May gets loud with the end of the school year. Between sports, concerts, class parties, and the stack of permission slips you forgot to sign, dinner needs to figure itself out. That’s where these crockpot meals come in. They’re easy to prep, low on effort, and keep things moving without blowing up your kitchen. A few ingredients, a slow cooker, and you’re out the door again. These meals won’t solve the chaos, but they will feed everyone while you deal with it.

A white plate holds sausage slices in a rich tomato-based sauce, garnished with herbs, beside sliced bread. A red bell pepper and a glass of water are in the background, along with a pepper grinder.
Photo Credit: xoxoBella.
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Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken

Honey garlic chicken in a bowl served over rice.
Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken. Photo credit: Running to the Kitchen.

This sticky, sweet slow cooker honey garlic chicken makes a great weeknight dinner when everything else is chaos. With pineapple in the mix and no stovetop time required, it’s perfect for end-of-school-year evenings that need to stay low effort but still deliver a solid meal.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken

Pulled Pork Sliders

Three pulled pork sliders topped with coleslaw on a white serving plate, with another plate of sliders blurred in the background. Each slider is held together with a bamboo skewer.
Pulled Pork Sliders. Photo credit: Running to the Kitchen.

These pulled pork sliders are packed with BBQ flavor and made for busy nights. Let the pork slow cook all day, then pile it onto soft rolls and top with quick coleslaw. It’s a great hands-off meal when your time is already claimed by school events and activities.
Get the Recipe: Pulled Pork Sliders

Slow Cooker Shredded Mexican Beef Bowls

Mexican shredded beef bowls with plantains, rice and beans and peppers.
Slow Cooker Shredded Mexican Beef Bowls. Photo credit: Running to the Kitchen.

This slow cooker beef works great for build-your-own dinner bowls. Serve it with rice, beans, or whatever’s left in the fridge. It’s simple to prep and makes enough for leftovers, which comes in handy when you’re juggling practices, concerts, and end-of-year chaos.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Shredded Mexican Beef Bowls

Slow Cooker Tri Tip

Slow cooker shredded tri tip in a white bowl over mashed potatoes.
Slow Cooker Tri Tip. Photo credit: Running to the Kitchen.

This tri-tip roast uses a few ingredients and fresh herbs to deliver big flavor without much work. It cooks low and slow and feeds a full table, which makes it perfect when dinner needs to be ready but you’re not home until the last possible minute.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Tri Tip

Slow Cooker Summer Frittata

Slow cooker frittata with arugula and sun-dried tomatoes.
Slow Cooker Summer Frittata. Photo credit: Running to the Kitchen.

This slow cooker frittata is loaded with zucchini, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, and prosciutto. It’s the perfect breakfast-for-dinner option during spring and summer, especially when the idea of turning on the oven feels like too much. Sandwich it between some rolls and enjoy an easy dinner.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Summer Frittata

Slow Cooker Balsamic Pulled Pork

Slow cooker balsamic pulled pork over polenta with avocado crema in a white bowl.
Slow Cooker Balsamic Pulled Pork. Photo credit: Running to the Kitchen.

This pulled pork cooks low and slow until it’s tender and juicy, with a sweet balsamic flavor that works great over polenta. Make it early in the day and serve it when you’re back from school pickup, errands, and whatever else May throws at you.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Balsamic Pulled Pork

Slow Cooker Peach Pulled Chicken

BBQ peach pulled chicken over rice with pita bread in a bowl.
Slow Cooker Peach Pulled Chicken. Photo credit: Running to the Kitchen.

Sweet peaches give this BBQ chicken something extra without needing extra effort. It’s one of those dump-and-go dinners that helps keep the week on track without draining what little energy you have left.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Peach Pulled Chicken

Slow Cooker Sriracha Honey Garlic Pork Chops

Slow Cooker Sriracha Honey Garlic Pork Chops. Photo credit: xoxoBella.

These pork chops come out sticky, sweet, and packed with flavor. You just set them in the slow cooker and let them go. It’s a great way to make dinner feel a little more exciting without doing much of anything.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Sriracha Honey Garlic Pork Chops

Slow Cooker Sausage and Peppers

Slow Cooker Sausage and Peppers. Photo credit: xoxoBella.

