Standing at the stove sounds like too much on some days, especially when dinner still needs to get on the table. These 19 slow cooker dinners cover chicken, pork, beef, chili, soup, pasta, meatballs, and a hearty casserole, with most of the cooking happening while you are somewhere else. The recipes range from shorter three-hour options to all-day roasts and stews, so there is room for different schedules. You still get a full dinner without spending the evening checking pans and burners.
Crock Pot Mississippi Chicken
On a day when the stove can stay off, Crock Pot Mississippi Chicken gives you four servings after about 4 hours and 5 minutes in the slow cooker. Ranch seasoning, au jus mix, pepperoncini juice, and butter give the chicken a tangy, rich sauce without much hands-on work. Shred it once tender and spoon it over mashed potatoes or rice. It also works well on toasted buns when dinner needs to be easy to serve.
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Pulled Pork Sliders
When dinner needs to feed more people with very little stovetop work, Pulled Pork Sliders make 16 servings in about 6 hours and 15 minutes. Pork shoulder cooks with barbecue sauce, beer, ketchup, and brown sugar until it is easy to shred. Coleslaw and a tangy mayo sauce finish the sliders without turning dinner into a long kitchen project. Keep the pork warm in the slow cooker and let everyone build their own buns.
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Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs
Creamy and mostly hands-off, Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs serve six after about 4 hours and 15 minutes. The chicken cooks with onion, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, chicken broth, and heavy cream, then gets Parmesan at the table. That long slow cook gives you a full dinner without hovering over a skillet. Serve the thighs with rice, pasta, or bread so there is something to catch the creamy sauce.
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Slow Cooker Mac n Cheese
With no need to boil the pasta first, Slow Cooker Mac n Cheese turns macaroni, cheddar, mozzarella, whole milk, evaporated milk, and butter into eight servings in about 3 hours and 10 minutes. Everything cooks in the slow cooker, which keeps the stovetop free and cuts down on extra pots. It is a practical pick for a busy evening or a casual crowd. Spoon it straight from the cooker while the cheese is still soft and creamy.
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Crockpot Marry Me Chicken
A long afternoon in the slow cooker is all Crockpot Marry Me Chicken needs to turn three chicken breasts into dinner in about 4 hours and 5 minutes. Chicken broth, heavy cream, Parmesan, garlic, red pepper flakes, and sun-dried tomatoes make the sauce rich without requiring constant stirring. The small three-serving batch suits a quieter night at home. Serve it with pasta, rice, or bread to make the most of the creamy sauce.
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Slow Cooker Nacho Meatballs
Built for nights when you want the slow cooker to handle both the main dish and the sauce, Slow Cooker Nacho Meatballs make six servings in about 4 hours and 5 minutes. Frozen meatballs cook with tomatoes and green chiles, Velveeta, taco seasoning, and heavy cream. The result is hearty enough for dinner but easy to portion for a casual spread. Add scallions at the end and serve with chips, rice, or tortillas.
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Slow Cooker Chicken Breast
By midafternoon, Slow Cooker Chicken Breast can have four servings ready in about 2 hours and 40 minutes without keeping you near the stove. The chicken cooks with Marsala wine, broth, mushrooms, garlic, and seasonings before heavy cream thickens the sauce near the end. It is one of the shorter slow cooker options in this list. Pair it with mashed potatoes, noodles, or rice for a dinner that still comes together as a full meal with little active cooking.
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Slow Cooker Ribs
After a quick seasoning step, Slow Cooker Ribs spend most of their 4-hour-20-minute total time cooking on their own. Brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and barbecue sauce give the two-pound rack plenty of flavor, and the recipe makes four servings. A brief broil at the end adds color after the slow cooker has done the tenderizing. Serve with slaw, corn, or baked potatoes for a low-effort dinner.
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Slow Cooker Mississippi Pork Roast
Long cooking works in your favor with Slow Cooker Mississippi Pork Roast, an eight-serving dinner that takes about 8 hours and 5 minutes from start to finish. Pork shoulder cooks with ranch seasoning, au jus mix, butter, pepperoncini peppers, and a little brine until it is easy to pull apart. The slow cooker handles the bulk of the work while you do something else. Serve it with potatoes, rice, or rolls for an easy plate.
