easy dump and go slow cooker meals make dinner time easy
Easy dump and go slow cooker meals make dinner time easy: toss six everyday ingredients in the crockpot in the morning and come home to a hot dinner.
This slow cooker chicken and potato dinner takes about five minutes to assemble in the morning. You dump everything in, set it on low, and walk away.
No browning, no separate sauce pan, no stirring halfway. The crockpot does the work while you do literally anything else.
Cleanup is one cutting board, one knife, and the insert. That is the whole list.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
About the Ingredients
2 pounds (900 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Thighs stay juicy over a long cook; chicken breast works but goes dry past six hours, so add it two hours later if you swap.
1.5 pounds (680 g) baby gold potatoes, halved
Baby golds hold their shape; russets break down into the sauce, which is fine if you want it thicker, but the texture changes.
1 can (10.5 oz / 298 g) condensed cream of chicken soup
Cream of mushroom or cream of celery both work. For a dairy-free version, use a can of coconut milk plus a tablespoon of cornstarch.
1 cup (240 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
Water plus a bouillon cube is a fine stand-in. Skip the extra salt if you use regular broth.
1 small yellow onion, cut into wedges
A leek or two shallots give a milder, sweeter result if raw onion is too strong for you.
3 cloves garlic, smashed
Jarred minced garlic is fine here; use one teaspoon. No need to chop it small, it softens completely.
1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
Poultry seasoning or a mix of oregano, thyme, and basil all work. Dried holds up better than fresh in a long cook.
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Sweet paprika works but gives less depth. A half teaspoon of chili powder adds mild heat instead.
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Add salt at the end, not the start. Canned soup and broth already carry a lot of it.
1 cup (100 g) frozen green beans
Stir these in at the end so they stay green. Frozen peas or corn work the same way.
1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream or whole milk
Half-and-half is fine. Add it off the heat so it does not curdle.
2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water
This thickens the sauce. If you like a thin gravy, leave it out entirely.
Tips & Tricks
- Do not lift the lid. Every peek drops the internal temperature and adds roughly twenty minutes to the cook.
- Layer potatoes on the bottom and chicken on top. The potatoes need the direct heat and the chicken bastes everything below it.
- If your crockpot runs hot, check at six hours. Newer slow cookers cook faster than the old ones, and dry chicken is the usual result.
- Salt after cooking. The soup and broth are salty enough that early seasoning usually pushes the dish over.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Layer the potatoes
Scatter the halved potatoes and onion wedges across the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. They take the longest, so they go closest to the heat.
2. Add the chicken
Set the chicken thighs on top in a single layer. No need to trim much; any visible fat renders into the sauce.
3. Dump the sauce
Pour the condensed soup and broth over everything, then sprinkle on the garlic, Italian seasoning, paprika, and pepper. Do not stir.
4. Cook on low
Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours, or on high for 4 hours. The chicken is done when it shreds with almost no resistance and reaches 165 F (74 C) at the thickest part.
5. Thicken the sauce
Whisk the cornstarch with the cold water, then stir it into the pot. Add the frozen green beans now too. Cover and cook on high for 10 minutes, until the sauce coats the back of a spoon and the beans are bright green.
6. Finish with cream
Turn the cooker off and stir in the cream. Taste and add salt only if it needs it. Serve straight from the insert.
Delicious Variations
Ranch version
swap the Italian seasoning for a packet of ranch dressing mix and use cream of mushroom soup.
Tex-Mex version
use a can of diced tomatoes with green chiles, black beans, and a tablespoon of taco seasoning instead of the Italian herbs.
Beef version
replace the chicken with 2 pounds of chuck roast cut into chunks and cook on low for 8 to 9 hours.
How to Store easy dump and go slow cooker meals make dinner time easy
Refrigerator
Keeps in an airtight container for 4 days. The potatoes soak up sauce overnight, so add a splash of broth when you reheat.
Freezer
Freezes well for up to 3 months, but the potatoes turn slightly grainy. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Reheating
Warm on the stovetop over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, or in the microwave in 1-minute bursts, stirring between. Do not boil the cream or it splits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I put frozen chicken in a slow cooker?
Yes, but add about an hour to the cook time. Frozen thighs also release more liquid, so the sauce comes out thinner unless you use the cornstarch slurry at the end.
Q: Why did my slow cooker meal turn out watery?
Chicken and vegetables release water as they cook, and the lid traps all of it. Fix it by removing the lid for the last 30 minutes on high, or by whisking in a cornstarch slurry in the final ten minutes.
Q: Can I cook this on high instead of low?
Yes, use high for about 4 hours. The chicken is still tender, but the potatoes may not be quite as soft, so cut them into smaller halves if you are short on time.
Q: Do I need to brown the chicken first?
No. This is a dump and go recipe, and browning adds a pan to wash for very little gain in a saucy dish. If you want deeper flavor, sear the thighs only when you have the time.
Q: What size slow cooker do I need?
A 6-quart model fits this recipe comfortably. In a 4-quart, cut the chicken to 1.5 pounds and the potatoes to 1 pound, or it will overflow as the liquid rises.
Load it up before you leave the house and dinner is handled. If you make it with the ranch swap, that is the version most people come back to. Dinner's done. Go put your feet up.
Easy Dump and Go Slow Cooker Meals for Busy Nights
Easy dump and go slow cooker meals make dinner time easy: toss six everyday ingredients in the crockpot in the morning and come home to a hot dinner.
🧂 Ingredients
- 2 pounds (900 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1.5 pounds (680 g) baby gold potatoes, halved
- 1 can (10.5 oz / 298 g) condensed cream of chicken soup
- 1 cup (240 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 small yellow onion, cut into wedges
- 3 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup (100 g) frozen green beans
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream or whole milk
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water
📋 Instructions
- 1Layer the potatoes — Scatter the halved potatoes and onion wedges across the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. They take the longest, so they go closest to the heat.
- 2Add the chicken — Set the chicken thighs on top in a single layer. No need to trim much; any visible fat renders into the sauce.
- 3Dump the sauce — Pour the condensed soup and broth over everything, then sprinkle on the garlic, Italian seasoning, paprika, and pepper. Do not stir.
- 4Cook on low — Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours, or on high for 4 hours. The chicken is done when it shreds with almost no resistance and reaches 165 F (74 C) at the thickest part.
- 5Thicken the sauce — Whisk the cornstarch with the cold water, then stir it into the pot. Add the frozen green beans now too. Cover and cook on high for 10 minutes, until the sauce coats the back of a spoon and the beans are bright green.
- 6Finish with cream — Turn the cooker off and stir in the cream. Taste and add salt only if it needs it. Serve straight from the insert.
