When I want an easy meal that’s full of flavor, I pull out my Crock Pot. Throw the ingredients in and the slow cooker works its magic. It is great for those days when I just don’t feel like cooking but want to serve my family an impressive dinner.
“Also sometimes called Pantry or Cupboard Soup, this amazing, hearty Crock Pot dish can’t get any easier,” thinks Donna Graffagnino of her Bean & Pea Slow Cooker Soup. “Make this to suit your taste by adding the ingredients you like, not just what I’ve listed here.”
What I like about this recipe is that you mix and match ingredients based on what you enjoy or have handy in the kitchen. For the protein, we opted for sausage and loved the hint of smokiness. A spicy andouille sausage would add a tasty kick to the soup. This is a good and hearty meal on a cold day.
Sara Andrea’s (Eugene, OR) Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore is a keeper!
“Quick and easy with delicious results,” explains Sara Andrea. “I tend to use boneless skinless chicken breasts and I cut them into large chunks. However, the recipe is also great with thighs. Bone-in is also an option.”
Wine, fresh veggies and Italian seasoning give depths of flavor to this dish. The chicken soaks up all the juices from the vegetables. I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs and they were fall-apart tender. But, you can use whatever chicken you like (or that’s in the freezer). This is made even better by topping with a little grated Parmesan cheese. Yum!
Another delicious chicken dinner is Kelly Kenworthy’s (Baker City, OR) Crock Pot Chicken Fajitas. “Quick, easy, and everyone in the house loves it,” shares Kelly.
This fajita recipe is such a time saver. Put all the ingredients in a slow cooker, turn it on, and forget about it. The chicken turns out tender. Once shredded, it goes back into the Crock Pot to mingle with the sauce. Spooned onto the tortillas, it makes really flavorful fajitas. Set up a fajita bar with the chicken and toppings and let your family create their own.
Easy to prepare and so delicious, Gretchen’s (Columbia, TN) Crock Pot Roast With Gravy always makes my taste buds happy.
“This always makes a tender roast and the gravy is sooo good,” says Gretchen. “I usually use a chuck roast or sirloin tip, whatever is on sale.”
Gretchen shares a flavorful way to slow cook a chuck roast. When done, the meat is so tender it falls apart and melts in your mouth. The gravy is thick, creamy, and full of flavor (just try not to lick the bowl). Serve with noodles or potatoes for the perfect comfort food dinner.
“Threw this together the other night for dinner,” says Amanda Michelle (Hebron, KY) about her Crock Pot Baked Ziti. “It was really good!”
Layering the meat, noodles, and cheese is a great idea because it enables all the ingredients to blend. This reminds us of a lasagna. It’s super cheesy and filled with tomato flavor. You’ll have lots of leftovers which is fine … because this tastes even better the next day.
If you’re looking for easy dinners that are big on flavor, make sure to try one of these Blue Ribbon recipes. They make enough that you’ll have extras for lunch the next day. What’s your favorite slow cooker recipe (it doesn’t have to be for dinner!)? Share a link to it below and Happy Pinching!