23 Slow Cooker Recipes That Handle Dinner While You Run Weekend Errands

Weekend errands have a way of stretching well past the time you thought you would be home. These 23 slow cooker recipes keep dinner moving in the background with roasts, chicken, pork, meatballs, chili, soup, and a few creamy casseroles that need very little hands-on work once the lid goes on. Some cook for most of the day, while others finish in three to five hours for shorter runs around town. Start one before heading out, then come back to a meal that is already well on its way to the table.

Mississippi Pot Roast

Fall-apart beef and tangy pepperoncini give Mississippi Pot Roast plenty of flavor after a long stretch in the slow cooker. Chuck roast cooks with ranch seasoning, au jus gravy mix, pepperoncini juice, peppers, and butter until tender enough to shred. The recipe serves eight and takes 10 hours 10 minutes. Spoon the beef and juices over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or rice when you get home and want dinner to need almost nothing else.
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Slow Cooker Mac n Cheese

Creamy cheese sauce clinging to tender noodles makes Slow Cooker Mac n Cheese an easy side or main dish when the oven is already spoken for. Uncooked macaroni cooks with cheddar, mozzarella, whole milk, evaporated milk, butter, paprika, and optional Dijon mustard. The recipe serves eight and takes 3 hours 10 minutes. Stir it a couple of times as it cooks, then switch the cooker to warm once the pasta is smooth and creamy.
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Crockpot Marry Me Chicken

Rich Parmesan sauce with sun-dried tomatoes gives Crockpot Marry Me Chicken a fuller finish than a plain slow-cooked chicken dinner. Boneless chicken breasts simmer with broth, heavy cream, garlic, Parmesan, red pepper flakes, and sun-dried tomatoes. The recipe serves three and takes 4 hours 5 minutes. Add basil at the end, then serve the chicken with pasta, rice, potatoes, or vegetables so the creamy sauce has somewhere to go.
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Pulled Pork Sliders

Shredded pork piled into small buns makes Pulled Pork Sliders easy to serve when everyone gets home at slightly different times. Pork shoulder cooks with barbecue sauce, beer, ketchup, and brown sugar before being pulled apart and layered with coleslaw, cilantro, and a tangy mayonnaise sauce. The recipe serves 16 and takes 6 hours 15 minutes. Keep the buns and slaw separate until serving so each slider stays soft without turning soggy.
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Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili

Thick, creamy broth around chicken and beans makes Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili substantial enough for a full bowl after a busy afternoon. Chicken breasts or thighs cook with white beans, corn, green chiles, onion, broth, cumin, and oregano before cream cheese and cream are added. The recipe serves six and takes 4 hours 25 minutes. Shred the chicken into the pot, stir everything together, and add whatever chili toppings are already in the fridge.
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Slow Cooker Nacho Meatballs

Cheesy sauce wrapped around tender meatballs gives Slow Cooker Nacho Meatballs the feel of a snack-table dish that can also carry a casual dinner. Frozen meatballs cook with Rotel tomatoes, Velveeta, taco seasoning, and heavy cream until coated in a smooth sauce. The recipe serves six and takes 4 hours 5 minutes. Spoon them over rice, tuck them into rolls, or set out toothpicks if everyone is eating in stages between weekend plans.
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Slow Cooker Ranch Chicken

Creamy ranch sauce over chicken, potatoes, and carrots turns Slow Cooker Ranch Chicken into a full meal in one pot. Chicken breasts sit over baby potatoes and carrots, then cook under ranch seasoning, cream of chicken soup, and heavy cream. The recipe serves six and takes 8 hours 5 minutes. Because the vegetables cook right alongside the chicken, there is no need to make a separate starch or side dish when you walk back through the door.
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Slow Cooker Taco Meatloaf

Cheesy taco flavors tucked into a sliceable loaf make Slow Cooker Taco Meatloaf a different way to use ground beef on a busy weekend. The mixture combines beef, onion, green chiles, taco seasoning, crushed nacho cheese chips, Monterey Jack, eggs, milk, and taco sauce before cooking slowly. The recipe serves six and takes 6 hours 10 minutes. Finish with Colby Jack, then add avocado, tomatoes, sour cream, or scallions at the table.
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Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff

Tender beef in a creamy mushroom sauce makes Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff easy to finish once the main cooking is already done. Stewing beef or chuck roast simmers with onion, mushrooms, cream of mushroom soup, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, and seasonings before sour cream is stirred in. The recipe serves six and takes 6 hours 10 minutes. Cook the egg noodles separately near dinnertime, then spoon the beef and sauce over each bowl.
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Slow Cooker Rump Roast

Fork-tender beef surrounded by potatoes and carrots gives Slow Cooker Rump Roast the structure of a traditional roast dinner without keeping anyone near the stove. Rump roast cooks with beef broth, onion, baby potatoes, carrots, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper. The recipe serves six and takes 5 hours 5 minutes. Slice the beef after cooking and ladle some broth over the vegetables, keeping the final steps simple when the day has already been full.
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Crock Pot Mississippi Chicken

Pepperoncini tang and buttery juices keep Crock Pot Mississippi Chicken from tasting like another plain batch of slow-cooked chicken. Boneless chicken breasts cook with au jus mix, ranch seasoning, pepperoncini juice, chopped pepperoncini, and butter. The recipe serves four and takes 4 hours 5 minutes. Shred or slice the chicken before serving, then spoon it onto rice, mashed potatoes, buns, or noodles so the seasoned cooking liquid does not go to waste.
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Slow Cooker Italian Wedding Soup

