From soups to tacos, these slow cooker meals are made for busy weeks and easy batch cooking!
If you rely on meal prep to simplify your week, the slow cooker might be your best friend. These 20+ crock pot recipes make it easy to prep big batches of food with minimal hands on time. You'll find everything from tender, flavor packed shredded chicken to Korean inspired beef, cozy soups, and flavor packed tacos.
These recipes reheat well, store perfectly and save you time when it matters most. Whether you're stocking your fridge or freezer, these recipes are built for flexibility. Just dump cook and prep your week in one easy go!
Benefits of using your slow cooker for meal prep
- Hands off: you can leave the slow cooker unattended while prepping other meals or ingredients
- Versatile: cook your meals ahead and portion out for 'reheat meals', or assemble freezer crockpot meals for busy weeknight dinners.
- Energy efficient: using your slow cooker means you don't need to turn on your oven or stove, and this keeps your house cooler. Perfect for warm summer months!
Equipment- I use this 6 quart slow cooker, but it does cook big batches. For smaller batches I reach for my 2.5 quart slow cooker.
How to use these recipes
Most of the recipes in this post can be used for two different types of meal prep:
- Reheat meals- Cook the recipe, then portion out into meal prep containers (with rice and veggies if needed). Store in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze (when indicated on the recipe card that this is possible) for up to 3 months.
- Freezer crockpot meals- Do not cook the recipe- portion out into sturdy freezer bags, reusable silicone bags or meal prep containers. Freeze for up to 3 months. When you are ready to cook, thaw first (give it 24-48 hours to thaw completely), then cook as directed in the recipe card. Perfect for new moms!
Slow Cooker Chicken
7 Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes
SEVEN simple slow cooker chicken recipes that have a lot of flavor for very little effort! Easy to prepare and made with wholesome ingredients, these crockpot chicken recipes are meal prep friendly and can be frozen as crockpot freezer meals!
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Slow Cooker Chickpea Tortilla Soup (Freezer to Crock Pot)
Slow cooker chickpea tortilla soup which can be assembled ahead of time and stored in the fridge or freezer! A great way to stay out of the kitchen this summer.
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Slow Cooker Honey Lime Chicken
This honey lime chicken is an easy and delicious base slow cooker recipe with only 6 ingredients and takes only 10 minutes to throw together. Use it on sandwiches, tacos, salads and more. Gluten-free, meal prep- and freezer-friendly.
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Slow Cooker Lemon Garlic Chicken Thighs
Slow cooker lemon garlic chicken thighs are simmered in a buttery sauce that is perfect for spooning over rice and vegetables. Low carb and gluten-free. Assemble ahead and freeze as a freezer crockpot meal!
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The Best Dang Crock Pot Teriyaki Chicken
This crock pot teriyaki chicken recipe is seriously the BEST! With juicy chicken breasts simmered in a sticky sauce that is better than your favorite take out. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and enjoy!
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Slow Cooker Chipotle Honey Chicken Taco Salad Lunch Bowls
Make your meal prep hands off with this smoky chipotle honey twist on a taco salad. The chicken simmers in the slow cooker, with the sauce doubling as a dressing for the salad!
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Sticky Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs
Sticky slow cooker honey garlic chicken thighs are simple to throw together and have a deliciously sticky sweet and savory sauce that is perfect for spooning over rice and vegetables. Great as a weeknight dinner or meal prep recipe.
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Slow Cooker Ginger Peanut Chicken with Green Beans & Baby Potatoes
This Thai-inspired slow cooker ginger peanut chicken is so easy to throw together. It cooks along with baby potatoes, green beans and carrots for a complete meal!
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Crockpot Salsa Chicken (4 ingredients!)
Fall apart tender and perfectly seasoned, crockpot salsa chicken is a 4 ingredient recipe that is perfect for busy nights! Use it up in tacos, burrito bowls, or enjoy as is.
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Crockpot BBQ Chicken (Juicy + Tender!)
Fall apart tender, juicy and so flavorful, this crockpot BBQ chicken is perfect served on sandwiches, in wraps, or even on pizza. Just 5 simple ingredients required!
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Slow Cooker Sweet Chili Chicken
Fall apart tender, juicy, and loaded with flavor, this slow cooker sweet chili chicken requires just 6 ingredients! Perfect to use in quesadillas, rice bowls, tacos and more.
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Crockpot Chicken Fajitas
Hands off, yet filled with big Tex-Mex flavors, these crockpot chicken fajitas are a crowd-pleasing dinner. Made with a flavorful homemade fajita seasoning, fire roasted tomatoes, bell peppers and red onion.
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Beef, turkey, pork
Pulled Pork Meal Prep Bowls
Pulled pork meal prep bowls are full of summery flavors: spicy Instant Pot pulled pork, roasted sweet potatoes, corn and fresh tomatoes! Gluten-free, paleo, and perfect for lunches.
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Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Beef
A sweet and savory pulled beef recipe that takes only 10 minutes prep time! This beef is very versatile and can be used on sandwiches, salads, stir fries, or tacos!
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Slow Cooker Korean Beef Lettuce Wraps
A simple and easy slow cooker Korean beef lettuce wraps recipe with only 7 ingredients! Serve in lettuce wraps for a light and fresh dinner.
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Crock Pot Stuffed Peppers Recipe
These crock pot stuffed peppers are made with 5 simple ingredients and filled with delicious taco flavors. Easy to prep ahead (you can even freeze them), and cook in the slow cooker for a convenient and hands off dinner.
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Vegetarian
Vegan Slow Cooker Tikka Masala
This vegan slow cooker tikka masala is PERFECT for meal prep! It makes an easy freezer crockpot meal, and leftovers keep (and can be frozen) for healthy plant-based lunches.
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Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Lentil Curry
This slow cooker butternut squash lentil curry is creamy and flavored with warm spices, butternut squash, coconut milk and lime juice! Works great as a comforting vegan dinner, or for meal prep.
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Vegan Slow Cooker Peanut Stew (Maafe-Inspired)
Slow cooker peanut stew is vegan comfort food at it's finest! With chickpeas, sweet potatoes, and peanut butter, it's inspired by the West African peanut stew, maafe. You can assemble this ahead and freeze as a crockpot freezer meal.
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Vegan Crockpot Chili
This vegan crockpot chili can be assembled ahead and frozen for an easy slow cooker freezer meal! Made with sweet potatoes, corn, black beans, and spices; it's vegan, gluten-free, and seriously tasty!
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Spicy Slow Cooker Chickpea Chili (+ Instant Pot)
An easy and delicious 8-10 hour slow cooker chilli packed with chickpeas and sweet potato, and flavored with chipotle and lime. Ready when you walk in the door from work!
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Slow Cooker Creamy Potato Corn Soup (Vegan)
This vegan slow cooker potato corn soup is an easy and deceptively healthy. Easy to prep ahead and re-heat for easy lunches.
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Hi, I'm Annie. With a Bachelor of Science degree, a minor in nutrition and nearly 20 year of both classical training, and self-taught experience, I've spent my career proving that home cooking can be practical, delicious and inspiring. What started in 2013 as one food blog has grown into a full-time business. Today, my husband Clayton and I run five food websites that connect with millions of home cooks every month.
When I'm not in the kitchen or behind the camera, I'm using fueling my love of travel, or chasing down new ideas that keep food fun and fresh.
KalynsKitchen says
Thanks for including my Cauliflower Rice Greek Chicken Bowls!