Low-Calorie Slow-Cooker & Crockpot Recipes

This slow-cooker chicken recipe makes a perfect alternative to standard tomato-based barbecued chicken. Both kids and adults will devour these drumsticks, doused in a honey-sweetened sauce spiked with orange, ginger and garlic.

As this layered slow-cooker squash casserole recipe cooks, the liquid from the tangy tomatillo salsa and summer squash is absorbed by the quinoa, adding tons of flavor to the final dish.

Black beans, earthy mushrooms and tangy tomatillos combine with a variety of spices and smoky chipotles to create a fantastic full-flavored chili. It can simmer in the slow cooker all day, which makes it perfect for a healthy supper when the end of your day is rushed.

This stew has a simple list of ingredients, but plenty of great flavor thanks to flank steak, a cut that's known for its excellent meaty flavor. The flank is also known for its long grainy, and sometimes tough texture. In this stew the texture is a great asset--the meat shreds apart into tasty strips after it's cooked in the slow cooker.

Store-bought pasta sauce just can't compare to homemade marinara--and the slow cooker makes marinara from scratch much easier. This fresh tomato recipe was developed to preserve the summer bounty from your garden or farmers' market; it freezes well for up to 6 months so you can pull out pasta or pizza sauce anytime. Keeping the skins on makes it even easier, plus they contain pectin, which helps thicken the sauce.

Traditional French rillettes are made by slowly cooking pork or duck in its own fat to make a spread. This recipe takes inspiration from that technique to make a plant-based version with carrots. Serve with crackers or bread.

We serve these lemon-oregano chicken pitas with lots of fixings tucked in, but you could ditch the pita and serve it all over cooked bulgur, cauliflower rice or a bed of greens.

Be sure to use waxy potatoes, such as red or Yukon Gold, in this crockpot potato soup recipe. The result will be creamier than if you use starchy varieties like russets. Load your bowl up like a classic baked potato or see Tip (below) for more ways to mix it up.

This slow-cooker chicken Marsala recipe gets its full flavor from plenty of mushrooms and fragrant shallots. Whole-wheat pasta soaks up the rich sauce. Round it out with a simple green salad for a comforting healthy dinner.

This Mediterranean stew is a healthy dinner chock-full of vegetables and hearty chickpeas. A drizzle of olive oil to finish carries the flavors of this easy vegan crock-pot stew. Swap out the chickpeas for white beans for a different twist, or try collards or spinach in place of the kale. Any way you vary it, this stew is sure to go into heavy rotation when you are looking for healthy crock-pot recipes.

This slow-cooker chicken noodle soup fits nicely into the Mediterranean diet thanks to plenty of vegetables, lean chicken breast and whole-wheat pasta. Pair it with a salad and toasted whole-grain bread for an easy, healthy dinner.

Making turkey breast in the slow cooker guarantees moist, juicy meat every time. And it creates intensely flavorful drippings for homemade gravy. This slow-cooker turkey breast is perfect for Thanksgiving but it's easy enough that you can pull it together anytime you're in the mood for a turkey dinner (or a sandwich stuffed with leftover turkey).

Skip the takeout and make amazing Chinese food at home! Broiling the drumsticks after they slow-cook caramelizes their glaze and gives them their satisfying sticky, sweet quality. To make these slow-cooker chicken drumsticks gluten-free, use gluten-free soy sauce.

When making a whole, slow-cooker chicken, it's best to buy a better-quality chicken such as one from a farm stand. The flavor and texture of the bird will hold up best over the long cook time. Also, leaving the skin on during cooking will ensure that the chicken stays moist. If you have leftover chicken, use it for a chicken soup or in a chicken salad sandwich. For a beautiful presentation, serve the chicken surrounded by fresh sage leaves and roasted, halved lemons and garlic heads.

This is a salty, sweet and smoky onion jam with a noticeable pork and black pepper flavor. It may seem slightly runny when hot, but when cooled it's thick and tender. Eat this tasty slow-cooker jam on burgers, especially with blue cheese, or serve on a cheese board. It will keep in the refrigerator for about 5 days.

Al dente farro with earthy leeks, thyme, savory mushrooms and bacon is a match made in culinary heaven. The result is a hearty and toothsome dish that you'll crave time and again. Garnish with fresh thyme sprigs, if desired.

Don't expect this slow-cooker chutney to be like the American version, which is jam-like and almost a preserve. This recipe is true to the original Indian style of chutney, which is more of a thick sauce. With spices and tomato, it's both slightly hot and sweet. It's best eaten warm or at room temperature on crackers or grilled meats, and it will keep in the refrigerator for about 5 days.

These slow-cooker onions are an ideal condiment for burgers, steaks, a grilled chicken breast or sautéed fish. They also make a pleasing addition to a cheese board or topping for Brie. They're best eaten cold or warm, but not hot.

You truly can just dump the recipe ingredients and leave it until the cook time is up. The finishing touch of toasted pecans adds the right amount of crunch to these slow-cooker mashed sweet potatoes.

Dark rum and tart Granny Smith apples bring slow-cooker sweet potatoes to life. This dish makes an exciting side for roasted turkey or pork. Piercing the potatoes with a fork is essential to keeping them from bursting in the slow cooker.

Everyone will love this new spin on the classic cabbage-and-potatoes combo. The addition of fennel adds earthy and slightly sweet flavor to the dish.

These slow-cooker beans are super flavorful and tender. To save time, process the garlic cloves in a small food processor instead of mincing them by hand. You can also make this a day ahead and refrigerate overnight to give the flavors more time to mingle. Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves, if desired.

In addition to being a great stand-alone side, these slow-cooker mushrooms are also excellent tossed in a salad or stir-fry. Be sure to buy whole cremini mushrooms so they will retain their texture and not turn mushy during the long cook time. If you don't want to wait for the mushroom mixture to concentrate during the 1 hour and 30 minutes of cooking it uncovered, then cook it, uncovered, just long enough for the mushrooms to brown. Then drain the liquid and bring it to a boil in a saucepan. Once the liquid has thickened, stir in the mushrooms and vinegar and sprinkle with the scallions.

With the honey, butter and cinnamon sauce drizzled on top and the sprinkling of pomegranate arils, this slow-cooker acorn squash is almost like a dessert. You can also drizzle the sauce over oatmeal and baked apples for breakfast.