18 Family-Friendly Slow-Cooker Recipes to Make for Dinner

Made in your slow-cooker, this easy take on the classic chicken dish uses whole chicken legs cooked with just garlic cloves, sliced lemons, and thyme sprigs. Serve the finished dish with crusty bread for the ultimate cozy dinner.

Lamb shoulder becomes fork-tender and irresistible when cooked in a slow-cooker along with a traditional blend of mirepoix (celery, carrots, and onion), dill, garlic, and thyme sprigs. Serve over quinoa and garnish with pomegranate seeds and pistachios.

Hearty Lacinato kale, zucchini, cranberry beans, and tomatoes are cooked together for hours to form an irresistible stew. It's delicious with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano for serving, but feel free to leave it off for a vegan bowl.

The slow-cooker captures the aromatic, spicy notes of coriander, serrano chiles, tamarind paste, mild curry powder, and fenugreek seeds, infusing the fish—choose cod or halibut—with the signature curry flavor.

Economical flank steak breaks down and becomes super flavorful when cooked with red bell pepper, jalapeño peppers, diced tomatoes, and small Spanish olives in this slow-cooker version of the essential Cuban-inspired stew recipe.

Two kinds of pork—pork shoulder chops and thick-cut bacon—cook with thinly sliced red cabbage and onion. Ground allspice and thyme enhance the flavor, and applesauce and sour cream are the finishing touches.

Aromatic ingredients like fennel, orange zest, green olives, and rosemary transform beef chuck into a bright, flavorful dish that will transport your taste buds to the Italian countryside. It's delicious served over mashed potatoes or polenta.

These Vietnamese-inspired ribs have an irresistible combination of fish sauce, honey, and shallots, which bring so much sticky-sweet flavor. Serve alongside a carrot and cabbage slaw with lime juice and mint leaves.

On a cold winter's night, there's nothing more satisfying than this vegetarian stew. It's packed with Great Northern beans, leeks, butternut squash, and spinach. Don't forget plenty of shredded Parmesan for serving.

Who could resist these boneless, skinless chicken thighs that cook in a slow-cooker with thinly sliced garlic, sliced jalapeños, roasted peanuts, and four cups of packed cilantro leaves?

The power couple behind this slow-cooker braise is orange marmalade and red-wine vinegar. They give the dish a tang that's the perfect complement to rich pork shoulder. Serve the stew over couscous with peppery watercress that adds a fresh, crisp contrast.

Pulled pork is a barbecue staple, and meat-lovers everywhere will rejoice at this slow cooker take on the classic entrée. Boneless pork shoulder is cooked with chopped onion, crushed and whole canned tomatoes, chipotle in adobos, and oregano and bay leaves for earthiness.

Here's your Sunday supper. Our secret to tender pot roast is cooking the beef with plenty of flavorful ingredients like Worcestershire sauce, garlic cloves, tomato paste, and chicken broth.

More seasoned than spicy, chicken legs become fall-off-the-bone tender when given the slow-cooker treatment. Cumin, cinnamon, and ginger lend a sophisticated sharpness to the chicken.

Buffalo chicken doesn't just make an appearance as wings. Here, chicken thighs are tossed with finely chopped bell pepper, crushed tomatoes, hot-pepper sauce, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and molasses for sweet and spicy flavor.

Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are always tender and flavorful because of how fatty they are; when cooked in a slow-cooker, the result is even more spectacular. Here, they are cooked with pinto beans and salsa (choose how spicy you like it!) for a total Tex-Mex-inspired dinner.

Plan ahead and make this hearty ragu a day or two in advance, as the flavors will become richer with time. Serve it spooned over thick egg noodles, polenta, or a hunk of crusty bread.