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    Home » Recipes » Dinners

    25 Easy Crockpot Meals for Busy Nights

    Published: Oct 1, 2018 · Modified: Apr 12, 2025 by Candi Elm · This post may contain affiliate links

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    25 Easy Crockpot Meals for busy nights when you want a hot home-cooked meal and you are short on time in the evening.

    Have you ever had one of those days when you didn’t realize until you got home that you forgot to take something out for dinner? It happens to the best of us!

    We have the greatest plans for making a fabulous meal for our family only to realize at dinner time we are less than prepared to do so. This is why on busy nights, I make sure that I have dinner cooking in my crockpot before I leave for my busy day.

    Here are 25 easy crockpot meals for those busy nights so you don’t even have to think about what’s for dinner when dinnertime rolls around. If you like to make Crockpot meals that have 5 ingredients or less, try these. 

    Easy Crockpot Meals and Recipes

    Lasagna

    I love this easy crockpot lasagna recipe because it is easy to prepare + you do NOT have to cook the noodles….and it tastes great! 5 Ingredients or less.

    Chicken and Dumplings

    Love comfort foods? This Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings recipe is packed full of veggies and is a cinch to make!

    Baked Potatoes

    Here is a simple method for crockpot baked potatoes.

    Spaghetti and Meatballs

    It just does not get any easier than this. This is a meal that you can put the meat in the crockpot while it is still frozen and everything turns out perfect. It does cook quickly, so if you’re putting it in the crockpot before you leave for work you will want to use the low setting.

    Macaroni and Cheese

    This Spicy Crock Pot Macaroni and Cheese is a no-boil macaroni and cheese recipe that takes it to the next level with the addition of diced tomatoes and green chiles!

    Creamy Mexican Salsa Chicken

    3 Minute prep Mexican Chicken with 6 Ingredients

    Coconut Curry Beef Stew

    Check out this new twist on an old favorite…CrockPot Coconut Curry Beef Stew. All the things you love but kicked up a notch with the addition of curry and coconut milk. I promise you will love it! Yum.

    Tortellini Soup

    This tortellini soup recipe is so easy. It cooks in the crockpot. This soup can even be made ahead as a freezer meal. It is hearty enough for a complete dinner.

    Grape Jelly Meatballs

    To make these grape jelly meatballs, you’ll need 3 things – a bag of meatballs, 1 jar of BBQ sauce, and one jar of grape jelly. Under 5 Ingredients.

    Orange Chicken

    Here is an easy crockpot orange chicken recipe to make that cook on its own in your crockpot. Healthy and easy to make, even my kids love this one!

    BBQ Chicken

    This Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken recipe is incredibly easy to put together.  It has only 3 ingredients and is always a hit.  My family can’t get enough of it.

    BBQ Brisket

    Remember, anything that can be cooked in the oven can be cooked in your slow cooker. It is so easy and requires no attention.

    Chicken Marsala

    Typically, Chicken Marsala is made in a pan where you have to stand and flip and reduce the sauce. Way too much work for this busy working mom! I figured out a way to make Slow Cooked Chicken Marsala without losing the authenticity of the dish. All you need is a crockpot and these fantastic ingredients.

    Tuscan Soup

    Slow Cooker Tuscan Soup is a delicious and hearty homemade meal that is so simple to make in your Crockpot!

    Broccoli and Beef

    Don’t waste money on Chinese when you can make your own Broccoli and Beef in your slow cooker at home!

    Potato Chowder

    To make our mornings easier, we prepare our potato chowder the night before we want to eat it. We do all of the dicing, chopping, and mixing, and then put the mixture into the removable crock for our largest CrockPot.

    More Related Recipes

    • 23 Easy Fall Crockpot Recipes
    • Crockpot Bacon Ranch Chicken (5 Ingredients)
    • Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese
    • 21 Easy Low-Carb Crockpot Meals

    More Crockpot Dinners

    Chicken and Rice

    5 Ingredients or Less, start with 2 cans of soup.

    Chicken Noodle Soup

    There’s nothing better than a bowl of homemade chicken noodle soup on a cold day! Throw a few ingredients into your crockpot and then snuggle up with your kiddos while dinner cooks all day.

    Chicken Parmesan Pasta

    This Crockpot Chicken Parmesan Pasta is not only easy but so very good!

    Chili

    This easy-ingredient crockpot chili recipe is the easiest you will ever make. Just dump everything into your slow cooker in the morning and enjoy it for dinner! You can spice it up if you like or leave it as is. Serve it inside baked potatoes or on top of rice for the perfect hearty dinner.

    Tender Pot Roast

    Here is the most tender slow cooker pot roast you will ever eat.

    Italian Chicken

    This creamy, dreamy Italian crockpot chicken is impressively easy!

    Chicken Chili

    This crockpot chicken chili recipe is one of my favorites as you probably already have most of the canned foods in your pantry needed. This recipe is also very versatile you can add or get rid of any ingredients to make it more delicious.

    FAQ for Using Your Crockpot

    Use the best size for your recipe – Usually 6-7 quarts

    Don’t open your crockpot while cooking, it lets out steam and moisture and adds time to the cooking

    Don’t overfill your crockpot

    For the best taste, brown your red meats first on the stove.

    Let foods cool down before you place them in the refrigerator. (Avoid the danger zone) You can do this by placing Tupperware on a bowl of ice.

    Add milk and dairy toward the end of the cooking time.

    Tips directly from Crock-Pot

    KITCHEN TOOLS, UTENSILS, AND APPLIANCES NEEDED

    Here are some of my favorite kitchen tools to use with my Crockpot

    Slow Cooker Liners  Makes Clean up a Breeze

    Crockpot Travel Carrier Take your favorite crockpot with you and keep it safe from spills.

    Shredding Claws Makes pulled pork and pulled chicken easier to shred without burning your hands.

    Bowls for Storage Makes leftovers and clean-up easier.

    Baggy Rack  Bag openers to hold bags open as you pour in ingredients.

    More Dinners

    • Easy Keto Crack Chicken Recipe: Instant Pot
    • Bowl of Chili with Napkin and limes
      Keto Chili in the Instant Pot
    • Easy New York Steak On Indoor Grill
    • Easy Family Approved Crockpot Recipes (Mostly) 5 Ingredients or Less
      Family Crockpot Meals

    Dinners, Fall Recipes, Recipes

    About Candi Elm

    Candi Elm is the recipe developer and food photographer at A Day In Candiland where she has been sharing Encouragement, Recipes, and Afternoon Tea Ideas since 2012. Candi currently lives in Southern California with her family and enjoying life to the fullest.

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    I’m Candi, a recipe and all things Tea blogger. I create family-friendly recipes along with sharing encouragement in your daily life.

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