35 Healthy Slow-Cooker Recipes That Make It Easy To Eat Light
Tell your take out guy to take the night off.
Think that the most fool-proof way to eating healthier involves buying all the produce ever and endless prep? Think again! The real secret is already in your kitchen: Your humble slow-cooker (Yes, believe it). Planning is key if you're trying to eat healthy, and it doesn't get any easier than these set-it-and-forget-it recipes. And while the phrase "meal prep" might make you think of a kitchen sink full of pots and pans, you can prep like a champ thanks to your handy slow cooker. Whether you're in the mood for a healthy soup, a slow-cooker rotisserie chicken, or a stir-fy, each of these healthy slow-cooker recipes basically make themselves.
We're super big fans of high-protein recipes to keep us full and energized all day long, and it turns out that the slow-cooker is perfect for keeping our favorite meaty dishes tender and perfectly cooked without making us feel like we're eating bland "diet" food. We've got plenty of slow-cooker chicken meals, like Crock-Pot white chicken chili, Crock-Pot chicken fajitas, and slow-cooker lemon butter chicken and potatoes. If you didn't think you could make a top-notch chicken cacciatore in your slow cooker, you'll soon believe it!
And if you're a vegetarian, don't worry: We've got you covered! Try our recipes for Crock-Pot butternut squash soup, slow-cooker eggplant Parmesan, and our slow-cooker split pea soup. And if you're new to slow cookers, we've tested all the best ones for your kitchen.
Looking for more slow-cooker recipes? Try our best slow-cooker pork recipes, and slow-cooker beef recipes, or even our top kid-approved slow-cooker recipes.
Slow Cooker Vegan Butternut Squash Soup
A simmering pot of soup on a chilly fall afternoon is the recipe for a cozy meal. The day is made even better when the soup is ridiculously easy and makes your house smell amazing. This vegan butternut squash soup is made in a slow cooker, so after you chop up all your vegetables, it’s essentially hands-off. A quick blitz with an immersion blender at the end, and you’ve got a silky, drinkable butternut squash soup.
Get the Slow Cooker Vegan Butternut Squash Soup recipe.
Slow-Cooker Creamy Lemon Herb Chicken
This slow-cooker creamy lemon herb chicken spends all day bubbling along and results in everything you want in a meal: delicious, comforting, and easy. By cooking low and slow, the humble chicken breast is transformed into something that melts in your mouth. Pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes would all be a delicious bed to spoon this creamy chicken over.
Get the Slow-Cooker Creamy Lemon Herb Chicken recipe.
Crockpot Spaghetti Squash
News flash! You don't have to turn on your oven to make perfectly cooked spaghetti squash. Once you've cooked up your squash, why not put it to good use? Our four-cheese spaghetti squash is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. 😍
Get the Crockpot Spaghetti Squash recipe.
Slow-Cooker Garlic-Parmesan Chicken
When you think Parm + chicken, your brain might go to melty, saucy chicken Parmesan, but we might dig this dish even more. All the flavor from the chicken thighs, butter, garlic, and thyme seep into the tender baby potatoes for a fully satisfying, comforting meal.
Get the Slow-Cooker Garlic-Parmesan Chicken recipe
Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Soup
Looking for a low-effort, stick-to-your-ribs dinner? You've come to the right place. This Tex-Mex-inspired soup is hearty, delicious, and endlessly riffable. And if you love all things spicy, add some cayenne (a pinch at a time), hot sauce, or canned chiles to your soup to kick the heat up a notch.
Get the Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Soup recipe.
Slow-Cooker Beef & Broccoli
In the world of Chinese-American classics, you can’t beat beef and broccoli. And while you can always order takeout, here at Delish, we’re so obsessed that we’ve found a way to make it in a slow cooker.
Get the Slow-Cooker Beef & Broccoli recipe.
Slow-Cooker Chicken Cacciatore
We love slow cookers because they do all of the work for us, so we can do literally anything else while dinner cooks. This recipe takes six hours, which is enough time to a) read a novel from cover to cover, b) watch an entire BBC miniseries, or c) run an entire marathon. Need dinner faster? Make our classic chicken cacciatore instead.
Get the Slow-Cooker Chicken Cacciatore recipe.
