Need some super easy meal inspiration? Dive into this collection of 77 ‘toss and go’ slow cooker recipes, perfect for busy lifestyles and families.
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77 Quick Throw-Together Slow Cooker Meals
Not long ago, on our Facebook page, I asked you, Little House Living readers, what your favorite “throw-it-all-together” slow cooker meals were. I was amazed at the response. You all have so many great ideas!
I thought that we needed a way to keep these great recipes together, so today, I’m putting them in this blog post for you to bookmark, pin, and keep until you need some quick recipe inspiration.
*Note, for a recipe calling for Cream of Chicken soup you can easily substitute 1 cup cream + 1 cup chicken stock + 1 tablespoon cornstarch + 1 teaspoon salt. Simmer that mixture together for a few minutes on the stove until it thickens. Or just use my Cream of Soup Mix!
Throw Together Chicken Recipes for the Slow Cooker
Italian Chicken –1 stick of butter, 3-5 chicken breasts, 1 packet Good Seasonings Dry Italian dressing seasoning packet, juice of 1 lemon, dash of pepper, minced garlic. Cook on high 3-5 hours, then low 1-2 or low for 6-8. – Kim T
Savory Chicken –Whole chicken with whatever spices you like. Chopped veggies and beer … It’s to die for. Or wine is also a good choice. – Nancy W.
Goop – 4-6 chicken breast, 1 pint of sour cream, 1 pkg of onion soup mix, 1 can of cream of what ever you like (I usually do cream of mush or cream chicken), mix the last 3 ingredients all together in the crock pot, add chicken and make sure all the chicken is covered with the goop. cook on low (the longer the better), serve over toast, noodles or rice. – Leslie H.
Chicken Tortilla Soup– 1 lb frozen chicken breasts, 1 qt chicken broth, 1 can black beans, 1 14 oz can diced tomatoes, 2 c frozen corn, 1 T minced garlic, 1 large chopped onion, 1 c salsa, 4 oz can green chilis, 1 1/2 t cumin, 1 t salt. Cook on low for 8 hours, shred chicken and stir back in. Serve with crushed tortilla chips. – Lana D.
Salsa Chicken – Chicken breasts and salsa. Cook on high about 6 hours and drain off the liquid. Shred and add sour cream to desired creaminess. Eat on tortillas. – Nance M.
Creamy Chicken Tacos – Two boneless chicken breasts, 8 oz. of cream cheese, 1 can of corn – drained, 1 can of black beans – drained, 1 can of rotel tomatoes w/green Chili peppers. Place chicken on the bottom, add salt and pepper, then corn and beans. Top with cream cheese and pour rotel on top. Cook until chicken is agreeable. Shred Chicken and mix contents of crockpot well. Serve in flour tortilla shells with your favorite taco rollings (sour cream, avocado, lettuce, cheese, and tomatoes). – Diane M.
Chicken Tacos –Chicken breasts, salsa and taco seasoning – Amanda W.
Chicken & Biscuits – Whole chicken w/spices: rosemary, thyme, dill and salt, and pepper. Use broth and leftover chicken to make homemade chicken soup. Don’t forget the biscuits. – Phyliss P.
Buffalo Chicken – Put Chicken breasts in crockpot, cover with buffalo sauce, add in dry ranch salad dressing mix (I make my own), stir. Leave on low for 8 hours or high for 4 or so. Shred chicken when done. Viola! Tastes delish over potatoes, salads or anything else you might fancy! – Meaghan B.
Chicken Broth – Bones, extra veggies (I throw veggie pieces in the freezer as I cut veggies and save for when I make broth.), salt, pepper and water. Cook 8-12 or more hours. Strain. Then use for soup or whatever you desire. Sometimes I strain it and throw the broth right back in the crockpot, add fresh veggies and meat and cook 6-10 hours on low. – Tina M.
Alfredo Chicken – Chicken breast and jarred Alfredo sauce. Cook all day and serve over noodles or my favorite, tortellini. – Kathy B.
BBQ Chicken & Corn – Steak or chicken in the bottom, cover with 1 bottle of your favorite BBQ or steak sauce, top with foil-wrapped baking potatoes, then top with foil-wrapped corn on the cob. Complete dinner in a crockpot. – Amy T.
