12 Easy 5-Ingredient Crockpot Meals for a Busy and Stress-Free Day

Busy days call for simple solutions in the kitchen. Crockpot meals are the ultimate stress-free dinners. You dump a few ingredients in the morning, and by evening you have a warm, comforting meal ready for your family. Even better, with just 5 ingredients (or less), you’ll save money, time, and effort. Here are 12 delicious 5-ingredient crockpot meals complete with full recipes.

🥘 12 Easy 5 Ingredient Crockpot Meals

1. Crockpot BBQ Pulled Chicken

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts

• 1 bottle BBQ sauce

• 1 onion, sliced

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• Burger buns or tortillas

Instructions:

1. Place chicken and onion in the crockpot.

2. Pour BBQ sauce over the top and sprinkle with garlic powder.
3. Cover and cook on low 6–7 hours or high 3–4 hours.
4. Shred the chicken with two forks, stir well, and serve on buns or tortillas.

2. Salsa Chicken Tacos

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs chicken breasts or thighs

• 1 jar (16 oz) salsa

• 1 packet taco seasoning

• 1 cup corn kernels (optional)

• Tortillas

Instructions:

1. Place chicken, salsa, taco seasoning, and corn in the crockpot.
2. Cook on low 6 hours or high 3 hours.
3. Shred chicken and serve in tortillas with toppings of your choice.

3. Creamy Italian Chicken

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs chicken breasts

• 1 can cream of chicken soup

• 1 block (8 oz) cream cheese

• 1 packet Italian seasoning mix

• Cooked pasta or rice for serving

Instructions:

1. Place chicken, cream of chicken soup, cream cheese, and Italian seasoning in the crockpot.
2. Cover and cook on low 6 hours or high 3–4 hours.
3. Shred chicken, stir to combine, and serve over pasta or rice.

4. 5-Ingredient Crockpot Chili

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground beef, browned

• 2 cans diced tomatoes

• 2 cans chili beans

• 1 onion, chopped

• 1 packet chili seasoning

Instructions:

1. Brown ground beef in a skillet, then add it to the crockpot.
2. Add tomatoes, beans, onion, and seasoning. Stir to combine.
3. Cook on low 6–7 hours or high 3–4 hours.
4. Serve hot with cornbread, chips, or cheese on top.

5. Teriyaki Chicken with Pineapple

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs chicken breasts

• 1 bottle teriyaki sauce

• 1 bag frozen stir-fry vegetables

• 1 cup pineapple chunks

• 1 tsp ground ginger

Instructions:

1. Place chicken, teriyaki sauce, pineapple, veggies, and ginger in the crockpot.
2. Cook on low heat for 6 hours or high heat for 3 hours.
3. Shred chicken, mix everything, and serve over rice.

6. Crockpot Pot Roast

Ingredients:

• 3–4 lb beef roast

• 1 lb baby potatoes

• 4 carrots, cut into chunks

• 1 onion, quartered

• 2 cups beef broth

Instructions:

1. Place roast in the crockpot.
2. Add potatoes, carrots, and onion around the roast.
3. Pour beef broth over everything.
4. Cover and cook on low 8–9 hours or high 4–5 hours.
5. Slice roast and serve with vegetables.

7. Honey Garlic Chicken

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs chicken thighs (boneless, skinless)

• ½ cup soy sauce

• ½ cup honey

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• ¼ cup ketchup
• Instructions:

1. Place chicken in crockpot.
2. Mix soy sauce, honey, garlic, and ketchup in a bowl, then pour over chicken.
3. Cook on low 6 hours or high 3 hours.
4. Serve with rice or noodles.

8. Crockpot Beef & Broccoli

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs beef strips

• 1 cup beef broth

• ½ cup soy sauce

• 4 cups broccoli florets

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

Instructions:

1. Add beef, broth, soy sauce, and garlic to crockpot.
2. Cook on low 6 hours or high 3–4 hours.
3. Add broccoli during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
4. Serve over rice.

9. Creamy Ranch Pork Chops

Ingredients:

• 4–6 pork chops

• 1 packet ranch seasoning

• 1 can cream of mushroom soup

• 1 onion, sliced

• ½ cup milk

Instructions:

1. Place pork chops in crockpot.
2. Add onion slices on top.
3. Mix soup, milk, and ranch sea

4. Cook on low 6 hours or high 3 hours.
5. Serve with mashed potatoes or rice.

10. Buffalo Chicken Dip (Crockpot Style)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked shredded chicken

• 1 block (8 oz) cream cheese

• ½ cup ranch dressing

• ½ cup buffalo wing sauce

• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions:

1. Add all ingredients to crockpot.
2. Stir, cover, and cook on low for 2–3 hours.
3. Stir again before serving with chips, bread, or celery sticks.

11. Crockpot Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients:

• 4 large bell peppers

• 1 lb ground beef (browned)

• 1 cup cooked rice

• 2 cups marinara sauce

• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions:

1. Cut tops off peppers and remove seeds.
2. Mix ground beef, rice, and 1 cup marinara sauce.
3. Stuff peppers with mixture, place in crockpot, and pour remaining sauce over.
4. Cook on low 6 hours or high 3–4 hours.
5. Sprinkle cheese before serving.

12. Lemon Garlic Chicken

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs chicken breasts

• Juice of 2 lemons

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 tsp Italian seasoning

• 1 cup chicken broth

Instructions:

1. Place chicken in crockpot.
2. Add garlic, lemon juice, seasoning, and broth.
3. Cook on low 6 hours or high 3–4 hours.
4. Serve with roasted vegetables or pasta.

With these 12 delicious 5-ingredient crockpot meals, you’ll never run out of quick and stress-free dinner ideas. Try one this week and save this post on Pinterest so you can always come back for more!

🕒 Why You’ll Love These Recipes

1. Minimal prep, maximum flavor
2. Budget-friendly with pantry staples
3. Kid and family approved
4. Perfect for meal prep and freezer meals
5. Great for both weeknights and weekends

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