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  4. Lightened Up Slow-Cooker Recipes

Lightened Up Slow-Cooker Recipes

Southern Living May 2021 Cover
By Southern Living Editors
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Slow Cooker Turkey Chili with Quinoa
Credit: Hector Sanchez
Serving up a nutritious dinner doesn't have to be hard. Whether you're craving a healthy start to the New Year or just trying to stay on track with your goals throughout the year, these hearty but healthy slow cooker recipes are just what you need. From family-favorite beef recipes and Crock-Pot chicken meals to vegetarian dinner ideas and comforting soups, this list of easy and light slow-cooked dinners aims to please. Now that's what we call a fresh start to the new year, or any new week, really.
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Sausage and Squash Lasagna

slow cooker, Sausage and Squash Lasagna

Recipe: Sausage and Squash Lasagna

Ricotta, fontina, and Asiago cheese combine with squash, sausage, and mushrooms in this practically hands-free pasta dish.

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Barbacoa Brisket

Slow Cooker Barbacoa Brisket
Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey

Recipe: Barbacoa Brisket

Slow cooking tougher cuts of meat, such as beef brisket, gives you a meltingly tender texture. For tacos, serve the saucy barbacoa in tortillas with green and red onion, cilantro leaves, jalapeño slices, and fresh lime wedges.

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Chicken Thighs with Olives and Tomato Sauce

Chicken Thighs with Olives and Tomato Sauce
Credit: Randy Mayor

Recipe: Chicken Thighs with Olives and Tomato Sauce

You can add capers along with the olives, parsley, and seasoning for a more briny flavor in chicken thighs with olives and tomato sauce. The parsley goes in last to keep its flavor and color intense. Serve with a salad of mixed greens and a simple vinaigrette.

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Ramen Bowls

Ramen Bowls
Credit: Jennifer Causey

Recipe: Ramen Bowls

Any ramen lover will tell you—it's all about the broth. We build layers of rich flavor with the help of mushroom stems, fresh ginger, kombu (a type of edible kelp), sesame oil, and, of course, low and slow heat.

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Plum Pork Tenderloin

Plum Pork Tenderloin

Recipe: Plum Pork Tenderloin

Serve with jasmine rice to help soak up some of the sauce. Snow peas make a great side dish for rounding out your meal.

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Thai Red Curry Beef

Thai Red Curry Beef
Credit: Southern Living

Recipe: Thai Red Curry Beef

Jalapeño seeds add a slight kick to this Thai beef dish that's covered and cooked on low for six hours.

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Chicken Tamales with Ranchero Sauce

Chicken Tamales with Ranchero Sauce
Credit: Jennifer Causey

Recipe: Chicken Tamales with Ranchero Sauce

Forming the tamales is part of the fun. Make it a family activity with an assembly line—one person filling, another folding, and a third tying. This recipe uses lard, which has less saturated fat than butter.

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Fresh Corn and Potato Soup with Sautéed Shrimp

Fresh Corn and Potato Soup with Sautéed Shrimp
Credit: Jennifer Causey

Recipe: Fresh Corn and Potato Soup with Sautéed Shrimp

After tasting the delicious results of "milking" a fresh corn cob, you'll never shuck and chuck again. We fully tap the flavor of in-season corn with this kernel-to-cob cooking method, infusing our soup with rich, sweet flavor.

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Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic

Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic
Credit: Jennifer Causey

Recipe: Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic

White meat can dry out after a long haul in the slow cooker, so we opt for bone-in thighs to guarantee optimal flavor and succulence. Make prep easier with pre-peeled garlic. Pretty up the platter with lemon slices and thyme sprigs.

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Slow-Cooker Roasted Chicken

This Slow-Cooker Roasted Chicken recipe has all the flavor and warmth of a gourmet meal, but it doesn’t several involve hours in the kitchen. The convenience of a slow cooker ultimately saves the day when the regular duties of life leave you little time to prepare a filling meal. Complete with spices like cayenne pepper, fresh thyme, and paprika, there’s no doubt this recipe will leave you and your family utterly satisfied. A long and low cook times makes the chicken incredibly tender, and craving a second serving is almost inevitable! Slow-Cooked Roasted Chicken is the perfect choice for a relaxed, chilly winter evening. Throw in some spices, a few fresh ingredients, and a chicken, and let the nifty slow cooker do the work for you.  Not convinced? This recipe serves four people, and it will only take thirty-five minutes to prepare! There’s nothing more rewarding than sitting down to the dinner table with a hearty and delicious meal that took very little effort.

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Spicy Chicken Cacciatore

Spicy Chicken Cacciatore
Credit: Randy Mayor

Recipe: Spicy Chicken Cacciatore

Serve this saucy dish over polenta or pasta. Transform leftovers into soup: Shred the chicken, and place in a pot with sauce. Add unsalted chicken stock, diced zucchini, and diced carrots; simmer until veggies are tender.

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Beef Pot Roast with Turnip Greens

Beef Pot Roast Turnip Greens
Credit: Nina Choi

Recipe: Beef Pot Roast with Turnip Greens

Cipollini onions are small, flat Italian onions. If you can't find them, substitute pearl onions. Other large, full-flavored greens like mustard greens or kale will work as well.