Curried Chicken – chicken breasts (about 6) with a couple of cans of coconut milk, yellow curry and fresh garlic. Cook on low all day until chicken shreds. Serve w/ rice, top w/cilantro, green onion, and peanut sauce. – Rachel G.
Rosemary Chicken – Chicken breasts with rosemary. Then cook rice and make a salad 🙂 Not all crockpot but still pretty amazing! – Sherry H.
Green Beans & Chicken – Layered:Boneless/Skinless Chicken Thighs,1 c Italian Dressing, abit of salt and pepper,4 potatoes peeled and quartered,2 cans drained green beans added an hour before eating. Cook6 hours on low. – Jayne T.
Shredded Chicken – One onion, peeled and quartered, one whole chicken, equivalent chicken pieces, or boneless, skinless chicken (either will work), one jar of salsa verde. Cook on high for four hours or low for six.Shred. Toss out bones & skin.Use for tacos or enchiladas, or my favorite way – just serving with rice and a dollop of sour cream for a wheat-free dinner. – Toni I.
Herbed Chicken Legs – I throw a bunch of chicken legs in with a can of crushed tomatoes, onion, garlic, chili flakes, salt, pepper, and herbs. After it is cooked, it gets eaten with mash. – Christine P.
Tip: Chicken legs are a family favorite and very frugal, try these Crockpot Drumsticks with Fresh Tomato BBQ Sauce too!
Orange Chicken – Chicken thighs, a jar of orange or peach marmalade, and a bottle of Catalina or Russian dressing. – Susan H.
Pulled Meat – Any kind of meat (chicken, beef, or pork) with a can of green chilis and a packet of taco seasoning. Cook it low and slow; great as shredded or pulled meat for tacos, enchiladas, over rice, or on buns. – Susan H.
Ranch Chicken – One family-sized can of cream of chicken, half of that can fill with water, 1/2 pack of dry ranch dressing mix, four chicken breasts. Put all in the pot on low for 6-8 hrs. Serve over egg noodles. – Kristina R.
Tip: Make your own powdered Ranch Dressing Mix Recipe to keep on hand.
Garlic Chicken – Chicken rubbed with garlic. Cut onions and potatoes covered with cranberry sauce then slow cook till done. – Stephanie B.
Toss-Together Crockpot Chicken Recipes from Bloggers:
- Spicy Chicken Thighs
- Bacon Ranch Chicken
- Chicken Stir Fry
- Greek Chicken
- Cranberry Chicken
- Chicken Corn Chowder
- Cheeseburger and Chicken and Rice Soup
Throw Together Beef Recipes for the Slow Cooker
Easy Roast – 1 chuck roast, a pound of baby carrots, eight or so potatoes, two cans golden mushroom soup mixed with one can milk. Cook on low for eight hours. – Becca H.
Beef and Noodles – 2 lb chuck roast and 2 packages of brown gravy mix. Cover roast with water, sprinkle gravy in. Cook 8 hrs. Shred beef, add back into crockpot juices, make your choice of egg noodles and stir into mixture. – Shawn H.
Old fashioned Yankee Pot Roast – beef roast, a little water, potatoes, carrots, celery, onions, garlic cloves, salt & pepper. – Jennifer N.
Cranberry Roast – 3-4 lb. beef roast, 1 can cranberry sauce, 1 envelope of onion soup mix. Mix cranberry sauce and onion soup mix together, pour over roast. Cook on low setting 6-8 hrs. – Natalie M.
Meatloaf – I love crockpot meatloaf and making it is easy. Instead of cooking in the oven, just form the loaf in the crockpot. Cook on low. – Misty L.
Tip: This Old Fashioned Meatloaf Recipe is one of my favorites!
Chuck Roast – Brown the Chuck roast, toss in the crockpot with a can of tomato sauce, add some chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Add a few dashes of hot sauce. When done, shred and use in burritos or tacos – Shelly T.
Beef Mostaccioli– I throw in 1 lb. of pre-cooked ground beef, 2 c. penne noodles, frozen chopped onion/bell pepper (about 1/4 c), 1/4 c. sliced black olives, 1/4 c. finely diced zucchini and 1 lg. jar mushroom Prego sauce. Stir well. Cook on low 3-4 hours. – Maggie W.
Roast & Veggies – Chuck roast with 1 carrot (cut up), 1 rib celery (cut up), onions, garlic, red wine, bay leaf, salt, pepper, and vegetable stock. Put all together, cover and cook on low for 6 hours. So easy. We had this tonight with oven-roasted potatoes, carrots, onions, garlic, and fresh mushrooms, all seasoned with 1 package of Italian seasoning mix and olive oil. – Julie H.
