This year we vowed to make a change in our household by eating out less and cooking a variety of slow cook meals frequently throughout the week. If I am prepared for the week or even the night before with what I want to put in my slow cooker, then I can look forward to stress-free evenings (well sort of). The goal is to spend more time with my family in the evenings and less time in the kitchen cooking. I have pulled together some great slow cooker meals that I am sure the entire family will love and not to mention super healthy.
Slow cooker recipes are some of the best dinner options if you are looking to prepare your meals ahead of time, so you don’t have to rush around cooking after a busy day of work. If you are trying to eat healthier and cook nutritious and filling meals for your family, there are plenty of healthy dishes you can create in a slow cooker. Many of these dishes taste even better when cooked over a longer period of time, and you’ll enjoy feeding these healthy slow cooker recipes to your family throughout the upcoming year.
Simple and delicious Slow Cooker Recipes:
1. Slow Cooker Tomato Parmesan Soup
Hidden Ponies shares this homemade tomato parmesan soup recipe, which tastes just like eating a creamy bowl of pasta sauce. Packed with tomatoes, fresh basil, and parmesan cheese, you’ll only need fifteen minutes to prep this soup before leaving it to cook for four hours. This is a healthy lunch or dinner that is ideal for the winter months, and you can adjust the milk and cream quantities to get the consistency to your desired level.
2. Slow Cooker Cauliflower Rice Greek Chicken Bowl
I love serving rice as a side with chicken, but for a healthier option, cauliflower rice is the perfect substitution. This recipe from Kalyn’s Kitchen can also be created in an Instant Pot and is topped with a delicious Greek Salsa. The slow cooker will help to bring out the lemony zest of the chicken, and this will also seep into the rice for additional flavor.
3. BBQ Pulled Chicken
This is one of the easiest BBQ pulled chicken recipes ever. You’ll just need some frozen chicken breasts, BBQ sauce in a bottle, and a cup of water. Following this recipe from Almost Supermom, you’ll simply throw all of the ingredients into the pot and cook it for eight hours before serving.
4. Chilli Con Carne
Kitchen Sanctuary shares this chilli con carne recipe which has the perfect mix of spices, vegetables, and beans. With just a pound of minced beef, you’ll be able to feed eight people, or if you are a small family, you’ll have plenty of leftovers for the following day. It’s ideal for freezing after you’ve prepared a large batch, so you’ll always have a meal on standby for those hectic weeknights.
5. Vegetable Lentil Soup
There’s nothing better than a warming bowl of soup in front of the fire in winter. This recipe from My Natural Family creates a healthy and hearty soup that is big enough to enjoy for dinner. The lentils help to add extra protein and flavor to this dish, and it can be paired with a salad or sandwich for a more substantial meal.
6. Thai Beef Stew
This paleo-friendly meal is simple to create thanks to this recipe from Against All Grain. It can be served by itself or over cauliflower rice for a filling meal that the whole family will enjoy. It will take just twenty minutes of hands-on time in the kitchen, and then you’ll leave everything for five hours to cook before serving. You’ll add the vegetables in for the last thirty minutes of cooking and serve with a garnish of cilantro on top.
7. Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Chicken Stew
When you have an overload of butternut squash in your kitchen next fall, create this delicious chicken stew from Leelalicious. Combining butternut squash, chicken, and quinoa, this is a healthy comfort food meal that is perfect for the cold fall and winter weather. You’ll simply need to cook the onion and garlic on the stovetop before adding all of the ingredients together in the slow cooker.
8. Slow Cooker Butter Chicken
Enjoy this restaurant-quality recipe from iFoodreal, which creates a light and healthy butter chicken. You’ll have most of the ingredients you need in your kitchen already, and although the name suggests otherwise, this dish doesn’t even have any butter in it. For a filling dinner, serve with brown basmati rice for the perfect Friday night meal the whole family will love.
9. Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps
If you are looking for a healthier alternative to tacos or your usual wraps, try this recipe from The Sweets Life. While lettuce wraps can be a little messy to eat, they are well worth it for a healthier meal. To create these buffalo chicken lettuce wraps, add chicken, onions, celery, garlic, and broth into your slow cooker. You’ll need to leave everything to cook for either four hours on a high setting or eight hours on a low setting.
10. Slow Cooker Asian Beef with Vegetables
I love one-dish meals, and this recipe from The Weary Chef creates a healthy alternative to your usual takeout Asian food. If you’re going to be out for the day, you can leave this dish to cook for six to eight hours on a low setting, but it can also be ready in two to three hours if you are in a rush. With carrots, bell peppers, and zucchini, it’s a healthy dish that the whole family will enjoy thanks to its delicious sauce.
11. Beer Braised Chicken
Half Baked Harvest shares this easy fall dinner which needs just five minutes of prep time. You’ll leave everything to cook for eight hours, and it will create six hearty servings. This dish combines a wide variety of ingredients and seasonings for a flavorful dish that is best served over white or brown rice for a complete meal.
12. Cheeseburger Casserole
For an easy to prepare cheeseburger casserole that kids and teens will love, try out this recipe from Dizzy Busy and Hungry. It requires just fifteen minutes of prep time, and then your slow cooker will do the rest of the work for you. Your kids will never know that there are hidden vegetables in this dish, but you’ll appreciate the added nutrition that this meal will provide them.
13. Slow Cooker Mediterranean Stew
This Mediterranean dish from EatingWell is packed with vegetables and chickpeas for a healthy dinner that you can enjoy all year round. It’s a vegan dish that is best topped off with a generous drizzle of olive oil. For a little variety, you can customize this dish with white beans or spinach if you want to mix things up after you’ve made it a few times.
