It’s 7:15 a.m. You have ten minutes before you need to be out the door, and the question of what’s for dinner is already following you around. This is what the slow cooker was built for. Every one of these dump and go slow cooker dinners takes 5 to 10 minutes to load, needs no browning or sautéing, and cooks on LOW while you’re at work, so you walk in the door to a house that smells like dinner is handled.
Below are 20 easy slow cooker dinners from Fork To Spoon, grouped by what’s in them: saucy chicken dinners and crockpot pastas, fall-apart beef and pork, and a few soups and chilis that only get better the longer they simmer. Most use a jar, a can, or a packet as the sauce, so the shopping list is short too.
Pick three for the week, prep the night before if you want, and let the crockpot cook while you live your life.
What Makes a Dinner Dump-and-Go
A true dump-and-go dinner means every ingredient goes into the slow cooker at the same time, raw, with no browning or sautéing first.
- No skillet step. The meat goes in uncooked. If a recipe asks you to brown ground beef, do it the night before and it still counts.
- A jar, can, or packet does the sauce. Ranch mix, cream soup, BBQ sauce, Rotel, or Alfredo sauce replaces a dozen measured ingredients.
- Little or no chopping. Chicken breasts, pork chops, frozen meatballs, and canned vegetables go in as they are.
- It holds for 8 hours. These recipes cook on LOW for a full workday without drying out, or on HIGH when you start later.
- Finish in the pot. Shred the chicken, stir in the pasta or sour cream, and serve straight from the crock.
20 Dump-and-Go Slow Cooker Dinners
Every recipe below is from Fork To Spoon and written for a standard 6-quart slow cooker. Cook times are from the original recipes where given; slow cookers vary, so check the recipe card for your model.
Dump-and-Go Crockpot Chicken Dinners
Chicken breasts plus one jar, can, or packet is the simplest dump dinner there is. Most of these shred right in the pot.
1. Easy Crockpot Shredded Chicken
Cook: LOW 6 to 8 hours · Prep: 5 minutes, 3 ingredients
Chicken breasts, broth, and seasoning. That’s it. Come home to a big batch of juicy shredded chicken for tacos, salads, soups, and casseroles all week. The trick is letting the shredded chicken sit in the warm cooking liquid for five minutes so it soaks the moisture back up.
Get the recipe: Easy Crockpot Shredded Chicken
2. Crockpot Shredded Chicken Tacos
Prep: 5 minutes, no chopping
Chicken breasts, a can of Rotel, a splash of broth, and taco spices go in before work. By dinner the chicken falls apart into the most flavor-packed taco filling you’ve ever made. Turn leftovers into burrito bowls or quesadillas.
Get the recipe: Crockpot Shredded Chicken Tacos
3. 4 Ingredient Slow Cooker Chicken and Stuffing
Prep: 5 minutes, no browning, no chopping
Chicken breasts, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, and a box of Stove Top stuffing cook into tender chicken, creamy herbed gravy, and fluffy stuffing in one pot. It tastes like a mini Thanksgiving on a Tuesday.
Get the recipe: 4 Ingredient Slow Cooker Chicken and Stuffing
4. Slow Cooker Sweet Baby Ray’s Chicken
Prep: 5 minutes
The easiest BBQ chicken ever. Chicken and a bottle of Sweet Baby Ray’s go in, and pull-apart, saucy chicken comes out. Pile it on buns, spoon it over rice, or stuff it into baked potatoes.
Get the recipe: Slow Cooker Sweet Baby Ray’s Chicken
5. Easy Slow Cooker Bang Bang Chicken
Cook: LOW 4 to 5 hours
Creamy, sweet, and a little spicy. The bang bang sauce thickens as it cooks so every bite is coated. Serve over jasmine rice, noodles, or in lettuce wraps. Start it at lunch or use HIGH for a shorter day.
Get the recipe: Easy Slow Cooker Bang Bang Chicken
6. Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Merlot
Prep: 10 minutes
Chicken simmers low and slow in a bold Merlot sauce with mushrooms and herbs. It smells like a bistro while it cooks and makes everyone think you tried much harder than you did. Serve over mashed potatoes or egg noodles.
Get the recipe: Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Merlot
7. Slow Cooker Olive Garden Chicken Pasta
Prep: 5 minutes, pasta stirred in at the end
Chicken breasts, jarred Alfredo sauce, cream cheese, and Italian seasoning cook low and slow, then the chicken shreds right in the crock and cooked penne gets stirred in. Restaurant flavor on a weeknight budget.
Get the recipe: Slow Cooker Olive Garden Chicken Pasta
8. Crockpot Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta
Prep: 10 minutes, one pot
The Buffalo Wild Wings garlic parmesan flavor turned into a full dinner. Chicken cooks in the creamy, garlicky sauce, gets shredded, and rotini goes in at the end to soak it all up.
Get the recipe: Crockpot Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta
9. Crock Pot Chicken Pot Pie Pasta
Prep: 10 minutes
Everything you love about chicken pot pie, minus the crust and the fuss. Chicken, vegetables, and broth go in, and the slow cooker turns them into a rich, creamy pasta that guarantees clean plates.
Get the recipe: Crock Pot Chicken Pot Pie Pasta
10. Easy Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings
Prep: 10 minutes, dumplings added near the end
Chicken breasts, chopped vegetables, garlic, broth, and thyme go straight into the slow cooker. Before dinner, drop in refrigerated biscuit dough for fluffy dumplings. It’s the hug-in-a-bowl dinner kids ask for by name.
Get the recipe: Easy Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings
Dump-and-Go Crockpot Beef Dinners
Tough, affordable cuts are exactly what a slow cooker does best.
11. Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff
Cook: LOW 6 to 8 hours or HIGH 4 to 5 hours
Stew beef, mushrooms, onion, cream of mushroom soup, broth, and Worcestershire go in together. Stir in sour cream during the last 15 to 30 minutes and serve over egg noodles. The beef melts in your mouth.
Get the recipe: Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff
12. Easy Slow Cooker Beef Sirloin Tip Roast With Gravy
Prep: 10 minutes
A classic roast dinner with potatoes, carrots, and celery cooked right alongside the beef in a rich mushroom gravy. Slice it against the grain and dinner is a complete meal from one pot.
Get the recipe: Easy Slow Cooker Beef Sirloin Tip Roast With Gravy
13. Crockpot Million Dollar Pasta
Prep: brown the beef the night before, then dump
Marinara, ground beef, uncooked pasta, and a creamy cheese layer get stacked in the slow cooker and bake into a rich, picky-eater-approved casserole. Brown the beef after dinner tonight and tomorrow morning is a two-minute dump.
Get the recipe: Crockpot Million Dollar Pasta
Dump-and-Go Crockpot Pork Dinners
Pork shoulder and pork chops turn fall-apart tender with a packet and a can.
14. Mississippi Pork Roast (Slow Cooker)
Prep: 5 minutes, 5 ingredients
Pork shoulder, a ranch packet, an au jus packet, a stick of butter, and a handful of pepperoncini. It cooks on LOW until it shreds with a fork. Not spicy, just tangy and buttery. Serve over mashed potatoes or pile it on rolls.
Get the recipe: Mississippi Pork Roast (Slow Cooker)
15. Easy Slow Cooker Creamy Ranch Pork Chops
Prep: 5 minutes, no chopping
Boneless pork chops, cream of chicken soup, cream of mushroom soup, and ranch seasoning. Whisk the sauce right in the crock, add the chops, and come home to fork-tender pork in a creamy ranch gravy. Serve over rice or mashed potatoes.
Get the recipe: Easy Slow Cooker Creamy Ranch Pork Chops
16. Easy Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Chili
Prep: 10 minutes, everything goes in raw
A trimmed pork shoulder simmers all day with beans, tomatoes, and bold spices until it pulls apart into a smoky, hearty chili. Shred the pork in the pot before serving and set out a toppings bar.
Get the recipe: Easy Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Chili
Dump-and-Go Crockpot Soups and Chilis
Soups are the most forgiving slow cooker dinners. An extra hour on LOW only makes them better.
17. Slow Cooker Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
Cook: LOW 6 to 8 hours or HIGH 3 to 4 hours
Chicken, wild rice, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, and broth all go in at once. Shred the chicken back into the pot for a creamy, nutty soup. It freezes well, so make a double batch.
