As I’m writing these very words, it is 21 degrees outside in Dallas with a nasty mix of snow and ice on the roads. We have gone exactly zero places today, some of us have not even made it out of our pajamas. And we’re just grateful, after snowmageddon 2021, that we have electricity, water, and an above-freezing weather day on the horizon.
ALSO happening while I’m sitting here writing these words? A slow cooker full of ingredients is being magically transformed into dinner with minimal (read: no) effort on my part.
This is the magic of the slow cooker and this is why I created this fun little round-up post, so you can have all of my favorite slow cooker recipes in one easy, handy-dandy place. Because I love you so.
These are all easy, throw in the bowl, turn on, and go recipes that yield maximum comfort and flavor for minimal results. The only one that requires true “cooking” (and by cooking I mean anything more extensive than browning meat) is the Barbecue Chicken, but truth be told, I have been known to used jarred sauce with a few modifications and call it a day. No one really knows the difference and it’s a lot less work. I spill the beans on that shortcut below.
No matter which recipe you choose (or how many), all of these are guaranteed to give a big reward for the smallest and least amount of work you can put towards a meal that you don’t order over the internet and have delivered to your door. Plus, your family will give you rave reviews for providing them with the most amazing home-cooked meal they have had in ages.
And it will be our little secret that you barely broke a sweat creating it.
-
Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken Tacos: This is the easiest taco recipe you will ever make. You simply dump all the ingredients in the bowl, slicing maybe one onion and a few cloves of garlic, turn it on, and go about your business for the rest of the day. Come dinner time, you will have the most tender shredded chicken for tacos or whatever else you can dream up that uses shredded chicken. Rich in flavor, short on time, this one even has a bonus enchilada recipe if you are lucky enough to have leftover chicken. True fact: I rarely do. So if the bonus recipe is important to you but you have big eaters in your family, definitely double it up. You won’t regret it.
-
Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup: Easy, filling, and makes enough soup to feed a small army (or have leftovers for days)? SIGN ME UP! This recipe is actually from my momma, who is where I got all of this home cooking stuff from, so you know it’s got to be a good one. Another dump and run recipe, this soup just gets better over time so if you have leftovers, which you will, be glad. They will be like a gift that keeps on giving.
-
Slow Cooker Baked Potato Soup: This is the one recipe my family begs for whenever the temps drop below 40. It is a comforting, warm, and stick-to-your-ribs meal no one can get enough of. I like that it’s easy and requires very little effort on my part with the exception of peeling the potatoes. I also like that it is a meatless meal even my pickiest eater will tolerate so I can indulge my inner hippie just a little bit more with this one. IN fact, if you are VEGAN or just don’t do dairy well, I made this recipe completely vegan for my friends over at Get Your Pretty On and I highly recommend checking that one out as well. It’s a game changer! Either way, you make it, this is a cost-effective, delicious, and easy way to put your slow cooker to work for you.
-
Slow Cooker Turkey Chili: Chili is the ultimate slow cooker meal and everyone knows it. I have two chili recipes in this bunch and both are winners. This turkey chili is a little bit “healthier” in that it has more vegetables and works with leaner ground turkey. However, both recipes are healthy in that there is no added fat other than what exists in the meat and they are both filled with plenty of protein and fiber. I prefer this one slightly because I am vegetable-addicted, but my family likes the full meat option a bit more. Once again, you really can’t go wrong either way. They’re both amazing.
-
Slow Cooker Beef Chili: Slightly less healthy than the turkey recipe, yet slightly easier to prepare because there is less chopping, this is one for the family that is staunchly traditional about their chili. Which brings me to the age-old question: beans or no beans? Comment below so we can start another war between Texas and the rest of the country. (I kid. I kid.)
-
Slow Cooker Barbecue Chicken: Of all of the recipes in this round-up, this is the one that I was most hesitant to include. Why? Because it’s the most complicated. This sauce takes a LONG simmer time in order to get thick enough to enjoy. IN fact, I should probably go back and rewrite the official recipe just to accommodate the full length of time it needs to hang out on the stove. However, I, in all of my lazy glory, still make this recipe often with a slight lazy-person-friendly alteration that makes it worthy of the round-up. Seriously. And because I love you so much and know you don’t judge me in all of my short-cut ways, here we go: to make it about 3000xs easier, follow this recipe using prepared barbecue sauce, then add the fireball. Simple, right? You still get the fun cinnamon kick from the fireball, but you don’t necessarily get the hour-long prep time. One caveat–the slow cooker doesn’t often get hot enough to burn off the alcohol of the liquor, so go ahead and heat it up quickly on the stove before you drop it in so you don’t get your kids drunk. Or….maybe….(I kid. I kid.)
-
Slow Cooker Indian Butter Chicken: This recipe is, by far, the most widely searched and clicked slow cooker recipe on my blog. It’s so dang easy. It’s so delicious. And everyone loves it. I love that it’s a bit unique for a slow cooker recipe, which tend to be soups or stews, and that it provides us with a stick-to-your-ribs introduction to Indian food for the kids (though non-traditional, I realize). I highly recommend trying this one if you haven’t yet. It’s a BurntToast favorite and one everyone seems to love.
OK, friends. That’s all of my favorite slow cooker recipes for now. Of course, I’m always working and creating and trying new ones, so if you have anything you really want to see, drop me a message. I’d be glad to work on your personal requests!
Peace, love, and winter days,
Meg
Welcome to BurntToast! My name is Meaghan, and this is my safe space, a place where we can share stories, share recipes and share life. It’s my dream that you can come here, kick your shoes off and pour yourself a glass of wine while you read, laugh, and maybe even hop into the kitchen. This is my heart, for all of you to see. And ALL are welcome here.