Small meatballs floating with pasta and vegetables make Slow Cooker Italian Wedding Soup a lighter dinner that still has enough going on for a full bowl. Frozen meatballs cook with chicken broth, carrots, celery, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder before small pasta and spinach go in near the end. The recipe serves six and takes 5 hours 10 minutes. Add grated Parmesan or crusty bread at the table if you want something extra alongside the broth.
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Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak Meatballs

Brown gravy surrounding tender meatballs gives Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak Meatballs the familiar flavor of Salisbury steak without shaping individual patties. Frozen meatballs simmer with beef broth, brown gravy mix, onion soup mix, ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce, then a cornstarch slurry thickens the sauce. The recipe serves six and takes 6 hours 5 minutes. Spoon the meatballs over mashed potatoes or egg noodles so the gravy becomes part of the whole plate.
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Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas

Citrus, cumin, and oregano work their way into Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas while the pork shoulder cooks until it pulls apart easily. Onion, garlic, orange juice, lime juice, chicken broth, chili powder, and red pepper flakes round out the seasoning. The recipe serves eight and takes 5 hours 25 minutes, including optional broiling for crisp edges. Pile the pork into tortillas or bowls, then add red onion, avocado, cilantro, and some of the cooking juices.
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Slow Cooker Beef Stew

Chunks of beef and vegetables slowly soften into Slow Cooker Beef Stew, giving the broth time to pick up flavor while the cooker does the work. Chuck roast cooks with onion, carrots, potatoes, beef broth, tomato paste, red wine, bay leaves, Worcestershire sauce, and thyme. The recipe serves eight and takes 8 hours 10 minutes. Remove the bay leaves at the end and serve the stew with bread or mashed potatoes if the broth needs something to soak into.
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Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs

Sun-dried tomatoes and spinach give Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs plenty of color inside a creamy garlic sauce. Bone-in chicken thighs cook with Italian seasoning, onion, garlic, chicken broth, heavy cream, and sun-dried tomatoes, with spinach added to the dish and Parmesan used for serving. The recipe serves six and takes 4 hours 15 minutes. Spoon the sauce over rice, pasta, or potatoes so the vegetables and chicken can stay together in each serving.
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Slow Cooker Pot Roast

Roast beef, potatoes, carrots, and mushrooms make Slow Cooker Pot Roast a one-pot dinner with the main course and sides already covered. Chuck roast cooks with onion, garlic, tomato paste, beef stock, red wine, thyme, rosemary, and parsley until tender. The recipe serves eight and takes 5 hours 10 minutes. Slice or pull the beef apart, then spoon the vegetables and cooking liquid around it instead of adding another round of side dishes.
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Slow Cooker Pork Chops

Silky Parmesan sauce keeps Slow Cooker Pork Chops rich and tender with only a short list of ingredients. Boneless chops cook with heavy cream, grated Parmesan, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper for a simple main dish. The recipe serves four and takes 4 hours 5 minutes. Add pasta, rice, mashed potatoes, or a green vegetable at serving time, depending on what is easiest to pull together after errands are finished.
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Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

Sweet, savory cooking liquid turns Slow Cooker Pulled Pork into tender meat that can stretch across sandwiches, bowls, or a simple plate. Pork loin cooks with brown sugar, mustard, soy sauce, bay leaves, olive oil, and a can of dark beer. The recipe serves 12 and takes 6 hours 10 minutes. Shred the pork directly into the cooking juices, then keep it warm in the cooker until everyone is home and ready to eat.
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Slow Cooker Cowboy Casserole

Tater tots over a creamy beef filling make Slow Cooker Cowboy Casserole a substantial one-pot dinner with plenty of familiar textures. Browned ground beef is combined with corn, cream of mushroom or chicken soup, sour cream, cheddar, onion, garlic powder, and frozen tater tots. The recipe serves six and takes 5 hours 10 minutes. Scoop it into bowls straight from the cooker, then add a green salad only if you want something fresh on the side.
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Slow Cooker Potato Soup

Thick potato soup with bacon and cheddar makes Slow Cooker Potato Soup a practical choice when the day calls for something spoonable at the end. Potatoes cook with chicken broth, bacon, onion, and garlic before butter, flour, milk, cheddar, and sour cream build the creamy finish. The recipe serves six and takes 3 hours 10 minutes. Top each bowl with green onions, extra cheese, or more bacon, then add bread if anyone wants a larger meal.
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Slow Cooker Ribs

Low heat softens Slow Cooker Ribs before a short broil adds color and a stickier finish to the outside. Baby back ribs are seasoned with brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper, then cook with barbecue sauce. The recipe serves four and takes 4 hours 20 minutes including broiling. Cut the rack into portions before serving and add slaw, corn, potatoes, or whatever side is easiest to finish quickly.
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Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin

Sweet-tangy sauce gives Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin plenty of flavor while the meat cooks mostly unattended. Pork tenderloins are seasoned with smoked paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder, then slow-cooked with apple cider vinegar, honey, soy sauce, Dijon, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes. The recipe serves six and takes 4 hours 15 minutes. Slice the pork, thicken the cooking liquid with the flour mixture, and spoon the sauce over each portion.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin