15 Cheap Lazy Dinners in the Crockpot (easy dump and go recipes!)
Cheap lazy dinners in the crockpot! These dump and go recipes make super easy meals and quick dinners when you just don’t feel like cooking.
We all have those nights when the last thing we want to do is cook dinner.
Whether you’re exhausted from work, busy with kids, or just not in the mood to cook, having a list of lazy dinner ideas is a total lifesaver.
I put together a list of the absolute easiest dump and go crockpot recipes to make dinner effortless!
These lazy dinner “recipes” are quick, easy, and require very minimal effort, with 5 ingredients or less.
They’re no-fuss and very inexpensive – and most importantly, taste great too!
Picky kids and husbands will approve, and no one will realize that dinner took basically no effort.
Just dump in the ingredients, turn on your slow cookers, and arrive at dinnertime with a meal ready to serve.
Let’s check ‘em out!
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Chicken Dump Recipes
These chicken dump meals are super versatile and customizable to your taste.
You can always use chicken thighs in place of chicken breasts.
It’s up to your preference, or whatever is on sale!
As always, feel free to swap things out for what you have on hand.
1. Creamy Italian Chicken:
In your crockpot, combine:
- 2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 8 oz block cream cheese
- Can of condensed cream of chicken soup
- Packet of dry Italian dressing mix
Cook on Low for at least 6 hours.
Note: If you like your food with extra flavor, you can add a little seasoning salt, garlic powder, or simply salt and pepper on top.
Shred the chicken, and serve over pasta or rice.
💡 Pro-tip: Want to make clean up really simple too? Use these crockpot liners, and you won’t have to wash a single pan!
2. Chicken Ranch Tacos
In your Crock Pot, combine:
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup of salsa
- Packet of ranch dressing seasoning mix
- 1 tbs. taco seasoning packet
Cook on Low for 8 hours
Shred chicken and serve with tortillas, or over rice.
3. Teriyaki Chicken
To your slow cooker, add:
- 2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1.5 cups teriyaki sauce
Cook on Low for 6-8 hours
Serve over rice, and enjoy!
You can also add in a bag of frozen stir fry veggies (or asian veggie medley) for the last 30-60 minutes.
Read Next: 27 Super Easy Dump and Bake Chicken Casseroles
4. White Chicken Chili
In your slow cooker, combine:
- 1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or chicken thighs)
- 2 small cans of green chiles (or 1 jar salsa verde)
- 2 cans of white Northern beans, drained
- 6 cups of chicken stock
- 2 tsp. cumin
Cook on Low for 8 hours
Shred chicken and serve chili with your favorite toppings, cornbread, or tortilla chips.
5. Italian Chicken and Potatoes
In the slow cooker, add:
- 3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 4 potatoes, cubed
- ½ cup Italian dressing
- 1 tsp dried Italian dressing seasoning packet
Cook on Low for 6-8 hours
6. BBQ Pulled Chicken
In your crockpot, combine:
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Bottle of BBQ sauce
- ½ cup Italian dressing
- ¼ cup brown sugar
Cook on Low for 6-8 hours
Shred chicken and serve on buns, or over rice or a salad.
Read Next: 75 Kid-Friendly School Night Dinners for Buys Days
7. Chicken & Stuffing
In the slow cooker, add:
- 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 boxes Stove-Top stuffing (dry)
- 2 cans chicken broth
- 2 cans condensed cream of chicken soup
Quick tip: Combine broth and soup together before pouring over chicken and stuffing mix for best results.
Cook on Low for 7-8 hours
8. Chicken & Mushrooms
In the crockpot, combine:
- 3-4 chicken breasts
- 1 can cream of mushroom (or cream of chicken soup)
- 1 can sliced mushrooms
Cook on Low for 6-8 hours.
Serve over rice or egg noodles.
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9. Greek Chicken
To the slow cooker, add:
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs)
- ⅓ cup olive oil, combined with 3-4 tbs greek seasoning
- 1 small onion, sliced
Cook on Low for 6-8 hours
Shred and serve in a pita with feta and lettuce, or on top of a salad or rice.
Substitution ideas :
- Use ⅓ to ½ cup greek dressing instead of olive oil
- Or use 2 tbs garlic powder and 1 tbs dried oregano instead of greek seasoning
Beef Dump Recipes
While searing the beef ahead of time isn’t required for these recipes, it can add flavor if you have the time.
10. Mississippi Roast
In your Crock Pot, combine:
- 3-4 pound beef chuck roast
- ¼ cup butter
- Packet of ranch seasoning mix
- Packet of dry au jus (or brown gravy) mix
- 5-6 pepperoncini peppers
Cook on Low for 8-10 hours.
Shred and serve over mashed potatoes, rice, or with your favorite side dish.
Related: Ultimate List of Cheap Easy Side Dishes for Dinner (+ printable!)
11. Beef & Broccoli
In your slow cooker, combine:
- 1 pound of stew meat
- 1 packet of brown gravy mix (dissolve into hot water before adding for best results)
Cook on Low for 8 hours. At the end, add in a bag of frozen broccoli for 1 hour on High.
Serve over rice.
12. Meatballs & Ravioli
To your Crock Pot, add:
- 1 bag frozen meatballs
- 1 bag frozen ravioli (or tortellini)
- 2 jars pasta sauce
- 2 cups of water
Cook on Low for 6-8 hours
13. Sausage & Potatoes
In your Crock Pot, combine:
- 1 package beef smoked sausage, sliced
- 4 Russet potatoes, large diced
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup
Cook on Low for 6-8 hours
14. Beef Stew
To your slow cooker, add:
- 2 lbs stew meat chunks
- 1 package dry beef stew packet
- 3-4 Russet potatoes, large diced
- 1 bag baby carrots
- 32 oz. carton of beef broth
Cook on Low for 8-10 hours
Quick tip: If stew is thin, stir in 2 tbs of flour until thickened.
15. Beef Stroganoff
In your Crock Pot, combine:
- 2 lbs stew meat, cubed
- 1 can sliced mushrooms
- 1 pkg dry onion soup mix
- Can cream of mushroom soup
Cook on Low for 6-8 hours.
Serve over egg noodles, and enjoy!
Ready to try some cheap lazy dinners?
I hope this list of super easy crockpot recipes has given you tons of inspiration for simple low budget meals to add to your weekly menu.
Cooking dinner doesn’t get any easier than this!
You may also like:
47 Dump and Go Chicken Crockpot Dinners
25 Easiest Crockpot Soup Recipes
