17 Slow Cooker Recipes That Are Set-It-and-Forget-It Gold

Slow cookers are lifesavers when you want a good meal without spending hours in the kitchen. Just toss everything in the pot in the morning, and by dinnertime you’ve got a hot, homemade meal ready to eat. These recipes give you everything from spicy tacos to creamy soups – all easy to make and packed with flavor. Whether you’re feeding your family or just want leftovers for later, these meals won’t disappoint.

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Table of Contents

1 Slow Cooker Guajillo Beef Tacos
2 Slow Cooker Beef Barley Soup
3 Slow Cooker Guajillo Pork Tacos
4 3 Bean Chili {Slow Cooker Recipe}
5 Slow Cooker Chipotle Chili
6 Slow Cooker Pot Roast with Red Wine
7 Slow Cooker BBQ Beef Sliders
8 Pollo Pibil (Yucatan Chicken Tacos)
9 Crockpot Balsamic Chicken
10 Slow Cooker Asian Pulled Pork
11 Slow Cooker Ancho Pork
12 Slow Cooker Ancho Beef Tacos
13 Crockpot Corn Chowder
14 Slow Cooker Beef Birria
15 Slow Cooker Crack Chicken
16 Slow Cooker Chicken Curry
17 Butternut Beef Stew

Slow Cooker Guajillo Beef Tacos

Two corn tortillas topped with shredded beef, chopped onions, and cilantro are served on a decorative oval plate with a brown and black pattern. — Slow Cooker Guajillo Beef Tacos. Photo credit: Mama Maggie’s Kitchen

You and your family will love these Slow Cooker Guajillo Beef Tacos. Soft tender meat loaded with flavor. Dump, set, and serve with some salsa on Taco Tuesday or any night that ends in Y.

Get Recipe: Slow Cooker Guajillo Beef Tacos

Slow Cooker Beef Barley Soup

A bowl of hearty beef barley soup, topped with diced carrots and herbs, is placed on a blue plate with slices of bread on the side. The setup rests on a burlap cloth. A portion of another plate and a pressure cooker are seen partially in the background. — Photo credit: From Valerie’s Kitchen.

Chewy barley and soft beef make this soup filling enough for dinner. It simmers all day until the flavors blend together into something warm and satisfying.
Get Recipe: Slow Cooker Beef Barley Soup

Slow Cooker Guajillo Pork Tacos

Spicy guajillo peppers make this pork extra flavorful as it slow cooks until perfectly shreddable. Pile it into warm tortillas with onions and cilantro for tacos that beat any restaurant version.
Get Recipe: Slow Cooker Guajillo Pork Tacos

3 Bean Chili {Slow Cooker Recipe}

A wooden bowl filled with hearty chili, featuring beans, tomatoes, and green onions for garnish. Fresh green onions are on a cutting board nearby, adding a vibrant touch to the cozy, appetizing scene. — 3 Bean Chili {Slow Cooker Recipe}. Photo credit: Scarlati family kitchen.

Packed with three kinds of beans, this vegetarian chili fills you up without any meat. It’s hearty enough for dinner and tastes even better the next day as leftovers for lunch.
Get Recipe: 3 Bean Chili {Slow Cooker Recipe}

Slow Cooker Chipotle Chili

A bowl of chili topped with sour cream, shredded cheese, and chopped green onions, resting on a patterned cloth. A wooden spoon and scattered green onions are in the background. — Slow Cooker Chipotle Chili. Mama Maggie’s Kitchen

Smoky chipotle peppers give this chili a nice kick that’s not too spicy. Ground beef and beans make it filling, while the slow cooking lets all the flavors come together perfectly.
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Slow Cooker Pot Roast with Red Wine

A plate of pot roast topped with gravy, garnished with chopped parsley. Surrounding the roast are cooked vegetables, including carrots, potatoes, and celery. A sprig of rosemary is placed on the side for decoration. — Slow Cooker Pot Roast with Red Wine. Photo credit: Xoxo bella.

