As a habits-expert, batch-prepping a protein or two at the start of the week is one of the simplest ways I make dinner easier. These 10 recipes are real-life staples in my kitchen: easy to prep in bulk, endlessly versatile, and perfect for building quick, satisfying dinners all week long. If you’re looking to simplify without sacrificing flavor, this list is for you!

Overhead shot of shredded chicken breast garnished with lemon slices, parsley and yogurt sauce in a slow cooker.
4.83 stars (28 ratings)

Slow Cooker Greek Chicken

Slow cooker Greek chicken combines just 4 ingredients like lemon, garlic and Greek yogurt to create a fresh, delicious high-protein meal you can use in a number of ways. Stuffed in pita piled with veggies or in a bowl with rice or pita, it's a Greek-inspired slow cooker recipe that you will find yourself making week after week!
Ingredients: Greek yogurt, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, chicken.
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Metal tongs picking up a portion of cooked shredded chicken breast from a slow cooker.
5 stars (7 ratings)

Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken Breast (Juicy & Easy Meal Prep!)

If you’re tired of dry, bland chicken, this slow cooker shredded chicken breast will be your new meal prep hero! It’s juicy, tender, and comes together with almost no effort. Perfect for loading up tacos, topping salads, stuffing sandwiches, or freezing for easy dinners later, and easier than rotisserie!
Ingredients: chicken breasts, salt, garlic powder
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Overhead shot of a white bowl with a serving fork and sliced, grilled pork tenderloin topped with fresh parsley. Bowl is surrounded by lemon wedges, blue towel, and a jar of red sauce.
5 stars (5 ratings)

Brown Sugar Pork Tenderloin Marinade

This sweet and savory pork tenderloin marinade produces the juiciest pork every time! A simple 5-ingredient marinade of brown sugar, soy sauce, Dijon, lemon juice, and garlic takes no time to whisk together and totally transforms a basic cut of meat.
Ingredients: oil, soy sauce, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pork tenderloin.
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Overhead shot of a plate of sliced grilled chicken topped with parsley and lemon wedges on an oval plate.
5 stars (13 ratings)

Simple Lemon Chicken Marinade (for Grilling!)

This quick and easy lemon chicken marinade gives chicken a ton of flavor with fresh lemon, garlic, and parsley. The ultimate in simple, high-protein dinner recipes, just 5-minutes of prep yields the most juicy, flavorful grilled chicken breasts or thighs you've ever tasted.
Ingredients: olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, parsley, sugar, dijon mustard, salt, black pepper, garlic, chicken.
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shredded meat on corn tortillas and wooden cutting board with toppings on the side
5 stars (9 ratings)

Slow Cooker Shredded Beef (Easy Tacos + More!)

Perfectly spiced and incredibly easy to prepare, my slow cooker Mexican-inspired shredded beef is made with 7 simple ingredients. You'll love how it saves you time (no searing required), so just dump-and-go for the most succulent, fork tender shredded beef for tacos and more.
Ingredients: boneless beef chuck-eye roast, onion, tomato paste, cumin, mild chili powder, smoked paprika, lime juice and salt.
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Close-up of person holding a slow cooker with shredded meat topped with lemon slices and fresh herbs.
5 stars (4 ratings)

Slow Cooker Greek Pork Tenderloin (Juicy & Easy)

Juicy slow cooker Greek pork tenderloin made with Greek yogurt, garlic, and lemon. So tender and flavorful for easy pitas, bowls, or wraps!
Ingredients: Greek yogurt, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, pork tenderloin.
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Overhead shot of a serving bowl with a serving fork and cooked chicken thighs covered in red sauce and chopped fresh herbs. Bowl is surrounded by a towel; a jar of red sauce; and small bowls of coleslaw, potato chips, and chopped herbs.
5 stars (9 ratings)

5-Ingredient Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Thighs

Wondering if it’s possible to get succulent, melt-in-your mouth chicken thighs in the slow cooker, made with just 5 ingredients and prepped in under 5 minutes? Well, the answer is a resounding YES. Slow cooked and bathed in a simple BBQ sauce–this is the chicken thigh recipe you won't be able to get enough of.
Ingredients: chicken thighs, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, BBQ sauce.
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A slow cooker with raw chicken thighs covered in a brown sauce, chopped garlic, and red pepper flakes.
4.86 stars (7 ratings)

Slow Cooker Hot Honey Chicken (5-Ingredients & Juicy!)

