When we think easy dinners, we think Crock-Pot or slow cooker. All you have to do is grab everything and throw it all in there, then voila! You have a scrumptious meal without the heavy lifting. Here are some of our favorite Crock-Pot recipes that also happen to be perfect for the colder weather.
Chicken and Dumplings
What You Need:
3–4 large chicken breasts
2 cans of cream of chicken soup (grab the 98% fat free soups for a healthier option)
1 can of chicken broth (or make your own with chicken bouillon—2 cups of boiling water with 1 to 1 ½ tsp. of bouillon)
¼ tsp. poultry seasoning
¼ tsp. garlic powder
¼ tsp. salt
A few dashes of red pepper
A few dashes of black pepper
Two handfuls of chopped yellow onion and celery (adjust your amount on how much you prefer)
1 can of biscuits
What You’ll Do:
Grab your Crock-Pot and place the chicken breasts, broth, cream of chicken soup, onion, celery and seasonings all inside. Stir together to mix well and turn the Crock-Pot to high (or heat at 4 hours). Using one can of broth or one cup of self-made broth will give you a thicker soup. Add another cup of self-made broth if you prefer your soup to be slightly thinner.
After cooking for two hours, take the chicken breasts out one at a time and shred them. Place the shredded chicken back into the Crock-Pot. Stir.
After all the chicken is shredded, take the biscuits and begin cutting them to make your dumplings. Take one biscuit, cut in half. Then cut each half into three pieces. Use your fingers to flatten the pieces (but not too flat).
Add the biscuits to the Crock-Pot after two and half to three hours of cooking. Stir occasionally. Allow dumplings to cook for at least one hour (we prefer it at one and a half hours).
If you want this to cook all day, adjust your heat and timing appropriately: turn heat to low or medium (6 or 8 hours) and turn to high for your final hour and a half of cooking for the dumplings.
Crock-Pot Bourbon Chicken
What You’ll Need:
3 lbs. chicken breasts or thighs
3 Tbsp cornstarch
¼ cup sliced green onions
For the sauce:
¼ cup soy sauce (don’t use light; it has a different taste)
½ tsp fresh grated ginger
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp crushed red chili flakes
1/3 cup apple juice
1 ½ Tbsp honey
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup ketchup
3 Tbsp cider vinegar
¼ cup water
¼ cup Bourbon
Salt and pepper to taste
What You’ll Do:
Place the chicken breasts or thighs in the slow cooker. Combine the sauce ingredients in a bowl and pour over the chicken. Turn the slow cooker to high for 3 hours, or low for 6–7 hours.
Once cooked, remove and shred the chicken. Create a cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce; whisk in the slurry, then cover and allow the sauce to thicken (about 10 minutes). Stir the chicken back in, along with the green onions. Serve over rice and enjoy!
Cheesy Crock Pot-Chicken and Rice
What You’ll Need:
5 chicken breasts, thinly sliced
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp black pepper
½ tsp paprika
1 medium onion, chopped
1 Tbsp garlic, minced
2 ½ cups white rice, cooked
2 cups chicken stock
10 ½ oz. cream of mushroom soup
10 ½ oz. cream of chicken soup
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
2 cups cheese
Parsley to garnish
What You’ll Do:
Cook the white rice and set aside. Spray the inside of the slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Place chicken on the bottom and season with garlic, salt, pepper, onion powder and paprika. Add onion, garlic, chicken stock, cream of mushroom soup and cream of chicken soup.
Cover and cook on low for 5–6 hours or high for 3–4 hours. Add mushrooms 30 minutes before it is done.
Once the chicken is cooked, add in the cooked rice and cheese. Mix to combine. Cover and let cheese melt. Yum!
Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon
What You’ll Need:
5 slices of bacon, chopped
3 lbs. boneless beef chuck cut to 1 in. cubes
1 cup red cooking wine
2 cups tomato broth
½ cup tomato sauce
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup flour
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 Tbsp thyme, chopped
5 medium carrots, sliced
1 lb. baby potatoes (tri-color makes it colorful)
8 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced
Parsley for garnish
What You’ll Do:
Cook bacon over medium high heat in a skillet until crisp. Add bacon to the crock pot. Salt and pepper the beef and cook in the skillet for 2–4 minutes (until seared). Place the beef in the crock pot. Next, add the red wine to the skillet, scraping down the brown bits on the side. Let the wine simmer and reduce.
Slowly add the chicken broth, tomato sauce, and soy sauce. Whisk in the flour. Add the sauce to the crock pot. Add garlic, thyme, carrots, potatoes and mushrooms.
Stir together and cook until beef is tender for 8–10 hours on low or 6 hours on high. Garnish with fresh parsley (and serve with mashed potatoes if desired). Voila!
Slow Cooker Turkey Chili
What You’ll Need:
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 ½ lb. ground turkey
Salt
Black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 tsp. garlic powder)
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 can chopped tomatoes
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 ½ cups low sodium chicken broth
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano
Shredded cheddar for garnish
Sliced green onions for garnish
What You’ll Do:
In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook until both are softened (about 4 minutes). Add the ground turkey and cook until golden (stir occasionally). Season with salt and pepper, stir in garlic and tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Transfer to slow cooker.
In the crock-pot, add tomatoes, black beans, kidney beans, chicken broth, chili powder, cumin and oregano. Cook on high for 4 hours, until thickened. Check for seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
Garnish with cheese and green onion.
Pro Tip: If you want a thicker chili, take the lid off and leave the heat on high for the final 30 minutes.
Pro Tip #2: Don’t cook the turkey in the skillet until it is cooked through. It could result in a dry chili even with stewing for four hours.
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
What You’ll Need:
4 lb. boneless pork shoulder (or pork butt)
Salt
Pepper
Optional Additional Seasoning:
1 Tbsp. ground coriander
1 Tbsp. ground cumin
1 Tbsp. turmeric
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. onion powder
What You’ll Do:
Season the pork all over with salt, pepper and the additional seasoning listed above (if you prefer). Place in the slow cooker.
Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, until internal temperature reaches 190 degrees. When the pork is done, let cool for 20 minutes before shredding with fork.
Take the leftover liquid from the pot and strain to remove any solids. Add the liquid back to the shredded pork and toss well.
Pro Tip: If you want to avoid adding fat back in with the leftover liquid, toss in your favorite BBQ sauce instead.
Image courtesy of iStock.
