🌿5 Cozy Crockpot Meals for Busy Weeknights

By Hey Ivy !

When weeknight chaos hits, having a meal already simmering is pure magic. Crockpots or (slow cookers!) save time and sanity – all while providing a quick, hot meal on cool Fall nights. Here are five simple, comforting meals you can set and forget.

💡Pro Tip : Use crockpot liners to make cleanup super easy.

🌮Salsa Chicken Tacos

A ridiculously easy, three-ingredient crockpot taco recipe that always comes out tender, juicy, and full of flavor. Perfect for busy weeknights when you just want something delicious with almost no effort.

Recipe Overview

• Prep Time: 5 minutes

• Cook Time: 4-6 hours on LOW (or 2-3 hours on HIGH)

• Total Time: 4 hours 5 minutes- 6 hours 5 minutes

• Servings: 12 -14 small tacos

Tools Needed

• Slow cooker / crockpot
• Forks for shredding
• Cutting board & knife (optional, for toppings)

Ingredients

• 3 Chicken breasts (boneless/skinless)
• 1 Taco seasoning packet
• 1 jar salsa (any heat level)
• Soft tortillas
• Shredded cheese
• Shredded lettuce (optional)
• Diced tomatoes or Pico de Gallo (optional)

Instructions

• Place chicken breasts at the bottom
• Sprinkle with taco seasoning
• Top with salsa
• Cook on LOW for 6 hours, shred with forks.

Serve With

• Tortillas
• Over rice & beans for a nice burrito bowl
• Over nachos
• Crunchy tacos
• Salads
• Quesadillas

Substitutions & Variations

• Add black beans (rinsed & drained) to your crock pot to stretch this recipe to feed more people
• Add a little heat with a dash of cayenne pepper

Storage Tips

• Refrigerates well for 3-4 days
• Freezes beautifully for up to 3 months

🍝Homemade Meatballs (Slow Cooker)

Recipe Overview

• Prep Time: 15-20 minutes

• Sear Time: 10-15 minutes

• Cook Time: 5-6 hours on LOW (or 2-3 hours on HIGH)

• Total Time: 5 hours 30 minutes – 6 hours 30 minutes

• Servings: 18-24 meatballs (depending on size)

Tools Needed

• Large mixing bowl
• Skillet
• Tongs or spoon
• Measuring cups & spoons
• Slow cooker / crockpot
• Food grade disposable gloves (optional)

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. ground beef
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp milk
• 3 cloves garlic, minced (or paste / powder versions equivalent)
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tbsp grated parmesan
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp dried parsley
• splash or two Worcestershire sauce (optional)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2-4 tbsp olive oil (for searing)
• 1 jar marinara or tomato sauce (45 oz.)

Instructions

1. Mix all ingredients (except the sauce & olive oil) in a large mixing bowl.
Tip:Gloves make mixing easier and less cold on the hands.

2. Roll into golf-ball-sized meatballs or slightly larger.

3. Heat olive oil in a skillet and heat over medium-high heat.

4. Sear meatballs on all sides (do not fully cook).
This locks in the flavor.

5. Place meatballs in the slow cooker and pour sauce over them.

6. Cook on LOW 5-6 hours or HIGH 2-3 hours. Give them a gentle stir halfway through.

Serve With

• Pasta
• Sub rolls (as meatball subs)
• Mashed potatoes
• Rice bowls
• Or use as a topping for DIY pizza night

Substitutions & Variations

• Add red pepper flakes to your sauce for heat
• Use ground turkey or chicken for a lighter version
• Swap breadcrumbs for crushed Ritz crackers for extra flavor

🍗Teriyaki Chicken

Tender shredded chicken in a homemade sweet-savory teriyaki sauce that thickens beautifully on the stovetop. Perfect over rice, in wraps, or even in quesadillas.