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Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili
Chilly evenings are a good match for Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili, which makes six servings in about 4 hours and 25 minutes. Chicken cooks with white beans, corn, green chiles, onion, broth, cumin, and oregano before cream cheese and cream are stirred in. The slow cooker keeps the process steady without repeated stovetop checks. Ladle it into bowls and add toppings such as cheese, scallions, or crushed tortilla chips right before serving.
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Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak Meatballs
When dinner needs to be hearty without a lot of active cooking, Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak Meatballs make six servings in about 6 hours and 5 minutes. Frozen meatballs simmer with beef broth, brown gravy mix, onion soup mix, ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce, then a cornstarch slurry thickens everything. Most of the work happens unattended in the slow cooker. Spoon the meatballs and gravy over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or rice for an easy dinner plate.
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Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
Long cooking turns Slow Cooker Pulled Pork into a 12-serving dinner in about 6 hours and 10 minutes, with very little time spent at the stove. Pork loin cooks with brown sugar, mustard, soy sauce, bay leaves, and dark beer until it can be pulled apart. The larger yield makes this useful for leftovers or a busy family night. Pile the pork onto buns, tuck it into tortillas, or serve it beside potatoes and slaw.
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Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas
Once the slow cooker is running, Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas need about 5 hours and 25 minutes to make eight servings. Pork shoulder cooks with cumin, oregano, chili powder, onion, garlic, orange juice, lime juice, and chicken broth until tender. A short broil at the end crisps the edges without requiring you to stand over a pan. Serve the pork in tortillas with avocado, red onion, and any other taco toppings you like.
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Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff
Classic stroganoff gets a low-maintenance treatment with Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff, which serves six in about 6 hours and 10 minutes. Beef cooks with onion, mushrooms, cream of mushroom soup, broth, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder before sour cream is stirred in near the end. Egg noodles cook separately, but the slow cooker handles the long part of dinner. Spoon the beef and sauce over the noodles for a filling evening meal.
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Slow Cooker Potato Soup
Cold nights become easier to manage with Slow Cooker Potato Soup, a six-serving dinner that takes about 3 hours and 10 minutes. Potatoes cook with chicken broth, bacon, onion, and garlic before butter, milk, cheddar, and sour cream give the soup its creamy finish. The slow cooker does most of the work while you stay out of the kitchen. Top each bowl with green onions, extra bacon, or cheese just before serving.
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Slow Cooker Taco Meatloaf
Taco night gets a slow-cooker twist with Slow Cooker Taco Meatloaf, which makes six servings in about 6 hours and 10 minutes. Ground beef is mixed with onion, green chiles, taco seasoning, crushed nacho cheese chips, Monterey Jack, eggs, and milk, then finished with taco sauce and Colby Jack. The long cooking time is mostly hands-off. Add scallions, tomatoes, sour cream, avocado, or jalapeño at the table to finish each slice.
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Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin
With about 4 hours and 15 minutes in the slow cooker, Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin turns two pounds of pork into six servings with little active work. The sauce combines apple cider vinegar, honey, soy sauce, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes. A small amount of flour helps thicken the juices at the end. Slice the pork and serve it with rice, potatoes, or vegetables for a full dinner.
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Slow Cooker Cowboy Casserole
Some nights call for a one-pot dinner with a little more heft, and Slow Cooker Cowboy Casserole delivers six servings in about 5 hours and 10 minutes. Ground beef, corn, cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, cheddar, onion, and frozen tater tots cook together into a filling casserole. The beef needs browning first, but the slow cooker takes over after that. Serve it in bowls or on plates with a simple salad on the side.
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Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Eight hours of unattended cooking make Slow Cooker Beef Stew a strong choice for days when dinner can take care of itself. The recipe serves eight and takes about 8 hours and 10 minutes, using chuck roast, onion, carrots, russet potatoes, beef broth, tomato paste, red wine, and thyme. Everything cooks together until the beef and vegetables are tender. Ladle it into bowls with bread on the side for an easy end-of-day meal.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Beef Stew