Between school, work, and after-school commitments, finding time to make a healthy dinner can be a challenge. If you’re like me, there are days where you feel like you are running from work to school, to practice, and back all before dinner. On days like that, having some go-to slow cooker recipes becomes a saving grace. So today I’m sharing five go-to slow cooker recipes your family will love.
My slow cooker sat in the cupboard for years without use until one day I saw a recipe online and thought I’d give it a try. Honestly, it changed my life. On the days I know will be chaotic, I simply toss everything into the slow cooker before the day begins (or between meetings if I’m WFH), and forget about it. By the time we’re home, dinner is ready. All we need to do is set the table (or island), pull together a salad, and we’re ready to go.
What is your go-to family dinner when you don’t have time?
What’s for Dinner: Slow Cooker Meals
Pork Tenderloin with Berries
Image: Wonky Wonderful
Pork tenderloin is one of the easiest cuts of meat to use in your slow cooker. It retains moisture well and can be used for everything from dinner to lunch, or even breakfast. The biggest thing to remember with pork is to cook it on low. Pork Tenderloin with Berries is incredibly good and can be served over rice, with potatoes, to top a salad, or even in a tortilla. If you don’t have boysenberries, feel free to use whatever you have (or are in season), oranges, or pomegranates.
Chicken Cacciatore
Image: Skinnytaste
Like pork, chicken is super easy to use in the slow cooker. I tend to use breasts instead of thighs in recipes as they have less fat. We love Italian food so this Chicken Cacciatore recipe is in frequent rotation. If you have time, you can brown the breasts before adding them to the slow cooker but honestly, I rarely do this and it is fantastic. So do whatever you have time to do.
Chili
When the weather starts to turn and the days are shorter, there is nothing better than chili to warm your soul. This recipe uses ground beef but you could replace that with ground chicken, turkey, or even Beyond Beff crumbles. You will need to brown the beef before adding it to the slow cooker but that can be done the night before or quickly the morning of. I add kidney and black beans to this recipe (one drained can of each). And because this cooks all day, the flavors come together and are incredible.
Pork Carnitas
Image: Chef Savvy
Upgrade your tact Tuesday dinner by slow-cooking pork carnitas. This recipe takes a bit longer as you need to brown the pork before it goes into the slow cooker. Remember, you can do this the night before if easier and then just store it in the refrigerator overnight and add it to the slow cooker in the morning. Additionally, this recipe recommends that you place the cooked carnitas in a pan and place it under the broiler at the end to get them crispy. If you have time, this is great. If not, I would skip this step.
Buffalo Ranch Chicken Sliders
Image: Half Scratched
Cooking for a crowd? This is your recipe. Buffalo Ranch Chicken Sliders would be great for a tailgate party or when watching the big game on TV. With only four ingredients, you can easily double (or triple) the recipe as needed. Serve them on slider rolls with some cabbage and pickles on the side and you are ready to go. Yum!