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Try These Hearty and Healthy Recipes

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Classic Beef Stew

Classic Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Credit: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Classic Beef Stew

A nutty dark beer adds richness and depth to the stew. Be careful not to choose a beer that's super hoppy; it will taste too bitter. To get 2 pounds of trimmed meat, you'll need to purchase a 2 ½-pound roast.

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Chicken with Potatoes and Carrots

Chicken with Potatoes and Carrots
Credit: Southern Living

Recipe: Chicken with Potatoes and Carrots 

Classic flavor is only 20 mintues of meal prep away in this simple chicken dinner. Your Crock-Pot will handle the rest.

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Chicken and Shrimp Jambalaya

Chicken and Shrimp Jambalaya
Credit: Southern Living

Recipe: Chicken and Shrimp Jambalaya 

French-Cajun cooking striaght from your slow cooker.

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Slow-Cooker Red Beans and Rice

Slow-Cooker Red Beans and Rice
Credit: Howard Lee Puckett

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Red Beans and Rice

Don't be turned off by the total time this recipe requires: Eight hours are simply for soaking beans overnight, and another eight are for hands-off cooking.

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Slow-Cooker Turkey Chili

Slow-Cooker Turkey Chili
Credit: Jennifer R. Davick

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Turkey Chili

This slow-cooker chili recipe is as easy as it is delicious.

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Soulful Chicken Soup

Soulful Chicken Soup
Credit: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Soulful Chicken Soup

This comforting slow cooker soup is about to become your new favorite chicken soup recipe.

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Slow Cooker Turkey Chili with Quinoa

Slow Cooker Turkey Chili with Quinoa
Credit: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Slow Cooker Turkey Chili with Quinoa

This quinoa chili is protein packed and sure to satisfy.

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Smoky Turkey-and-Sweet Potato Chili

Smoky Turkey-and-Sweet Potato Chili
Credit: Hector M. Sanchez

Recipe: Smoky Turkey-and-Sweet Potato Chili

Curl up with a bowl of sweet potato and turkey chili on a particularly cool night, and you're sure to warm up with the smokey flavor of chipotle peppers.

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Slow-Cooker Chicken Cacciatore with Spaghetti

Slow-Cooker Chicken Cacciatore with Spaghetti
Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Chicken Cacciatore with Spaghetti

A simple, homemade sauce meets a pound of noodles in this slow cooker spaghetti.

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Slow-Cooker Chicken Lettuce Cups

Slow-Cooker Chicken Lettuce Cups
Credit: Alison Miksch

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Chicken Lettuce Cups

Spoon slow cooker chicken into lettuce leaves and drizzle with sauce and toppings for a fresh dinner that'll make you forget about tortillas.

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Rosemary-Garlic Chicken Quarters

Rosemary-Garlic Chicken Quarters
Credit: Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Rosemary-Garlic Chicken Quarters

Cooking Video: How To Make Rosemary-Garlic Chicken Quarters

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Chicken-and-Spinach Lasagna

Chicken-and-Spinach Lasagna
Credit: Oxmoor House

Recipe: Chicken-and-Spinach Lasagna

Serve this Crock-Pot lasagna with a side of salad, and you're all set.

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Slow-Cooker Veggie Chili

Slow-Cooker Veggie Chili
Credit: Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Veggie Chili

Vegetarian doesn't mean flavorless. This veggie chili uses a variety of your favorite beans, and you can add a bit of hot sauce to your serving for a dash of extra flavor.

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Lemon-Rosemary Chicken

Lemon-Rosemary Chicken
Credit: Oxmoor House

Recipe: Lemon-Rosemary Chicken

Five ingredients and ten minutes of prep time stand between you and a healthy meal.

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    Everything in This Slideshow

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    View All

    1 of 27 Sausage and Squash Lasagna
    2 of 27 Barbacoa Brisket
    3 of 27 Chicken Thighs with Olives and Tomato Sauce
    4 of 27 Ramen Bowls
    5 of 27 Plum Pork Tenderloin
    6 of 27 Thai Red Curry Beef
    7 of 27 Chicken Tamales with Ranchero Sauce
    8 of 27 Fresh Corn and Potato Soup with Sautéed Shrimp
    9 of 27 Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic
    10 of 27 Slow-Cooker Roasted Chicken
    11 of 27 Spicy Chicken Cacciatore
    12 of 27 Beef Pot Roast with Turnip Greens
    13 of 27 Try These Hearty and Healthy Recipes
    14 of 27 Classic Beef Stew
    15 of 27 Chicken with Potatoes and Carrots
    16 of 27 Chicken and Shrimp Jambalaya
    17 of 27 Slow-Cooker Red Beans and Rice
    18 of 27 Slow-Cooker Turkey Chili
    19 of 27 Soulful Chicken Soup
    20 of 27 Slow Cooker Turkey Chili with Quinoa
    21 of 27 Smoky Turkey-and-Sweet Potato Chili
    22 of 27 Slow-Cooker Chicken Cacciatore with Spaghetti
    23 of 27 Slow-Cooker Chicken Lettuce Cups
    24 of 27 Rosemary-Garlic Chicken Quarters
    25 of 27 Chicken-and-Spinach Lasagna
    26 of 27 Slow-Cooker Veggie Chili
    27 of 27 Lemon-Rosemary Chicken

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