Recipe Overview

• Prep Time: 10 minutes

• Cook Time: 5-6 hours on LOW (or 3 hours on HIGH)

• Sauce Thickening Time: 5 minutes

• Total Time: 5 hours 15 minutes – 6 hours 15 minutes

• Servings: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1/4 cup honey or hot honey
• 3 tbsp light brown sugar
• 2 tsp minced or crushed ginger
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/4 cup water

Instructions

1. Place chicken breasts in crockpot

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together garlic, crushed ginger, honey, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, light brown sugar, and rice vinegar.

3. Pour mixture over the chicken breasts.

4. Cover and cook on LOW 5-6 hours or HIGH for 3 hours.

5. Remove chicken breasts and shred using two forks.

6. Pour the sauce mixture from the crockpot into a small saucepan and heat on medium-high until it starts to simmer.

7. In a small bowl, mix the water and cornstarch until smooth, pour it into your saucepan and heat over medium-high until simmering.

8. Return shredded chicken to crockpot, pour the sauce over it and give it a stir. Top with sesame seeds and chopped green onions (optional), cover and keep on warm until ready to serve.

Serve With

• Over rice and broccoli
• On a flatbread with the sauce, broccoli and mozzarella cheese
• In a quesadilla with green onion and shredded cheese

Substitutions & Variations

• Use liquid aminos instead of soy sauce for a lower sodium option
• Add some heat by using hot honey and a dash of red pepper flakes in place of regular honey

Storage Tips

• Refrigerate up to 4 days
• Freezes well up to 3 months
• Sauce may thicken after cooling – simply reheat and add a splash of water & soy sauce if needed

🍲Hearty Chicken & Potato Soup With Bacon

When the weather turns chilly or life gets busy, this Hearty Chicken & Potato Soup With Bacon is the kind of meal that brings everyone back to the table. It’s creamy, comforting, and loaded with tender potatoes, savory chicken, and crispy bacon – the perfect throw-together crockpot dinner for nights when you want something warm without hovering over the stove.

Recipe Overview

Prep Time: 20 minutes (includes chopping & cooking bacon)

Cook Time: 3-4 hours on LOW (or 2-3 hours on HIGH)

Total Time: 3 hours 20 minutes – 4 hours 20 minutes

Servings: 6-8 bowls

Ingredients

• 1 Rotisserie chicken, Take all of the good meat off and chop it into smaller bite size pieces.
• 2.5 lbs. golden potatoes peeled and cut into 1 inch..ish size pieces
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 1 medium yellow onion chopped (about 1.5 cups)
• 3 tbsp butter
• 2 cups milk
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/3 cup all purpose flour
• 2/3 cup sour cream
• 1 or 2 tbsp dried parsley *season with your heart on this one
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 tsp chili powder

Instructions

1. Cook the bacon:
Chop raw bacon and add to heated non-stick skillet. Cook until crispy, then remove and place on a paper towel.
Drain all but about 1 tbsp of the bacon drippings.

2. Sauté onions:
Add butter to the same skillet. Once melted, add diced onions and cook until soft, scraping the pan to release browned bits.

3. Add garlic & flour:
Add minced garlic and cook ~ 30 seconds, sprinkle in flour and whisk until smooth

4. Start the sauce:
Slowly pour in half of your chicken broth, whisking constantly to avoid lumps.

5. Transfer to crockpot:
Pour this mixture into your crockpot. Add chopped potatoes, chopped rotisserie chicken, the remaining broth, milk, heavy cream, dried parsley, chili powder, salt and pepper.

6. Add bacon:
Stir in half of the cooked bacon. Reserve the rest for topping.

7. Cook:
Cover and cook on LOW for 3-4 hours or until potatoes are tender.

8. Finish the soup:
Stir in sour cream just before serving. Adjust seasoning to taste.

Serve With

• Artisan bread or sourdough
• Cornbread
• Extra bacon and shredded cheese on top

Substitutions & Variations

• Use half-and-half instead of heavy cream for a lighter soup
• Swap rotisserie chicken for 2-3 cooked chicken breasts, shredded
• Add veggies like celery and carrots
• For extra depth add a splash of dry white wine while cooking onions

Storage Tips

• Refrigerate 3-4 days
• Soup will thicken – thin with broth or milk

🌶️Chili

This chili is one of those cozy, no-fuss recipes that you can make your own. I season with my heart on this one, and you absolutely can too. The measurements below are a great starting point, but feel free to adjust the spices and heat level to fit your taste. After it simmers in the crockpot for a couple of hours, give it a quick taste and tweak anything you’d like-just remember that spices deepen as they cook. It’s simple, comforting, and perfect for broke-and-busy nights.

💡Pro Tip: If you’re unsure about spice level, start small and add more toward the end-chili seasonings get stronger as they simmer.

What you’ll need

• Large skillet
• Cutting board
• Sharp knife for chopping onion
• Measuring spoons
• Can opener
• Slow cooker / crockpot
• Mixing spoon or ladle

Recipe Overview

Prep Time: 15-20 minutes
Cook Time: 3-4 hours on LOW (or 2-3 hours on HIGH)
Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes – 4 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 6-8 bowls

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. ground beef
• 16 oz can of all 3… black beans, cannellini beans, red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 32 oz beef broth
• 1 yellow onion diced
• green pepper diced
• 16 oz can tomato sauce (plain sauce)
• 3 tsp of chili powder
• 1 tsp of garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

1. Brown the beef:
   Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high. Add the ground beef along with 1/4 – 1/2 cup beef broth. Cook, breaking it down well as it browns. (The broth helps keep it moist and gives it a great consistency)
2. Rinse the beans:
   While the beef cooks, drain and rinse all three cans of beans. The quickest method is to pour them all into one strainer and rinse thoroughly.
   While your beef is cooking drain and rinse your beans. The easiest way to do this quickly is to add all your beans to a strainer and rinse. Add them to your crockpot set to LOW.
3. Fill the crockpot:
   Add the rinsed beans, diced onion, diced green pepper, tomato sauce, remaining broth, and all seasonings, stir to combine.
4. Add the beef:
   Once the ground beef is fully cooked, drain if needed, add to the crocpot and stir to combine
5. Cook:
   Cover and cook on LOW for 3-4 hours or HIGH for 2-3 hours, stirring once or twice as it simmers.

Substitutions & Variations

• Swap ground beef for ground turkey or chicken for a leaner option. If you do this, you will need a little extra seasoning to boost the flavor.
• The tomato base can be replaced with plain tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, or fire- roasted for a richer flavor.
• Add a little heat with a pinch or two of cayenne pepper or diced jalapeños
• Use a chili seasoning packet to save even more time

Serving Suggestions

This chili is hearty, comforting, and pairs well with so many simple add-ins. Try serving it:

• with classic toppings like shredded cheese, sour cream, diced onions, sliced jalapeños, or green onions
• Over rice, this stretches the meal and makes it extra filling
• On top of a baked potato for the ultimate loaded baked potato.
• On top of nachos
• Use as a chili bowl bar, set out toppings and a big bowl of rice and tortilla chips

Storage & Reheating

This chili keeps beautifully, making it perfect for leftovers, meal prep, or freezing.

Freezer
Freeze in freezer-safe containers or bags for up to 3 months.
Tip: Freeze flat in Ziplock bags to save space and speed up thaw time.

Refrigerator
Store in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Flavors deepen as it rests, so it often tastes even better the next day.

At the end of a long day, there’s nothing better than knowing dinner is already simmering away-filling your kitchen with that cozy, home-cooked aroma. Crockpot meals are not just time savers- they’re little pockets of sanity in the midst of chaos. So pull on your comfiest sweater, grab a bowl, and let the slow cooker do the rest.

-By Hey Ivy

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