This one’s about as simple as it gets—sausage, peppers, onions, and time. It’s the kind of meal you start in the morning, forget about, and then get to take full credit for at dinner. Perfect for midweek madness.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Sausage and Peppers

Flavourful Slow Cooker Salsa Fresca Chicken

Flavourful Slow Cooker Salsa Fresca Chicken. Photo credit: xoxoBella.

This salsa fresca chicken cooks in the slow cooker and turns out juicy and packed with flavor. It works in tacos, salads, or rice bowls and is perfect for nights where dinner needs to be flexible and fast.
Get the Recipe: Flavourful Slow Cooker Salsa Fresca Chicken

Delicious Slow Cooker Lemonade Chicken

Delicious Slow Cooker Lemonade Chicken. Photo credit: xoxoBella.

This lemonade chicken simmers in a tangy sauce made with lemonade concentrate, lemon zest, and pantry staples. It’s low effort, bright in flavor, and perfect when you’re running on fumes but still need dinner to happen.
Get the Recipe: Delicious Slow Cooker Lemonade Chicken

Slow Cooker Beef and Noodles with Mushrooms

Slow Cooker Beef and Noodles with Mushrooms. Photo credit: xoxoBella.

This comforting crockpot beef and noodles dish comes together with cream of mushroom soup and egg noodles. It’s hearty, easy to prep, and great for nights when you’re pulled in five directions but still need something warm and filling.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Beef and Noodles with Mushrooms

Slow Cooker Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo

Slow Cooker Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo. Photo credit: xoxoBella.

This Alfredo uses the slow cooker to do all the work. The sauce turns creamy without needing constant attention, and all you have to do is boil the pasta. Great for nights when you’re barely home but still want something more than takeout.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo

Super Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Super Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Casserole. Photo credit: xoxoBella.

Chicken enchiladas cook low and slow in one dish with layered tortillas, sauce, and cheese. This casserole is easy to assemble and feeds a crew, which comes in handy during the last few weeks of school craziness.
Get the Recipe: Super Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings

Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings. Photo credit: Stetted.

This version keeps it simple with biscuit dumplings and shredded chicken. It’s a great comfort food option to throw in the slow cooker early and forget about until the end of the day.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings

Crockpot Chicken Fajitas

Crockpot Chicken Fajitas. Photo credit: The Kitchen Magpie.

These crockpot fajitas come together with chicken, peppers, and simple spices. Let them cook during the day, then just shred and serve in tortillas. Perfect for dinner on the fly when there’s no time left on the clock.
Get the Recipe: Crockpot Chicken Fajitas

Crockpot Chicken Spaghetti

Crockpot Chicken Spaghetti. Photo credit: Game Day Eats.

This spaghetti gets its flavor from Rotel, cheese, and slow-cooked chicken. It’s creamy, cheesy, and works for game day or weeknight dinner when the energy for meal planning just isn’t there.
Get the Recipe: Crockpot Chicken Spaghetti

Slow Cooker Italian Stuffed Peppers

Slow Cooker Italian Stuffed Peppers. Photo credit: Girl Carnivore.

These stuffed peppers cook up soft but still hold their shape, packed with a savory rice and meat filling. They’re perfect to prep in the morning and come home to when the day’s been too full to think about dinner.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Italian Stuffed Peppers

Hearty Sirloin Steak Chili

Hearty Sirloin Steak Chili (Stove Top, Slow Cooker). Photo credit: Blackberry Babe.

This chili loads up on sirloin, beans, tomatoes, and spices for a rich and filling dinner. Use the slow cooker version when you need dinner to be ready after a long afternoon of nonstop activity.
Get the Recipe: Hearty Sirloin Steak Chili (Stove Top, Slow Cooker)

Slow Cooker Chicken Curry

Slow Cooker Chicken Curry. Photo credit: xoxoBella.

This chicken curry builds bold flavor over a few hours with almost no effort. It’s great served over rice or naan and perfect for a weeknight dinner when everything else feels rushed.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Chicken Curry

Slow Cooker Italian Beef

Slow Cooker Italian Beef. Photo credit: xoxoBella.

This shredded beef makes great sandwiches and doesn’t ask for much from you. Toss everything in the slow cooker and let it go. It’s a solid backup plan for any night when the schedule’s packed and dinner still needs to happen.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Italian Beef

Founder and Writer at  | About

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.

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