Red wine gives this Pot Roast a rich flavor while the meat cooks until it’s falling apart. Throw in carrots and potatoes to make it a complete meal that’s ready when you are.
Get Recipe: Slow Cooker Pot Roast with Red Wine

Slow Cooker BBQ Beef Sliders

BBQ Beef Sliders sitting on a white plate next to french fries and green lettuce. — Slow Cooker BBQ Beef Sliders. Mama Maggie’s Kitchen

Pulled beef gets super tender in the slow cooker with tangy BBQ sauce, perfect for piling onto small buns. These sliders are great for parties or easy weeknight meals when you want something tasty without much work.
Get Recipe: Slow Cooker BBQ Beef Sliders

Pollo Pibil (Yucatan Chicken Tacos)

Pollo Pibil (Yucatan Style Chicken) tacos on a clay plate topped with Mexican pickled onions. — Pollo Pibil. Photo Credit: Mama Maggie’s KItchen

Orange juice and spices marinate this chicken until it’s fall-apart tender with bright, citrusy flavor. Wrap it in warm tortillas with pickled onions for authentic Yucatan-style tacos at home.
Get the recipe: Pollo Pibil

Crockpot Balsamic Chicken

Three pieces of roasted chicken seasoned with herbs are placed on a white plate. The chicken is garnished with chopped parsley, and the dish appears juicy and tender. — Crockpot Balsamic Chicken. Photo credit: Served from scratch.

Balsamic vinegar makes this chicken tangy and sweet while keeping it juicy. Just a few ingredients turn into a flavorful meal that’s great with pasta or mashed potatoes.
Get Recipe: Crockpot Balsamic Chicken

Slow Cooker Asian Pulled Pork

A close-up of a white plate filled with shredded chicken garnished with sesame seeds and herbs. A metal spoon rests inside the plate, which is set on a light-colored cloth. — Slow Cooker Asian Pulled Pork. Photo credit: Healthy mom, healthy family.

Sweet hoisin sauce and soy sauce give this pork an Asian twist as it cooks until shreddable. Pile it on buns or serve over rice for an easy dinner with big flavor.
Get Recipe: Slow Cooker Asian Pulled Pork

Slow Cooker Ancho Pork

Ancho chiles give this pork a deep, slightly sweet flavor as it cooks until super tender. Shred it for tacos or serve over rice – either way, it’s packed with Mexican-inspired taste.
Get Recipe: Slow Cooker Ancho Pork

Slow Cooker Ancho Beef Tacos

Two tacos filled with Slow cooked ancho shredded beef, garnished with onions and cilantro, are on a plate. Served with a side of Mexican rice. A fork, limes, diced onions, and a small dish are in the background on the table. — Slow Cooker Ancho Beef Tacos. Photo credit: Mama Maggie’s Kitchen

Ancho chiles make this beef filling smoky and slightly sweet, perfect for taco night. The meat gets so tender in the slow cooker, you won’t need knives – just forks to shred it.
Get Recipe: Slow Cooker Ancho Beef Tacos

Crockpot Corn Chowder

A bowl of creamy potato soup topped with crispy bacon, shredded cheddar cheese, and chopped green onions. The bowl rests on a speckled countertop next to a red-striped napkin and fresh parsley. A spoon is placed beside the bowl. — Crockpot Corn Chowder. Photo credit: Lamberts lately.

Creamy Corn Chowder with potatoes and bacon cooks up thick and comforting in the slow cooker. It’s like summer in a bowl but easy enough to make any time you want something warm.
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Slow Cooker Beef Birria

Birria de Res served in a clay bowl and topped with onion and cilantro. — Slow Cooker Birria. Photo by Mama Maggie’s Kitchen.

Rich, spicy broth cooks the beef until it’s melt-in-your-mouth tender in this Birria. Dip tortillas in the flavorful juice before filling them with meat for the ultimate tacos.
Get Recipe: Slow Cooker Beef Birria

Slow Cooker Crack Chicken

Three baked chicken breasts topped with melted cheese, crispy bacon pieces, and sprinkled with chopped parsley on a white oval plate. — Slow Cooker Crack Chicken. Photo credit: The suburban soapbox.

Cream cheese and ranch seasoning make this chicken ridiculously creamy and flavorful. Serve it on buns, over pasta, or with chips for a meal everyone will keep coming back for.
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Slow Cooker Chicken Curry

A bowl of curry, perfect for dump and cook dinners, is paired with rice and colorful vegetables like bell peppers and carrots, garnished with cashews and cilantro. Naan bread sits on the side atop a wooden table. — Slow Cooker Chicken Curry. Photo credit: A Cedar Spoon.

This Chicken Curry cooks up tender in the slow cooker with creamy coconut milk and warm spices. The chicken soaks up all the flavors while it simmers, making it perfect over rice for a dinner that’s both easy and exciting.
Get Recipe: Slow Cooker Chicken Curry

Butternut Beef Stew

A bowl of hearty beef stew with chunks of tender beef, carrots, potatoes, and celery in a rich, savory broth. — Butternut Beef Stew. Photo credit: Graceful dame.

Tender beef and sweet butternut squash cook together in this hearty stew. The squash breaks down to make the broth extra thick and comforting – perfect with crusty bread.
Get Recipe: Butternut Beef Stew