Get the recipe: Slow Cooker Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
18. Easy Slow Cooker Meatball Vegetable Soup
Prep: 5 minutes, frozen meatballs go in straight from the bag
The truest dump-and-go recipe on this list. Frozen meatballs, potatoes, carrots, green beans, and corn simmer in a savory tomato broth, no thawing, no browning. Mash a few potatoes against the side of the pot for a thicker soup.
Get the recipe: Easy Slow Cooker Meatball Vegetable Soup
19. Copycat Crockpot Jason’s Deli Chicken Chili
Prep: 10 minutes
Chicken, black beans, corn, green chilies, and cream cheese cook together, then the chicken shreds right in the pot. It’s mildly spiced, creamy, and a hit with kids.
Get the recipe: Copycat Crockpot Jason’s Deli Chicken Chili
20. Easy Slow Cooker Matzo Ball Soup
Prep: 10 minutes
Set it in the morning and come home to rich golden broth, tender chicken, and fluffy matzo balls that taste like they simmered all day. The pot of soup you want when anyone in the house is under the weather.
Get the recipe: Easy Slow Cooker Matzo Ball Soup
Tips for Slow Cooking While You’re at Work
- Prep the night before. Measure spices, trim meat, and open cans after dinner tonight. Store it all in the crock insert in the fridge, then set the insert in the base and press LOW in the morning.
- Choose recipes that hold on LOW for 8 hours. Pork shoulder, stew beef, chicken thighs, soups, and chilis handle a full workday. Chicken breasts are juiciest at 6 hours or less, so use HIGH when you start later or pick a thigh recipe for long days.
- Use thawed meat. Frozen chicken or pork sits too long in the temperature danger zone in a slow cooker. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
- Keep the lid on. Every peek lets heat escape and adds 15 to 20 minutes of cook time. Trust the timer.
- Add dairy and pasta at the end. Sour cream, cream cheese, and cooked pasta go in during the last 15 to 30 minutes so they don’t break or turn mushy.
- Shred in the pot. Two forks right in the crock saves a cutting board and keeps the meat in its juices.
- Use the KEEP WARM setting. If your slow cooker has it, it switches over automatically when the timer ends, so an extra hour at the office won’t ruin dinner.
- Freeze the extras. Shredded chicken, pulled pork, chili, and soup all freeze well for the next crazy week.
Dump-and-Go Slow Cooker FAQs
What is a dump-and-go slow cooker dinner? A recipe where every ingredient goes into the slow cooker raw, at the same time, with no browning or sautéing first. You load it, set it to LOW or HIGH, and come back to a finished meal.
Can I leave a slow cooker on all day while I’m at work? Yes. Slow cookers are designed to run unattended for 8 to 10 hours on LOW. Set it on a clear counter away from the wall, keep the lid on, and use the KEEP WARM setting if your model has one.
What slow cooker recipes can cook for 8 hours without drying out? Pork shoulder, stew beef, chuck roast, chicken thighs, soups, and chilis all hold up for a full workday on LOW. Boneless chicken breasts are best at 4 to 6 hours, so start them later or use thighs for a longer day.
Should I use LOW or HIGH when cooking before work? LOW. It’s gentler on the meat and gives you the full 8-hour window. HIGH cooks in roughly half the time and is better for recipes you start at lunch or early afternoon.
Can I put frozen chicken in the slow cooker? It’s not recommended. Frozen meat spends too long in the temperature danger zone before it heats through. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then dump and go in the morning.
Can I prep slow cooker meals the night before? Yes. Load the ingredients into the insert, cover, and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, set the insert in the base and turn it on. Add 15 to 30 minutes to the cook time for the cold start.
Do I need to add water to a slow cooker? Only what the recipe calls for. The lid traps moisture, so slow cooker recipes need less liquid than stovetop versions. Jarred sauces, canned soup, and broth usually provide plenty.
Dinner That Cooks While You Work
Ten minutes in the morning is all it takes. Pick three of these dump-and-go slow cooker dinners, grab the ingredients in one shopping trip, and let the crockpot handle the rest while you’re at work. You’ll walk in the door to a hot dinner and a kitchen that doesn’t need cleaning.
Which one is going in your slow cooker tomorrow? Leave a star rating and a comment on the recipe, pin this post for your next busy week, and tag @forktospoon so we can see your crockpot dinners.