14. Crockpot Chicken and Rice
If you are looking for a simple recipe for a weekday night, try this chicken and rice dish from Well Plated. This recipe creates a creamy and cheesy blend of chicken, grains, and fresh vegetables, and it is perfect for even the pickiest of eaters. You’ll create a large batch of this dish in one pot, and it’s rich in protein and fiber so it will keep hungry youngsters full all evening. It’s also a freezer-friendly dish that you can easily save and reheat another night.
15. Healthy Potato Soup with Chicken
While this thick and creamy soup may looking unhealthy from the first glimpse, it’s actually packed with chicken and heaps of vegetables. A Spicy Perspective shares this soup recipe which is perfect for fall and winter, and it’s a low-cost meal that the whole family will enjoy. You can leave it up to twelve hours to slow cook, so when you return home from work, you’ll have a delicious meal that’s ready to serve.
16. Healthy Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos
Just because you are trying to eat healthier as a family, doesn’t mean you have to miss out on your favorite Taco Tuesdays! This paleo and gluten-free recipe from Elizabeth Rider is packed with protein and flavor. You can pile any vegetables on top to serve, and you’ll place everything inside lettuce cups for a lighter taco serving option.
17. Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken
If you are craving takeout but are trying to eat healthier, try this recipe from Slender Kitchen which will fulfill your cravings for the sweet and sticky flavor of honey garlic chicken. You’ll need just eight ingredients that you likely already have in your pantry and just five minutes to prepare everything before loading it into the slow cooker. This chicken dish can be served in many different ways, including over rice, on a salad, or wrapped in lettuce.
18. Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore
Haute & Healthy Living shares this family-friendly meal which requires minimal hands-on prep time. It’s a gluten-free dish that is high in protein yet low in calories. Not only is it a low maintenance meal to prepare, but it also looks fantastic on any dinner table and would be ideal for your next dinner party. It’s great served with vegetables over noodles or rice and is finished off perfectly with a small sprinkling of parmesan.
19. Healthy Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala
Curry night doesn’t mean you have to neglect your healthy habits, thanks to this chicken tikka masala from Ambitious Kitchen. This is one of my favorite curry dishes, and it’s made from chicken breasts, coconut milk, and tomato sauce. You can serve it over brown rice for a complete meal, and for a Friday night feast, add naan bread on the side.
20. Slow Cooker Lemon Chicken
Green Healthy Cooking has created this flavorful recipe which is packed with garlic and lemon. Potatoes and vegetables are cooked along with the chicken, so you don’t need to cook an additional side dish before serving dinner. You’ll need just five minutes to prepare the ingredients, before leaving them to cook for three hours.
21. Slow Cooker Moroccan Chicken
While you probably don’t keep a Tagine in your kitchen, you don’t have to miss out on tender Moroccan chicken thanks to this recipe from Simply Recipes. Combining chicken thighs, spices, green olives, lemons, onions, and raisins, you’ll have an exotic dish that everyone will love to try. The slow cooker creates the most tender chicken, and the combination of spices creates a flavor-packed dish.
22. Healthy Chicken Tortilla Soup
This healthy recipe for chicken tortilla soup consists of chicken breast, beans, corn, spices, and chilis. On the top, you’ll add a little cheese and tortilla strips for a soup that can be served either as an appetizer or an entrée. With only ten minutes of prep time needed, you’ll return to this recipe from Pinch of Wellness over and over again.
23. Coconut Quinoa Curry
For a healthy curry, try out this coconut quinoa curry from Simply Quinoa. You’ll simply combine coconut milk, tomatoes, ginger, turmeric, garlic, miso, and tamari for a flavorful curry sauce, without the calories usually associated with this type of meal. After prepping the veggies and ingredients, you’ll leave everything to cook for four to six hours until you’re ready for dinner.
24. Slow Cooker Ratatouille
This traditional ratatouille dish from Hint of Healthy is one of my favorite French recipes. The dish can be served either by itself or as a side with your favorite vegetarian or meat main course. It’s packed with vegetables, making it a healthy and fresh dish that’s incredibly easy to make. For the best results, try to avoid taking the lid off while everything is cooking. The great thing about this dish is that you can simply omit any of the vegetables that you or your family don’t like, but for the classic dish, you’ll want to use zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes, and peppers.
25. Slow Cooker Healthy Taco Casserole
If you are looking for an easy way to get your kids and teens to eat more vegetables, try out this healthy taco casserole from Slow Cooker Gourmet. It’s perfect for a weeknight family dinner or a healthier Taco Tuesday dish, and thanks to the veggies, black beans, and lean ground beef, you’ll have a well-rounded meal. For the perfect finishing touch, add avocado or sour cream on top before serving.
My slow cooker has quickly become one of my favorite kitchen tools, and I love quickly preparing everything in the morning before starting work for the day. All of these recipes are healthy yet are tasty enough that your kids and teens will love them. You’ll enjoy serving nutritious and hearty meals to your family all year long which involve minimal prep time and hassle thanks to your trusty slow cooker.
Nicole says
These look so yummy! Great round-up, thanks for including my recipe. Pinned!
Winona @Southern Family Fun says
Thanks for stopping by Nicole and thank you for letting me include your recipe! Loved it!
Anna (Hidden Ponies) says
I need to use my slow cooker more, especially for healthy meals like these! Thanks for including my tomato soup, we love that one on these cold days!
Winona @Southern Family Fun says
Thanks for stopping by Anna (Hidden Ponies) – I love using my slow cooker!! Your tomato soup recipe was awesome! Thanks for letting me share it.