Crockpots were made for practical meals that don’t drain your time or your wallet. These recipes are built around simple ingredients and low effort, but still come out tasting like something you actually want to eat. They’re great for busy nights, slow weekends, and anyone trying to stretch a grocery trip just a little further. Each one is easy to prep and doesn’t leave you with a pile of dishes.
Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken
This recipe nails that takeout-style flavor without the price tag. Chicken simmers in a sticky honey garlic sauce with pineapple until it’s fall-apart tender. It’s one of those meals you keep coming back to because it’s simple, budget-friendly, and hits every time.
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Pulled Pork Sliders
Slow-cooked pulled pork piled on soft Hawaiian rolls with slaw is an easy win for parties, game day, or a casual dinner. You can feed a crowd without spending a ton, and it’s one of those no-fail meals that’s always worth repeating.
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Slow Cooker Shredded Mexican Beef Bowls
This shredded beef cooks low and slow until it’s perfect for loading into bowls with rice, beans, plantains, and peppers. It stretches across multiple meals, making it a smart option when you’re cooking on a budget but don’t want to eat the same thing every day.
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Slow Cooker Tri Tip
A few fresh herbs and pantry staples are all you need to turn a tri-tip roast into something worth putting on repeat. It’s tender, flavorful, and feeds the whole table without a ton of work—or money. Perfect for weekends or when you want leftovers to actually be good.
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Slow Cooker Balsamic Pulled Pork
This pork cooks down in a slightly sweet balsamic sauce that’s great over polenta or tucked into sandwiches. It’s rich, simple, and exactly the kind of affordable comfort food you’ll keep making over and over.
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Slow Cooker Short Rib Ragu
Short ribs break down into a hearty sauce that clings to pasta or mashed potatoes. It’s got that slow-cooked depth without a bunch of prep. This one’s great for cooler nights and feels a lot fancier than it is.
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Slow Cooker Summer Beef Stew
This one skips the heavy winter ingredients and keeps things lighter with seasonal vegetables. It’s perfect for when you still want stew but don’t want to heat up the kitchen or spend a fortune on ingredients.
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Slow Cooker Peach Pulled Chicken
Chicken cooks down in BBQ sauce with peaches for a sweet and tangy combo that works on sandwiches, rice, or salad. It’s low effort, easy on the wallet, and a great way to switch things up without doing much.
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Easy Crockpot Chicken Fajitas
Peppers, onions, and chicken simmer together until everything’s juicy and packed with flavor. Throw it in tortillas, rice bowls, or salads. This one’s perfect for weeknights when you need dinner to be cheap and reliable.
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Crockpot Chicken Spaghetti
Chicken spaghetti with Rotel comes out creamy, cheesy, and way better than you’d expect for a crockpot meal. It’s the kind of comfort food that uses simple ingredients but always hits the spot.
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Slow Cooker Meatball and Potato Soup
This soup keeps things hearty with potatoes, meatballs, and vegetables in a light broth. It’s budget-friendly, filling, and comes together without much work, making it a solid dinner on rotation.
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Slow Cooker Italian Stuffed Peppers
These peppers come out tender without falling apart, and the filling is classic, easy, and hits all the right notes. They’re cheap to make and somehow even better the next day.
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Slow Cooker Poor Man’s Stew
Ground beef, potatoes, and vegetables simmer together in a rich tomato base. It’s the kind of budget meal that doesn’t feel like one—and it keeps getting better the longer it cooks.
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Slow Cooker Chicken Pot Pie
All the flavors of chicken pot pie without the hassle. It’s thick, creamy, and packed with veggies. This one’s perfect for busy nights when you want something comforting but don’t want to stand over the stove.
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Slow Cooker Ham, Green Beans and Potatoes
Ham, green beans, and potatoes cook together into a simple but hearty meal that stretches well for leftovers. Great way to use up extra ham without spending more on groceries.
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Delicious Slow Cooker Lemonade Chicken
Lemonade concentrate gives this chicken a tangy, sweet flavor that works great with rice or vegetables. It’s a budget dinner that’s just different enough to keep it interesting without complicating your night.
Get the Recipe: Delicious Slow Cooker Lemonade Chicken
Super Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Layered like a lasagna, this chicken enchilada casserole comes out melty, saucy, and loaded with flavor. It’s cheap, hands-off, and always gets cleaned out—definitely one worth repeating.
Get the Recipe: Super Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Gina Matsoukas is an AP syndicated writer. She is the founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.