23 Slow Cooker Recipes to Have Dinner Waiting When You Get Home After Dark

Getting home after dark feels a little easier when dinner has been cooking for hours without needing you nearby. These 23 slow cooker recipes cover chicken, beef, pork, soup, meatballs, ribs, mac and cheese, chili, and casseroles, with cook times that fit everything from a shorter afternoon to a full workday. Several make six or more servings, which can help with leftovers or a second meal. Set one up earlier in the day and let the slow cooker handle the long stretch before dinner.

Crock Pot Mississippi Chicken

Pepperoncini and buttery seasoning give Crock Pot Mississippi Chicken a tangy four-serving dinner in 4 hours 5 minutes. Chicken breasts cook with au jus mix, ranch seasoning, pepperoncini juice, whole pepperoncini peppers, and butter until tender enough to pull apart easily. The ingredient list stays short, so setup takes only a few minutes. Serve the chicken with mashed potatoes, rice, noodles, or rolls to catch the seasoned juices from the slow cooker.
Get the Recipe: Crock Pot Mississippi Chicken

Slow Cooker Beef Stew

Chunky vegetables and tender beef make Slow Cooker Beef Stew an eight-serving dinner after 8 hours 10 minutes. Chuck roast cooks with onion, carrots, potatoes, beef broth, tomato paste, red wine, bay leaves, Worcestershire sauce, and thyme until the meat softens and the broth develops more body. The long cook fits a full day away from the kitchen. Ladle it into bowls when you get home and add bread if you want something alongside.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Beef Stew

Pulled Pork Sliders

Soft slider buns piled with saucy pork make Pulled Pork Sliders a 16-serving dinner or party tray in 6 hours 15 minutes. Pork shoulder slow cooks with barbecue sauce, beer, ketchup, brown sugar, and cumin before being shredded. A quick slaw made with mayonnaise and apple cider vinegar adds crunch on top. Finish with cilantro if you like, then let everyone build their own sliders once the pork is tender.
Get the Recipe: Pulled Pork Sliders

Slow Cooker Mac n Cheese

Velvety cheese sauce around tender pasta makes Slow Cooker Mac n Cheese an eight-serving dinner or side in 3 hours 10 minutes. Uncooked macaroni goes into the slow cooker with Cheddar, mozzarella, whole milk, evaporated milk, butter, paprika, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper. The pasta cooks directly in the creamy mixture, so there is no separate pot to boil. Stir before serving so the melted cheese coats the macaroni evenly.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Mac n Cheese

Crockpot Marry Me Chicken

Sun-dried tomatoes in a creamy Parmesan sauce make Crockpot Marry Me Chicken a three-serving dinner in 4 hours 5 minutes. Chicken breasts are briefly seared, then slow cook with chicken broth, heavy cream, Parmesan, garlic, red pepper flakes, and sun-dried tomatoes. Fresh basil can finish the dish at serving time. Spoon the sauce over pasta, rice, potatoes, or vegetables once the chicken is tender and fully cooked.
Get the Recipe: Crockpot Marry Me Chicken

Slow Cooker Italian Wedding Soup

Brothy soup with meatballs and small pasta makes Slow Cooker Italian Wedding Soup a six-serving dinner in 5 hours 10 minutes. Frozen beef or turkey meatballs cook with chicken broth, carrots, celery, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder before small pasta and fresh spinach go in later. Adding the pasta near the end keeps it from getting too soft. Ladle the soup into bowls once the pasta is tender and the spinach has wilted.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Italian Wedding Soup

Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs

Rich sauce with sun-dried tomatoes gives Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs a six-serving dinner in 4 hours 15 minutes. Bone-in chicken thighs cook with Italian seasoning, onion, garlic, chicken broth, and sun-dried tomatoes before spinach, heavy cream, and Parmesan finish the sauce. The chicken stays in the slow cooker for most of the afternoon with very little checking. Serve it over rice, pasta, or mashed potatoes so the creamy sauce has somewhere to go.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs

Slow Cooker Nacho Meatballs

Cheesy sauce around tender meatballs makes Slow Cooker Nacho Meatballs a six-serving dinner or snack-style meal in 4 hours 5 minutes. Frozen homestyle meatballs cook with Rotel tomatoes and green chiles, Velveeta, taco seasoning, and heavy cream until the sauce turns smooth. Sliced scallions can go over the top before serving. Bring out tortilla chips, rice, or warm rolls depending on whether you want a snacky plate or fuller dinner.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Nacho Meatballs

Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff

Soft beef and mushrooms in a creamy sauce make Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff a six-serving dinner in 6 hours 10 minutes. Stewing beef or chuck roast cooks with onion, mushrooms, cream of mushroom soup, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder before sour cream is stirred in. Egg noodles are prepared near serving time. Spoon the beef and sauce over the noodles once you get home so they do not sit in the cooker all day.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff

Slow Cooker Ranch Chicken

Chicken, potatoes, and carrots cook together in Slow Cooker Ranch Chicken, a six-serving dinner with an 8-hour-5-minute total time. Chicken breasts share the slow cooker with baby potatoes, baby carrots, ranch dressing mix, cream of chicken soup, and heavy cream. The vegetables cook alongside the main protein, so fewer separate sides are needed. Spoon the creamy sauce over each serving when dinner time arrives and everything is tender.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Ranch Chicken

Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin

Sweet and savory sauce gives Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin a six-serving dinner in 4 hours 15 minutes. Pork tenderloin cooks with garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, apple cider vinegar, honey, soy sauce, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, fresh garlic, ginger, and optional red pepper flakes. The long cook does most of the work before dinner time. Slice the pork across the grain and spoon the cooking liquid over the top before serving.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin

Slow Cooker Cowboy Casserole

Crispy-edged tater tots over creamy beef make Slow Cooker Cowboy Casserole a six-serving dinner in 5 hours 10 minutes. Ground beef is browned first, then slow cooks with corn, cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, Cheddar, onion, garlic powder, and frozen tater tots. The casserole stays contained in one cooker after the beef is prepared. Scoop it into bowls or plates once the tots are hot and the cheese has melted through the filling.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Cowboy Casserole

Slow Cooker Pot Roast

Fork-tender beef and soft vegetables give Slow Cooker Pot Roast plenty of substance for eight servings after 5 hours 10 minutes. Chuck roast cooks with onion, carrots, garlic, tomato paste, beef stock, red wine, potatoes, mushrooms, thyme, rosemary, and parsley. Most of the cook time is hands-off once everything reaches the slow cooker. Serve the beef with the vegetables and spoon some of the cooking liquid over each plate.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Pot Roast

Slow Cooker Chicken Breast

Marsala mushroom sauce gives Slow Cooker Chicken Breast a four-serving dinner in 2 hours 40 minutes. Sliced chicken breasts are seared with paprika and garlic powder before slow cooking with fresh garlic, Marsala wine, chicken broth, and mushrooms. A cornstarch slurry thickens the liquid before heavy cream is stirred in. Finish with parsley or thyme, then serve the chicken and sauce over rice, noodles, or mashed potatoes.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Chicken Breast

Slow Cooker Mississippi Pork Roast

Pepperoncini and ranch seasoning give Slow Cooker Mississippi Pork Roast an eight-serving dinner after 8 hours 5 minutes. Pork shoulder cooks with ranch seasoning, au jus gravy mix, butter, pepperoncini peppers, pepperoncini brine, and water or broth until tender enough to shred. The full-day cook makes it useful when dinner needs to wait for you. Pull the pork apart before serving and spoon some of the cooking liquid over each portion.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Mississippi Pork Roast

Slow Cooker Ribs

Sticky barbecue sauce over tender ribs makes Slow Cooker Ribs a four-serving dinner in 4 hours 20 minutes. Baby back ribs are seasoned with brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper before slow cooking with barbecue sauce. The spice rub builds flavor without a long prep list. Serve the ribs with slaw, potatoes, corn, or another simple side once the meat is tender and coated in sauce.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Ribs

Slow Cooker Taco Meatloaf

Taco seasoning and crunchy chips give Slow Cooker Taco Meatloaf a six-serving twist on meatloaf in 6 hours 10 minutes. Ground beef is mixed with onion, green chiles, taco seasoning, crushed nacho cheese chips, Monterey Jack, eggs, and milk before cooking low and slow. Taco sauce and Colby Jack finish the top near the end. Slice the meatloaf once it has rested briefly, then add salsa or sour cream if you like.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Taco Meatloaf

Slow Cooker Potato Soup

Thick potato soup with bacon and cheese makes Slow Cooker Potato Soup a six-serving dinner in 3 hours 10 minutes. Potatoes cook with chicken broth, bacon, onion, and garlic before a butter-and-flour mixture, whole milk, Cheddar, and sour cream finish the pot. Green onions can go over each bowl at serving time. Keep bread or crackers nearby for a simple dinner that can be ladled out as soon as you walk in.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Potato Soup

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

Shredded pork with a sweet-savory sauce makes Slow Cooker Pulled Pork a 12-serving dinner in 6 hours 10 minutes. Pork loin cooks with olive oil, brown sugar, mustard, soy sauce, bay leaves, dark beer, salt, and pepper until it pulls apart with forks. The recipe lets the shredded meat cook uncovered briefly so the sauce can thicken. Pile it onto buns, tortillas, rice, or nachos once you are ready to eat.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak Meatballs

Brown gravy around tender meatballs makes Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak Meatballs a six-serving dinner in 6 hours 5 minutes. Frozen meatballs cook with beef broth, brown gravy mix, onion soup mix, ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce until the flavors come together. A cornstarch slurry thickens the sauce near serving time. Spoon the meatballs over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or rice when you get home and want dinner ready without another main dish.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak Meatballs

Slow Cooker Pork Chops

Garlic Parmesan sauce makes Slow Cooker Pork Chops a four-serving dinner in 4 hours 5 minutes. Boneless pork chops cook in a mixture of heavy cream, grated Parmesan, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning until tender and fully cooked. The sauce stays with the meat through the entire cook, so there is no separate pan to finish later. Spoon plenty of sauce over the chops and add parsley before serving if you have it.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Pork Chops

Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili

White beans and green chiles give Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili a six-serving dinner in 4 hours 25 minutes. Chicken breasts or thighs cook with beans, corn, onion, chicken broth, garlic powder, cumin, and oregano before cream cheese and heavy cream or milk make the pot richer. Shred the chicken near the end and stir it back through. Add lime, cilantro, avocado, or extra cheese at the table if those are already on hand.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili

Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas

Citrus and warm spices give Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas an eight-serving dinner in 5 hours 25 minutes. Pork shoulder cooks with cumin, oregano, chili powder, red pepper flakes, onion, garlic, orange juice, lime juice, and chicken broth until tender enough to shred. A quick sear before slow cooking adds browning to the meat. Serve the pork with tortillas, red onion, avocado, or rice and let everyone build their own plate.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas