18 Easy Slow-Cooker Chicken Recipes for the Busiest Days

Prepping for a few minutes in the morning means you don’t have to think about dinner again until it’s time to eat. Here are some reader favorites.

Kia Damon’s slow-cooker Mississippi chicken.Credit...Rachel Vanni for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

By Margaux Laskey

Published Feb. 2, 2023 Updated Feb. 4, 2026

For some home cooks, the slow cooker is the fairy godmother of kitchen appliances. Toss a few ingredients into the crock (maybe sear the meat or sauté some veg, if you like), set the timer, go about your day and, when you come home, ta-da! Your kitchen smells like someone has been minding the stove all day, and dinner is, with the exception of a few finishing touches, done.

The 18 recipes below all feature chicken, that ever versatile and much loved protein, and, unless otherwise noted, were created by Sarah DiGregorio, a recipe developer and slow-cooker fangirl. Many of the recipes call for boneless thighs, but boneless breasts work, too. Just be aware that you may need to cut down on cooking time to avoid dry, stringy chicken.

(Shopping for a new slow cooker? Wirecutter has some recommendations.)

1. Slow-Cooker Chicken Diavolo With Orzo

An overhead image of chicken and orzo in a bowl. — Credit...Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini.

“Oh man, YUM. This recipe was the perfect combo of low effort, high reward and maximum coziness that I really needed for dinner tonight!”

This spicy, creamy recipe is inspired by two beloved dishes: Italian pollo alla diavola, a chile-slicked grilled chicken dish, and Italian American fra diavolo, a spicy, tomato sauce. Here, chicken thighs braise in a rich mixture of olive oil, tomato paste, hot cherry peppers and sun-dried tomatoes. A touch of cream brings it all together.

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Chicken Diavolo With Orzo

2. Mississippi Chicken

An overhead image of chicken and onions in a golden broth over rice and topped with peas. — Credit...Rachel Vanni for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

“This is so good, I think it changed my brain chemistry.”

If you’re a fan of Mississippi roast, you should definitely give this lighter, brighter chicken version from Kia Damon a shot. Boneless chicken thighs, pepperoncini, garlic, butter and soy sauce simmer for six hours, and then green herbs are added for freshness. Serve over rice or mashed potatoes.

Recipe: Mississippi Chicken

3. Slow-Cooker Gochujang Chicken and Tomatoes

An overhead image of noodles with tomatoes and chicken. — Credit...David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

“This was shockingly fantastic. It’s the easiest thing I’ve ever made in my entire life.”

Ali Slagle brings the heat in this dump-it-and-forget-it chicken dish packed with burst cherry tomatoes and the complex spiciness of gochujang. Serve over noodles or rice cakes.

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Gochujang Chicken and Tomatoes

4. Slow-Cooker Cilantro-Lime Chicken and Rice

An overhead image of chicken and rice coated in a green sauce. — Credit...Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini.

“Great! I would definitely make this again.”

This supersimple dish is inspired by green (or hara) masala, a cilantro seasoning used in many regions of India. In this quick version, lime juice, cilantro, garlic, ginger, oil, salt and turmeric are blitzed in a blender, and then combined with boneless chicken thighs and rice for a truly vibrant one-pot wonder. One note: Be sure to use long-grain white rice, preferably basmati, so it cooks correctly.

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Cilantro-Lime Chicken and Rice

5. Slow-Cooker Chicken and Bean Fideo

An overhead image of chicken, beans and fideos in a bowl. — Credit...Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini.

“Chicken was beautifully tender and kept its shape and texture after cooking with the fideo.”

Chicken and rice is nice, but chicken with noodles is even better. Boneless chicken braises in a heady mixture of chipotles and adobo sauce, garlic, honey, vinegar, oregano and cumin for four hours. Fideo, vermicelli-like noodles that are often used in Spanish and Mexican cooking, are then added along with the beans, which cook until tender.

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Chicken and Bean Fideo

6. Slow-Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

An overhead image of a white bowl filled with red broth, chunks of chicken, roasted cherry tomatoes, hunks of avocado, pita chips, queso fresco crumbles and cilantro leaves. A plate on the side holds additional garnishes. — Credit...David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Hadas Smirnoff.

“So comforting. I had a leftover rotisserie chicken and threw the whole chicken in to simmer and cut down the time to three hours, enough for the carrots to soften.”

This vibrant chicken soup is loaded with carrots, onions, garlic, jalapeño and three kinds of tomatoes. Feel free to sub canned tomatoes for fresh, and while the roasted cherry tomatoes add a nice dimension, you can skip those, too, if you’re in a rush. Serve with your choice of tortilla chips, avocado, lime wedges, hot sauce, cilantro and queso fresco for topping.

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

7. Slow-Cooker Chicken Cacciatore With Mushrooms and Bacon

An overhead image of a white crockpot filled with braised chicken thighs in a red sauce with mushrooms and yellow and red bell pepper slices. A bowl of polenta topped with the chicken — also topped with basil leaves — peeks in from the upper left-hand corner. — Credit...Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

“Wicked good.”

Cacciatore, which translates to “hunter style,” refers to a classic Italian braise that features chicken or rabbit with lots of peppers, tomatoes and wine. Serve this version, which gets a flavor boost from bacon and mushrooms, over pasta or polenta, and with hunks of bread to soak up the sauce.

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Chicken Cacciatore With Mushrooms and Bacon

8. Slow-Cooker Butter Chicken

An overhead image of chicken in a red sauce over rice. A couple of flatbread sit to the side. — Credit...Rachel Vanni for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Spencer Richards.

“I made this tonight and my teens fell in with delight.”

Jennifer Steinhauer’s slow-cooker version of this transcontinental favorite can be quickly prepared in the morning, and then left to simmer until you’re ready for dinner. Serve with rice or naan.

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Butter Chicken

9. Slow-Cooker Lemony Chicken Soup

An overhead image of two white bowls filled with clear broth, tortellini, chunks of chicken, sliced asparagus and carrots, and dill. — Credit...Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Rebecca Jurkevich.

“Our verdict: really yummy, and looking forward to leftovers.”

Lively and light, this chicken soup calls for asparagus and peas, but feel free to substitute two cups of quick-cooking seasonal vegetables, like fresh or frozen corn, baby spinach or arugula, or thinly sliced zucchini.

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Lemony Chicken Soup

10. Slow-Cooker Chicken Tinga Tacos

An overhead image of a white bowl filled with a mixture of shredded chicken, tomato and corn. To the side, is a plate with corn tortillas topped with the chicken mixture, sour cream and pickled red onion slices. — Credit...David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

“Spicy food gives me heartburn and yet, I can’t lay off of it. This recipe was totally worth it!”

Tinga is a Pueblan dish of braised chicken or pork in a chipotle, tomato and onion sauce. This slow-cooker variation calls for fresh or frozen corn kernels, which add happy little pops of sweetness.

Recipe: Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga Tacos

11. Slow-Cooker Chicken Stew With Spinach, Lemon and Feta

An overhead image of a white bowl filled with clear broth, chunks of chicken, potato wedges, wilted spinach, pita chips and dill. — Credit...Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Brett Regot.

“Everyone thought it was fantastic!”

This Greek-inspired meal in a bowl hits all the right spots. Top with crushed pita chips and crumbled feta.

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Chicken Stew With Spinach, Lemon and Feta

12. Slow-Cooker Chicken Ramen With Bok Choy and Miso

An overhead image of three bowls filled with ramen noodles, broth, chunks of chicken, a soft-boiled egg half, bok choy and sprinkled with black sesame seeds. — Credit...Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.

“Brilliant. Put it in the pot, go to work. Dinner is on the table half an hour after you get home.”

The traditional base for miso soup is dashi, a stock made from kombu seaweed and dried bonito, but this recipe takes a shortcut by using chicken broth, optional dried shiitake mushrooms and a quick kombu steep.

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Chicken Ramen With Bok Choy and Miso

13. Slow-Cooker Hot-Honey Chicken Sandwiches

A side shot of a halved seeded roll filled with shredded chicken and creamy coleslaw. Barbecue sauce drips down one side onto the plate below. — Credit...Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Maggie Ruggiero.

“Big hit in my house.”

No need to add liquid to the crock for this spicy-sweet pulled chicken: The meat releases flavorful juices as it cooks. Leftovers are great as a topping for nachos or baked potatoes.

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Hot-Honey Chicken Sandwiches

14. Slow-Cooker Mulligatawny Soup

An overhead image of a white bowl filled with a warm orange-colored creamy soup filled chicken, red lentils, carrot slices, apple chunks and celery. — Credit...David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

“This soup tastes like a hug :)”

When British colonizers encountered rasam, a soupy lentil dish from Tamil Nadu, a region in southern India, they added ingredients to make it closer to the soups they knew, changing it until it became a thick, chunky and meaty stew called mulligatawny. Over the years, the stew has evolved, yielding many delicious versions. This slow-cooker take includes masoor dal (or red lentils), coconut cream, boneless chicken thighs and tart apple.

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Mulligatawny Soup

15. Slow-Cooker Chicken Tortellini Tomato Soup

An overhead image of a white bowl filled with tomato soup, tortellini, chunks of chicken and topped with basil leaves, grated Parmesan and ground black pepper. — Credit...Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

“Aroma was a lovely complement to football and some paperwork. All in all, an easy and enjoyable meal.”

Ten minutes in the morning, and 10 minutes just before you eat: That’s all the time it takes to put together this satisfying soup. Add just the amount of tortellini you plan on eating — or boil the entire bag separately and add to your bowl as you go — because tortellini left in the soup will become mushy.

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Chicken Tortellini Tomato Soup

16. Slow-Cooker Chicken Ragù With Herbed Ricotta

An overhead image of a white rimmed bowl with a yellow and blue decorative edge, filled with a tangle of linguine combined with shredded chicken and tomatoes. It’s topped with a dollop of ricotta and fresh basil leaves. — Credit...Beatriz Da Costa for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Rebecca Jurkevich.

“This was absolutely delicious; the comfort food of my dreams.”

Boneless chicken thighs are braised with tomato, carrot, onion, garlic, oregano, thyme and crushed red pepper in this spicy chicken ragù. Toss with pasta, and then add a dollop of ricotta for a welcome lasagna vibe.

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Chicken Ragù With Herbed Ricotta

17. Slow-Cooker Chicken Gumbo

An overhead image of a white bowl filled with chunks of chicken and okra slices in a red broth and topped with white rice and sliced green scallions. — Credit...David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

“So delicious, and the microwave roux changed my life!”

This smart recipe skips the stovetop roux and instead calls for microwaving it right in the crock. (Double-check first that your slow-cooker insert is microwave-safe!)

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Chicken Gumbo

18. Slow-Cooker Dakdori Tang

An overhead image of a black bowl filled with a bone-in chicken leg and thigh in a deep red sauce filled with chunks of carrots and potatoes. The top is sprinkled with sesame seeds and sliced green scallions. — Credit...Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

“Had this for dinner twice; first the day we cooked it, and then a couple days later reheated. Great both times.”

Also known as dakbokkeum-tang, this warming Korean chicken stew is unabashedly spicy from gochugaru, gochujang and a Korean chile. Serve over a pile of white rice to cut the heat.

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Dakdori Tang

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