I would like to propose an idea. We are trading the takeout delivery fees for bold flavors like rice vinegar and sriracha right from your own kitchen.
It is the ultimate cheat code for a tasty dinner that is way cheaper than ordering out. You are just ten minutes of prep away from a total flavor bomb that uses simple pantry staples you probably already have.
1. Crockpot Sesame Chicken
Here is a chicken dinner that keeps things super simple. The sauce base is just soy sauce, honey, and tomato paste, or you can swap in ketchup.
If you go the ketchup route, you might want to pull back on the honey since it is already sweet. But if you like things extra sweet, go ahead and add more.
I always add sriracha for a little kick, but that is totally up to you. And sesame seeds are a must.
Just a heads up on the veggies: toss things like broccoli or asparagus in at the end so they don’t get rubbery.
2. Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken
We all need that one recipe to get us over the midweek hump, and this sweet and sticky garlic chicken is it. You can even make this on the weekend and divide it up for meal prep.
It freezes like a dream, which is super handy.
I love eating this with egg fried rice, but steamed rice or noodles work perfectly too.
3. Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken
Some recipes take all day, but this delicious chicken is ready to go in just a few hours. The best part is that cooking chicken breasts this way keeps them insanely juicy while soaking up all that flavor.
You just toss the chicken in the pot and cover it with a mix of soy sauce, honey, hoisin, vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, and sriracha.
Give it a few hours and it will be fork tender and ready to shred.
4. Asian Crockpot Meatballs
These Asian meatballs are essentially the perfect party food. They are bite sized, packed with flavor, and so easy to make in a huge batch.
You start with frozen meatballs and throw them right into the pot. You can definitely make your own, just skip the Italian seasoning.
Cover them in a sauce of hoisin, soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, garlic, and brown sugar. In a few hours, they are hot, tender, and sticky.
5. Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala
Just like chili, a good curry gets better when it cooks longer. It thickens up naturally and lets those flavors really get to know each other.
Plus this method guarantees the most tender chicken ever.
This recipe uses serrano peppers which bring the heat, but jalapeños work if you can’t find them. Just remember to add the yogurt last.
To keep it from curdling, temper it by whisking a little hot sauce into the yogurt before adding it to the pot.
6. Slow Cooker Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Lettuce wraps are such a delicious and simple low carb meal that feels light but filling. Lean ground chicken keeps the calories down, but you won’t miss a thing because the sauce does all the heavy lifting.
And this is totally perfect for your vegan friends too.
Just swap the chicken for tofu ground beef and no one will even know it is meat free.
7. Slow Cooker Chinese Pulled Pork
I am a little obsessed with pulled pork. Sweet, spicy, or in the middle, I just can’t get enough. That is why I was excited by this Asian inspired recipe.
Instead of bold BBQ you make a quick sauce with hoisin, soy sauce, honey, sherry, ginger, and garlic. Use it in tacos with scallions and pickled red onions or throw it in a sesame bun.
8. Crockpot Chicken Chow Mein Recipe
Chow mein and lo mein are both delicious noodle meals, but the difference is in the cooking. Usually chow mein is stir fried with noodles in the pan while lo mein noodles are cooked separately and tossed in sauce.
Since you can’t stir fry in a Crockpot, this is technically more like lo mein. But honestly, whatever you call it, it is scrumptious.
9. Slow Cooker Beef and Broccoli
Beef is rich on its own so you often see it paired with a deep soy based sauce. Adding beef broth brings extra flavor since it is made with veggies and seasonings.
But this recipe uses beef consommé, which is a way more flavorful broth made with beef, veggies, seasonings, and egg whites.
When you make consommé, the impurities bubble to the top leaving you with a clear, deliciously rich stock.
10. Slow Cooker Lo Mein
This recipe uses a liner to make clean up a total breeze. Just push the bag into the pot and fold it over the lip.
You cook the meat right in the sauce here. It uses pork shoulder which gets incredibly soft.
Cover it with a blend of soy sauce, garlic, brown sugar, sambal oelek, oyster sauce, ginger, and sesame oil. Since pork is a thicker cut, let this go for hours on low.
I love recipes that take their time so I can come home to a tasty dinner.
11. Slow Cooker Chinese Spare Ribs
Spare ribs are bigger and meatier than baby back ribs and so many people find them tastier. Unlike other recipes, you start by cutting these ribs into individual portions.
This helps the sauce infuse the meat and makes them tender all around. It also helps with the last part of cooking.
Broiling is essential for that crisp edge and being pre cut helps them caramelize on every side.
12. Crockpot Saucy Asian Ribs
I am fully convinced that the Crockpot was made for ribs. They need to cook for hours to get that fall off the bone texture and the slow cooker is ideal.
You don’t have to babysit a grill or leave the oven on all day. Just add everything to the pot and walk away.
After about five hours they are ridiculously tender. But try broiling them for a few minutes before serving for something even better.
13. Slow Cooker Orange Chicken
Orange chicken is obviously pretty sweet. That zesty orange flavor is front and center but balanced out by the other ingredients.
You use orange marmalade here which has a distinct bitterness instead of being cloying. Add in soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, and green onions and this is delightfully sweet and savory.
14. Slow Cooker Thai Pineapple Vegetarian Curry
My favorite thing about curry is how versatile it is. It can have heat, tons of veggies, creamy sauce, meat, or even fruit.
There is a curry for every mood and this one is perfect for a chilly evening when you want something filling.
This vegan curry is loaded with protein rich chickpeas and sweet potatoes in a pleasantly sweet sauce with coconut milk, curry powder, crushed red peppers, and garlic.
15. Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken
This shredded teriyaki chicken is one of those things you make once and use in a bunch of meals all week. Serve it over rice for dinner or in a wrap for lunch.
It is also delicious in a fresh roll with slaw. You add the sauce while it cooks to soak up flavor and only add the cornstarch once the chicken is removed.
16. Slow Cooker Chinese Barbecue Pork
Hoisin sauce is basically known as Asian BBQ sauce, so if it looks like BBQ it is probably hoisin. It is lightly acidic and sweet but needs other ingredients to pop, like rice wine and sriracha.
This dish also uses Chinese Five Spice which is a blend of star anise, fennel seeds, Szechuan peppercorns, cloves, and cinnamon. It is warm and spicy and unique.
17. Slow Cooker Hot And Sour Soup
Hot and sour soup is known for spice but also for having a lot of ingredients. From pork and mushrooms to bamboo shoots and tofu and eggs, there is a lot going on here.
It is also low in carbs and calories.
If you wonder how they get the eggs so silky, it is surprisingly simple. Just stir the hot soup and stream the beaten eggs right in to create delicate ribbons.
18. Slow Cooker General Tso’s Chicken
General Tso’s is that perfect blend of sweet and spicy. This recipe is lighter because it uses cornstarch for texture instead of a heavy batter.
To get the best texture, pan fry the chicken before adding it to the pot so you get those lovely dark edges.
Like many recipes here, you need hoisin sauce or you can make your own for something authentic.
19. Vegan Crockpot Chinese Hot Pot
This is more of a soup than a hot pot if you ask me. A hot pot is usually a simmering vessel where you cook meats and veggies at the table.
This is a one pot dish with everything already cooked. Still, it is a tasty little dish and I love the bamboo shoots for crunch and tofu for protein.
20. Crockpot Sweet and Sour Chicken
Was this your favorite growing up too? It is mild enough for kids but I still love that sweet and sour sauce.
Battered nuggets make it tasty but you can’t deep fry in a slow cooker so this version is lighter. Many recipes use ketchup but this blend of soy sauce, honey, vinegar, tomato paste, garlic, and ginger is better.
The sweetness comes from pineapple juice which you add at the end.
21. Kung Pao Chicken – Slow Cooker
Kung Pao chicken is from the Sichuan Province and is loaded with flavor including Sichuan peppercorns for spice. This dish is a little like General Tso’s but noticeably hotter.
If you like that sticky sweet taste but prefer a kick, give this a try. It is typically served stir fry style with yummy vegetables.
22. Slow Cooker Ramen Noodles Recipe
Ramen is almost always made with meat or fish broth and topped with sliced meat and veggies. Amazingly this dish doesn’t go overboard with spices because you only need ginger and black pepper.
The rest of the flavor comes from chicken, onion, garlic, broth, soy sauce, vinegar, milk, and mushrooms.
23. Slow Cooker Chop Suey
Chop Suey is an American-Chinese creation with meat and eggs in a thick sauce. This version uses beef and pork but you can stick with one if you prefer.
Sear the meat first then add it to the pot with water chestnuts, bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, and mushrooms. Interestingly the sauce is just soy sauce and chicken broth.
24. Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef
Mongolian beef has such a simple but powerful sauce. All you need is garlic, ginger, brown sugar, and soy sauce.
You can use ground ginger but you will absolutely taste the difference with the fresh stuff. Just grab a chunk, peel it, and keep it in the freezer.
This is best with flank steak but skirt or hanger steak works too. You coat the meat in cornstarch first so the sauce thickens into a glaze as it cooks.
