredded beef to save half for another day. Cook once, eat twice — what’s not to love about that?

Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Drip Beef Sandwiches

When it's warm it looks like beefy tea and when it's cold it looks like a savory gelatin. Some drink it for nourishment and others use it as a replacement for their morning coffee. Whatever your reason for liking bone broth, a slow cooker makes it easy to cook-and eliminates the need to simmer a pot over an open flame for 12 plus hours. Enjoy it plain, or try a few of our tried-and-tested flavor additions to customize and brighten your cup.

Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Bone Broth

Feed a crowd — up to 16 — with this hearty Bolognese, or divide the meaty sauce into smaller portions you can easily grab from the freezer another night. Either way, you can't go wrong with this recipe.

Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Bolognese

Slowly cook turkey thighs before shredding the meat to serve on seeded hamburger buns with pickle slices and prepared coleslaw.

Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Pulled Turkey Sandwiches

Leave the chafing dish in the basement. This version of Swedish meatballs is an hors d'oeuvre you can make and serve in the same pot.

Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Swedish Meatballs

What's the secret ingredient in this sauerbraten? Crumbled gingerbread cookies.

Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Sauerbraten

Tyler's pot roast, perfumed with aromatic vegetables and herbs, is classic comfort at its most familiar. Slow-cook the beef for hours to maximize flavor and tenderness.

Get the Recipe: Pot Roast with Baby Vegetables

Cocoa powder may seem a bit out of place in chili, but it has two jobs in this mole-inspired version: It adds depth of flavor and helps thicken the sauce. We suggest serving the chili with tortilla chips, but it would also be great with cornbread.

Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Turkey Chili

This colorful cobbler is very juicy, but the sweetened berry "sauce" is so delicious it's worth spooning up. If you don't have time to make the sour cream topping, a sprinkle of confectioners' sugar or a dollop of vanilla yogurt works well, too.

Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Berry Cobbler

Mole can be an intimidating sauce to make for tacos. By adding spices that include chile powder, cocoa powder and Chinese five-spice powder to a slow cooker, you'll have a mole-inspired sauce without the fuss.

Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Turkey Mole Tacos

Sandra's soup requires just 15 minutes of prep time before simmering in a slow cooker.

Get the Recipe: Spicy Fajita Soup

Alton gives his pork chops a briny peppercorn and brown sugar bath before they hit the slow cooker. Dried apples and thyme infuse the meat while it's braising, resulting in deeply flavored pork that's fall-off-the-bone tender.

Get the Recipe: Pepper Pork Chops

Brisket comes in two different cuts: point and the leaner flat. Depending on which you get, your corned beef may be tender and sliceable (flat cut) or very tender and falling apart (point cut). If your meat isn't labeled, speak with the butcher about which variety your grocery store stocks.

Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage

This dish's name means "old clothes" in Spanish because the skirt steak or flank steak used in the dish is shredded before serving.

Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Shredded Steak

This easy-to-make cake has the best parts of a soft, warm brownie: gooey on the inside and slightly crisp around the edges. It takes almost no time to prep and gives you the excuse to use your slow cooker for something sweet.

Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Gooey Brownie Cake

No beans? No problem. Texas chili is made with cubed beef chuck (rather than ground chuck) and takes a firm stance of not including beans unlike some other varieties of the stew.

Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Texas Chili

Slow-cook boneless chicken thighs in a spiced-up blend of fire-roasted tomatoes, chipotle chiles and cumin for a big-flavored, fuss-free meal best topped with cheese, avocado and cilantro.

Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Chipotle Chicken Stew

All you need are four ingredients (not counting salt, pepper and cooking oil!) for Sandra Lee's easy chicken dinner that gets Mexican-inspired flavors from fajita seasoning.

Get the Recipe: Mexajita Chicken

Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Buttery Chicken and Potato Stew

Long simmering makes this tough cut turn tender and yielding. Keep a batch of this hearty chili in in the freezer for easy weeknight meals or game day entertaining.

Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Freezer-Pack Brisket Chili

Brown sugar, rum and butter create a caramelized banana topping for this moist cake that's best served warm with a dollop of ice cream.

Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Banana Upside Down Cake

Valerie dressed up her pulled pork with fried shallots and seasoned chiles.

Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Pulled Pork with Fried Shallots and Chiles

Sandra's short ribs become tender and juicy when slow cooked, resulting in a truly comforting dish.

Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Short Ribs

Curry powder is the secret ingredient in this easy slow-cooked soup. It adds to the depth of flavor and turns the soup golden yellow. Be generous with the cheese!

Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Chicken and Vegetable Soup

Sandra covers pork shoulder in a homemade dry rub before pouring a sauce over the meat and cooking on low for eight hours.

Get the Recipe: Hawaiian Pulled Pork Sandwiches

The long-simmered stovetop sauce your grandma used to make is simplified with the help of a slow cooker. This version showcases tomatoes in three different ways for a rich, familiar flavor.

Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Sunday Gravy

This is the perfect dessert for a crisp autumn day. Be sure to use large baking apples such as Rome or Golden Delicious — they'll have just the right tenderness. Enjoy leftovers for breakfast the next day with a dollop of Greek yogurt.

Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Cranberry-Walnut Stuffed Apples

Cook beef stew meat with thyme, ginger and more spices to get an incredibly flavorful dish.

Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Beef Stew with Carrots and Potatoes

Cooking green split peas in a slow cooker with a turkey leg imparts great flavor to this split pea soup.

Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Split Pea Soup

Throw everything into the slow cooker and you'll end up with tender beef chuck mixed with other hearty flavors in this go-to stew.

Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Beef and Barley

Let your slow cooker transport you to the French countryside with this hearty beef stew that's flavored with herbes de Provence, cognac and sun-dried tomato tapenade.

Top this beefy chili with cheese, scallions and avocado.

Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Chili

The best part of this chili recipe? You just toss everything in the slow cooker and let it go. But be sure to leave the chili powder until the end; this ensures that the spices remain bright and vibrant rather than dull and bitter.

Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Chicken Chili

This hearty vegetable stew is perfect for winter. Use up those sweet potatoes, butternut squash and mushrooms, and bathe them in this gorgeous Southeast Asian-inspired broth of coconut milk and sambal oelek.

Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Winter Vegetables with Coconut Milk and Sambal

This easy stew is full of Moroccan spices and flavors. Just before serving, whip up a quick cilantro sauce for an added note of brightness.

Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Moroccan Turkey Stew

These comforting beans are sweet, succulent and loaded with chicken-apple sausages. The slow-cooking process tenderizes the beans while deepening all the dark barbecue flavors.

Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Barbecue Beans and Sausage

Black beans soak up the rich flavor of a presmoked turkey leg in this no-hassle soup.

Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Black-Bean Soup with Turkey

Perfect on a cold winter's day, this short rib soup borrows from the Korean palate with restorative flavors like garlic, ginger and red chili paste. The slow-cooked beef melts in your mouth, and the fresh spritz of cilantro and lime at the end balances everything out.

Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Spicy Short-Rib Noodle Soup

Valerie adds andouille sausage for a smoky, Creole-inspired take on the classic hearty dish.

Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice

Make dinner without breaking a sweat! With just a little bit of prep work you can sit back and relax while the slow cooker does the hard work for you.

Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Lasagna

Stuffed bell peppers have never been simpler to prepare, thanks to your slow cooker! Just stir all the filling ingredients together (raw ground beef included), then stuff the mixture into the peppers and let the cooker do the rest. Top with sour cream for a comforting, nourishing dinner your whole family will love.

Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Stuffed Peppers

Enjoy this simple cozy recipe with the flip of a switch. With a few easy-to-find ingredients and minimal prep, you can enjoy a pork chop dinner for four. Serve with creamy grits or buttered rice for a filling family meal.

Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Pork Chops

Many versions of this dish live on the Internet and for good reason—it’s quick, easy and a real crowd pleaser. We find some of them a bit too cloying though, so we scaled down the jelly and added a little acidity and heat in the form of Dijon mustard, cider vinegar and hot sauce to create the perfect balance of sweet and tangy. We use beef meatballs, but you can substitute turkey or veggie ones.

Get the Recipe: Grape Jelly Slow-Cooker Meatballs

These meatballs taste just like your nonna’s without any pre-cooking or tending to—just throw them in the slow cooker with the rest of the ingredients. The recipe makes enough meatballs and sauce to serve with two pounds of pasta. They are also delicious over polenta, stuffed into sub rolls or as a pizza topping.

Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Italian Meatballs