Slow-Cooker Turkey Chili
A big bowl of chili at dinnertime is what winter is all about. This turkey-based version is both comforting and healthy, and it comes together in no time. So grab your slow cooker and cozy on up!
Get the Slow-Cooker Turkey Chili recipe.
Crock-Pot Whole Chicken
We know it sounds crazy, but you can replicate the deliciousness of a rotisserie chicken at home... in your slow cooker. To get that iconic crispy skin, slather the bird in a brown sugar spice rub and chuck it under the broiler before serving to achieve a beautiful, caramelized finish.
Get the Crock-Pot Whole Chicken recipe.
Slow-Cooker Red Wine Beef Stew
If you need an excuse to get your slow cooker out, this is it! Simmering beef, potatoes, tomatoes, and onions together for hours creates one of the most deeply satisfying stews you’ll ever eat.
Get the Slow-Cooker Red Wine Beef Stew recipe.
Slow-Cooker Split Pea Soup
This split pea soup is so simple, filling, and full of flavor. And while it's especially good for slurping down on cold winter nights, this soup is great all year round.
Get the Slow-Cooker Split Pea Soup recipe.
Crock-Pot Pepper Steak
Think stir-fry flavors can't work in a slow cooker? Think again! This pepper steak is a straightforward, savory sweet number that'll put your standard takeout to shame
Get the Crock-Pot Pepper Steak recipe.
Crock-Pot Chicken Fajitas
Slow cookers not only make your life easier, they also make fajitas easier. Perfectly tender chicken and earthy peppers come together beautifully in this winner of a recipe. Just be sure to top with plenty of sour cream, cheese, and pickled red onions.
Get the Crock-Pot Chicken Fajitas recipe.
Crock-Pot Pork Roast
You may not normally think to turn to your slow-cooker for a large, lean piece of meat, but this dish will definitely change your mind. Pork loin becomes super tender and juicy as it cooks, and the sweet and tangy glaze on the outside seals the deal.
Get the Crock-Pot Pork Roast recipe.
Slow-Cooker Lemon-Garlic Chicken
Chicken tastes even better when you don't actually have to babysit it at the stove. We love serving this brothy, lemony chicken with plenty of toasted French bread.
Get the Slow-Cooker Lemon-Garlic Chicken recipe.
Crock-Pot Salsa Chicken
A slow-cooker meal made with only four ingredients is really something to celebrate. The chicken falls apart and becomes immensely tender, while chunky salsa and piquant taco seasoning deliver classic Tex-Mex flavors. The final touch? A few bright hits of lime juice. Serve this over rice, in lettuce cups, or in tacos.
Get the Crock-Pot Salsa Chicken recipe.
Easy Crock-Pot Butternut Squash Soup
A flavorful base of sauteed onion, carrots, garlic, and herbs takes this delicious autumn soup the next level. Also fantastic? The final drizzle of heavy cream.
Crock-Pot Pork Chops
Slow cooking your pork chops develops more flavor and keeps them extra tender. Pork chops with apple is one of our favorite combos, but there's something special about the juicy sweetness of peaches that pairs so well with the pork chops.
Get the Crock-Pot Pork Chops recipe.
Slow-Cooker Salmon
Think of this recipe as a base for all future slow-cooked seafood dinner recipes. Feel free to switch up the citrus you use, make a bed of sliced onions or leeks, or throw in some herbs like rosemary or thyme. You could even swap out lemon juice and broth for white wine and melted butter.
Get the Slow-Cooker Salmon recipe.
Slow-Cooker Sausage and White Bean Soup
A good, hearty white bean soup is one of our favorite ways to warm up in the colder months. The best part of this particular recipe: You can make everything in the slow cooker, which means less mess and less work. We *do* suggest searing the sausage, though, if you can swing it. Seared sausage = more flavor. Not a fan of kale? Sub in another hearty green like spinach or Swiss chard.
Get the Slow-Cooker Sausage and White Bean Soup recipe.
Mackenzie Filson is a food writer and contributing digital food producer at Delish. Her favorite ice cream flavor is chocolate-pine. If wine was an astrological sign she'd be a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. She's never met a bag of Spicy Sweet Chili Doritos she didn't eat in one sitting.
