Here’s a little secret: I actually use my slow cooker more in the summer than I do in the dead of winter. I know, I know, crockpots feel like a cold-weather thing. But hear me out. When it’s blazing hot outside and the last thing I want to do is fire up the oven and turn my kitchen into a sauna, my slow cooker is an absolute lifesaver. I dump everything in before we head out to the pool or the park, and by the time we drag ourselves back home dinner is already done. It’s practically magic. These are the recipes I come back to all summer long.
1. Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork
This is my go-to for feeding a crowd without babysitting a smoker all day in the summer heat. A pork butt roast goes in, and hours later you’ve got melt-in-your-mouth pulled pork smothered in a sweet and tangy homemade barbecue sauce. Pile it high on buns at your next backyard cookout and watch it disappear fast.
2. Killer Crockpot Carnitas
Taco night just got a serious summer upgrade. The slow cooker does all the heavy lifting to get that pork perfectly tender and flavorful, so you can focus on the important things, like setting up the taco bar on the patio. Trust me, one bite and you’ll understand why people lined up out the door for these.
3. Crockpot Lemon Garlic Butter Chicken Thighs
This one is seriously a game-changer for summer dinners when you want something bright and fresh but refuse to turn on the oven. The butter, lemon, and garlic cook together with the chicken to build an incredible sauce right in the pot, no extra liquid needed. Serve it over rice or pasta and soak up every last drop of that sauce.
4. Slow Cooker Sweet Pork
If you haven’t discovered the amazingness that is sweet shredded pork, I am here to set you on the right path this summer. It cooks low and slow while you’re out enjoying the sunshine, and you end up with the most moist, flavorful meat for salads, burritos, tacos, or nachos. I love making a big batch on the weekend and eating off it all week long.
5. Slow Cooker Cuban Mojo Pork
Nothing screams summer quite like the bright citrus and garlic flavors packed into this Cuban mojo pork. The pork slow cooks in a garlicky lemon-orange sauce until it’s fall-apart tender and absolutely loaded with flavor. Pile it on toasted bread for a killer Cuban sandwich, or serve it simply with rice and beans. Either way, it is just so dang tasty.
6. Slow Cooker Crack Chicken
You know those busy summer nights when everyone is starving and you have absolutely zero energy left to cook? This dump-and-go dinner is the ultimate lifesaver. It’s pure cheesy, bacon comfort food. Juicy chicken in a tangy cream cheese and ranch sauce, topped with crispy bacon and melted cheddar. Even the pickiest kids devour it without a single complaint. Delicious on a bun, or as is!
7. Slow Cooker Honey-Chipotle Pulled Pork
When I want to bring a little sweet heat to a summer potluck, this honey-chipotle pork is my secret weapon. The sauce blends smoky chipotles with honey and brown sugar for a finger-licking flavor that infuses the meat all day long. It’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser that requires almost zero hands-on time, my favorite kind of recipe.
8. Crockpot Ribs
Crockpot ribs are one of my favorite summer shortcuts because they come out fall-apart tender without heating up the kitchen all day. Toss everything in, let the slow cooker do its thing, and finish them with a little sauce for a dinner that tastes like you worked a whole lot harder than you did.
9. Slow Cooker Kalua Pork
This Kalua Pork is sweet, smoky, salty goodness with garlic and ginger added in. The slow cooker keeps things easy and ultra juicy.
10. Slow Cooker Hawaiian Barbecue Chicken
Slow Cooker Hawaiian Barbecue Chicken is made with a quick homemade sauce and pineapple. Enjoy the chicken whole, or shredded. It takes less than 10 minutes to get this into the slow cooker so you can set it and forget it!
11. Slow Cooker Creamy BBQ Chicken Sliders
These chicken sliders are made in the slow cooker with a simple homemade BBQ sauce and the secret ingredient: pineapple! Cream cheese is melted in and then you put it all on a bun for the tastiest little sandwich.
The slow cooker isn’t just for chilly weather. It’s one of my favorite ways to keep dinner simple during the summer, especially when I’d rather spend the evening outside than standing over the stove. Whether you’re feeding a crowd, meal prepping for the week, or just trying to keep the house a little cooler, these recipes make it easy to put a great dinner on the table with hardly any fuss.
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