As a busy mom and teacher, my crockpot is one of my best friends in the kitchen. There’s nothing better than tossing dinner in before work and coming home to a house that smells amazing. These are the slow cooker recipes my family asks for again and again, from my grandmother’s ham and string bean soup to our favorite Mississippi chicken thighs and taco night carnitas.

Most of them take just a few minutes of prep and a handful of everyday ingredients, often with a soup or seasoning packet doing a lot of the work. Set it, forget it and get dinner on the table without the stress.

Soups and Stews

PA Dutch Ham and String Bean Soup

pa dutch ham and stringbean soup in a white bowl

My PA Dutch grandmother’s recipe and a regular at our Sunday family dinners. Diced ham, fresh green beans, potatoes, onion and garlic cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4, and it’s a great way to use up leftover holiday ham. It freezes well, too.

Get the PA Dutch ham and string bean soup recipe

Hearty Chicken Stew

hearty chicken stew in a white bowl with potatoes carrots celery onion and thyme in a savory broth

My all-time favorite cozy stew for cool weather. Chicken, potatoes, carrots, celery and green beans simmer low and slow with an onion soup and dip mix packet, which is the secret to all that flavor.

Get the hearty chicken stew recipe

Philly Cheesesteak Onion Soup

philly cheesesteak french onion soup topped with toasted bread and melted cheese

A classic French onion soup meets a Philly cheesesteak, made the easy way. Living right outside of Philly, I’m always craving a cheesesteak, and with this one you just throw everything in the crockpot and walk away.

Get the Philly cheesesteak onion soup recipe

Chicken

Slow Cooker Mississippi Chicken Thighs

slow cooker mississippi chicken thighs with pepperoncini peppers in a gray crockpot

A family favorite with just 4 ingredients and about 5 minutes of prep: chicken thighs, ranch seasoning, onion soup mix and pepperoncini peppers with a little of their juice. Serve them whole or shredded over egg noodles, rice or potatoes.

Get the slow cooker Mississippi chicken thighs recipe

Slow Cooker Chicken Piccata

slow cooked chicken piccata in a gray rectangular crockpot topped with lemon rounds and capers

One of my family’s most requested meals, with no breading needed. Chicken thighs cook with capers, Italian dressing seasoning, white wine or chicken broth and fresh lemon juice, all with about 10 minutes of prep.

Get the slow cooker chicken piccata recipe

Slow Cooker Chicken Marsala

slow cooker chicken marsala chicken thighs in a creamy mushroom marsala sauce

My take on the classic: tender chicken thighs in a creamy mushroom and Marsala wine sauce, made with only 5 ingredients plus an optional splash of cream. I always serve it over loaded mashed cauliflower.

Get the slow cooker chicken Marsala recipe

Beef and Pork

London Broil Pot Roast

London broil pot roast with a garlic onion brown gravy, with potatoes and carrots, and onion in a white bowl with a black fork

Yes, you can make London broil in the crockpot, and it turns into a tender, sliceable pot roast. It cooks with baby Yukon gold potatoes, carrots and a beefy onion soup mix, and a quick cornstarch slurry turns the broth into gravy.

Get the London broil pot roast recipe

Slow Cooker Carnitas with Pineapple Salsa

charred corn tortillas with seasoned pulled pork and pineapple cilantro salsa inside in a gray serving platter

We take taco night very seriously, and these carnitas are at the top of our list. The pork takes less than 5 minutes to prep, gets crisped in a skillet after slow cooking and is topped with a pineapple cilantro salsa I’ve been perfecting for years.

Get the slow cooker carnitas recipe

Crockpot Egg Roll in a Bowl

crockpot egg roll in a bowl served in a white serving bowl next to a square, gray slow cooker topped with crunchy Chinese noodles and fresh green onion.

My kids adore egg rolls, and this gives us all those flavors in a healthier, easier way. Ground beef, cabbage, carrots and bell pepper cook in a simple soy and sesame sauce, and it’s perfect for meal prep.

Get the crockpot egg roll in a bowl recipe

Holiday and Crowd-Pleasers

Crockpot Thanksgiving Turkey

crockpot thanksgiving turkey breast tenderloin sliced and served with gravy, mashed potatoes and corn

My Aunt Annmarie introduced me to this one, and it was a game-changer for small Thanksgiving gatherings. Just 3 ingredients, turkey breast tenderloins, jarred gravy and seasoning, cook on low for 6 to 7 hours and serve 6 to 8 people.

Get the crockpot Thanksgiving turkey recipe

Jalapeño Popper Stuffed Shells

slow cooker jalapeño popper stuffed shells in a cream sauce

Your favorite appetizer in pasta form. Jumbo shells are stuffed with rotisserie chicken, bacon and cheddar, then slow cooked in a pepper jack jalapeño cream sauce. It’s a great busy weeknight dinner and a crowd pleaser for entertaining.

Get the jalapeño popper stuffed shells recipe

Tips for Easy Slow Cooker Meals

Keep seasoning packets on hand. Onion soup and dip mix, ranch and Italian dressing packets give a ton of flavor with almost no measuring, and they show up in a lot of my crockpot recipes.

Use chicken thighs. They stay juicy and tender through a long cook, which is why I reach for them in most of my crockpot chicken recipes.

Cook once, eat all week. We like to make carnitas or shredded chicken on a Sunday, then use it for quick meals like tacos, salads and bowls throughout the week.