Thai Meatballs – 2 regular sized or 1 large-sized package of frozen Italian meatballs, 1 jar apple jelly, 1 jar Thai sweet/spicy dipping sauce. Cook on low until bubbly. You can also use your own homemade meatballs but cook them first. – Karen E.
French Dip Sandwiches – Put your roast, onion, spices, some dark beer or wine and beef broth in the crockpot. Serve on toasted rolls with a side of au jus. – Amanda M.
Tip: Learn how to use this Leftover Pot Roast to make a few different meals!
Athens Stew–Roast, beef broth (or stock) enough to cover the meat, salt, and pepper to taste, minced garlic to taste. Cook on low for 8 hrs. When finished, shred the meat and return to pot to heat through. You can serve this stew over steamed rice or sliced boiled potatoes. Some people like sweet potatoes with it.Easy, feeds a lot of people, and you can always can the stew meat and juice. – Leigh Ann M.
Toss-Together Crockpot Beef Recipes from Bloggers:
- Shredded Beef
- Crockpot BBQ Meatballs
- Slow Cooker Steak
Throw Together Pork Recipes for the Slow Cooker
Sweet Pork Chops – browned pork chops, chopped apple, maple syrup, cinnamon, onion, salt. – Jennifer G.
Ranch Pork –3-4 pork chops, top with 1 can cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup and 1 pack of ranch (powdered) seasoning. Cook on high 3-4 hours or low 5-6 hours. – Gracie B.
Pork and Beans –1 cup each of dried garbanzo beans, red kidney beans, and navy beans on the bottom of crockpot. Cover with 3 big pieces of boneless pork, add garlic, parsley, celery seeds, salt, pepper (to taste) & a big pinch of cumin. Cover with water and cook all day. Whip up a batch of cornbread mix and TaDa! – Debbie B.
Kahlua Pork –Pork roast, sea salt, liquid smoke. 8 hours. – Sherri B.
Pulled Pork – Pork butt and root beer. Cook, Drain, add BBQ sauce and Shred for pulled pork sandwiches. – Kerry H.
Tip: We always have Homemade BBQ Sauce on hand or in the freezer.
Easy Pork Chops – Pork chops, sliced potatoes, chopped carrots, cream of mushroom soup. Cook all day. – Deanna M.
Pork Tacos – Rub a pork shoulder roast with two packages (or equivalent) of homemade taco seasoning. Cook on low for 12 hours. Shred and remove fat. Mix back into the juices and serve over rice. The next day, reheat for pork tacos. This is a super-easy way to feed a crowd. Add hot cornbread, fried cabbage, and sliced tomatoes from the garden. – Lana D.
Cherry Pork – Pork roast plus one can of cherry pie filling. You could add some mustard and spices to make it a bit less sweet. – Sara C.
Pineapple Pork Roast – Boneless pork roast, crushed pineapple, a bottle of teriyaki sauce. Serve with rice. – Lisa D.
Apples & Pork – Pork loin, apples, onions, and a little rosemary. – Amy C.
Tip: Save those apple peels! Uses for Apple Peels
Pork & Noodles – Boneless pork chops with spaghetti sauce poured over them. Serve over GF noodles. – Robin M.
Pork & Green Beans – brown 1lb. of cubed pork, toss in the cooker with green beans, onions (sauté), a can of diced tomatoes, garlic, salt, and pepper. Pour over 2/3 cup of rice when ready to serve. A good stew – Celia B.
Toss-Together Crockpot Pork Recipes from Bloggers:
Most of the throw-it-all in the slow cooker recipes listed here have just 5 ingredients (or even less!). That makes them super easy to toss in the crockpot in the morning when you are in a rush.
Which one of these easy throw together dinner recipes will you try first? Make sure to share your favorite toss-together recipes in the comments!
Merissa Alink
Merissa has been blogging about andliving the simple and frugal life on Little House Living since 2009 and has internationally published 2 books on the topic. You can read about Merissa’s journey from penniless to freedom on the About Page. You can send her a message any time from theContact Page.
These 77 Easy Recipes to Throw Together in the Slow Cooker were originally published on Little House Living in January 2015. They have been updated as of January 2024.