This 5-ingredient slow cooker hot honey chicken is all about ease and big flavor! With just a few pantry staples, it simmers into sweet, spicy, juicy perfection, it's perfect for sandwiches, bowls, or however you like to pile it on.
Ingredients: honey, brown sugar, white vinegar, garlic, salt, red pepper flakes, chicken thighs.
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Overhead shot of slow cooker flank steak topped with fresh herbs inside of a black crockpot.
4.94 stars (44 ratings)

Slow Cooker Flank Steak

This ultra tender slow cooker flank steak recipe could not be easier to make, and yields the most delicious, tender flank steak for tacos, sandwiches and more!
Ingredients: flank steak, chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, brown sugar, olive oil and salt.
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Overhead shot of raw chicken tighs covered in an orange sauce in a slow cooker.
4.95 stars (20 ratings)

Easy Slow Cooker Satay Chicken (w/ Coconut Milk)

Slow cooker satay chicken is a flavorful, versatile meal made with chicken thighs, coconut milk, and curry paste. A simplified take one Thai peanut chicken, it's a delicious and easy dinner recipe that's not only quick to prepare but also a great meal prep protein option. You wont believe how flavorful the end result it!
Ingredients: chicken, salt, peanut butter, coconut milk, Thai red curry paste, brown sugar, lime juice, fish sauce.
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Slow cooker BBQ chicken in a black crockpot on a white background.
5 stars (18 ratings)

2-Ingredient Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken (w/ Breast Meat)

This wildly easy 2-ingredient slow cooker BBQ chicken can be prepped in no time using store-bought or homemade sauce, yielding deliciously tender and versatile pulled chicken breasts. Perfect for meal prep on busy weeks!
Ingredients: chicken breasts (or chicken thighs) and chipotle BBQ sauce (or store bought barbecue sauce).
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Close-up overhead shot of a white oval serving plate with sliced grilled chicken breasts, fresh parsley, and lemon wedges. Plate is surrounded by small bowls of chopped parsley, lemon wedges, and yogurt.
5 stars (5 ratings)

5-Ingredient Chicken Marinade w/ Greek Yogurt + Lemon

So ridiculously good, and producing the most juicy, hyper-flavorful chicken, this Greek yogurt chicken marinade (for breasts or thighs) uses just 5 ingredients (can you ever go wrong with garlic and lemon?) and can be grilled or oven baked. Delightful flavorful and so easy!
Ingredients: Greek yogurt, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, chicken breasts (or thighs) and salt.
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Metal tongs picking up a portion of cooked shredded chicken breast from a slow cooker.
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Batch Protein Prep Shredded Chicken Breast

Developed and tested by A woman with long blonde hair, smiling, holds and pours a bottle of oil in a modern kitchen setting.Robyn Conley Downs
Servings: 6 servings
Cook: 3 hours
Total: 3 hours
This slow cooker shredded chicken breast will be your new meal prep hero! Plus more protein meal prep recipes I make on repeat to make dinner easy.
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Ingredients

  • 4 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of fat
  • 1-2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons granulated garlic powder

Equipment

Instructions 

  • Place the chicken in a 6-quart slow cooker. Sprinkle both sides with salt and garlic powder. Cook on low for 3-6 hours, or until the chicken shreds easily with a fork. Note: All slow cookers are different, so keep an eye on your chicken the first time you make this recipe. It may even be done after 2 hours, so check early to avoid overcooking.
  • Remove the chicken to a cutting board and shred with two forks. Alternatively add to a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat until shredded.
  • If desired, carefully strain the cooking liquid from the slow cooker. Add the shredded chicken back to the slow cooker and add back as much of the strained liquid as desired. Alternatively strain the liquid and reserve for another use.

Notes

  • Serving Size: I usually cook 4 pounds of chicken breast at a time, which makes about 6 1-cup servings or 12 ½-cup servings of shredded chicken.
  • Low Temp: Cook your chicken low & slow, and keep an eye on your slow cooker temperature because it can overcook quickly. Every slow cooker cooks differently, so start checking on the early side the first time you make this recipe. Yours may even be done after 2 hours, so keep on eye on it!
  • No Added Liquid: Unlike other recipes, no extra liquid is needed here! The chicken will release its own liquid, and I got about 1.5 cups of liquid just from the chicken during the cooking process. I like to drain the liquid into a container, shred the chicken, then add back in for extra juicy chicken or reserve it to use like I would chicken stock.
  • Trim the Fat: Make sure your chicken is well-trimmed – any fat will melt and congeal to the bottom of your slow cooker. It’s not a big deal though – you can mix any white fat that accumulates in the bottom of the slow cooker back and into your chicken or scrape it out before adding the chicken back in.
Course: dinner, Lunch
Cuisine: American

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 1 (of 6), Calories: 348kcal, Carbohydrates: 1g, Protein: 64g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 194mg, Sodium: 539mg, Potassium: 1131mg, Vitamin A: 91IU, Vitamin C: 4mg, Calcium: 16mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutrition disclaimer
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