A Nerd Cooks

... and bakes and mixes the occasional cocktail!

Slow Cooker

Three Ingredient Slow Cooker Taco Chicken

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This Slow Cooker Taco Chicken is super easy and delicious. Just throw three ingredients into the slow cooker and walk away. Shred the chicken and enjoy it in a variety of ways!

Three Ingredient Slow Cooker Taco Chicken | A Nerd Cooks

This is another one of those dishes that I’ve made countless times, but have never taken the time to photograph. Usually we just dig in to dinner, and by the time I remember to take a picture, the natural light isn’t very good anymore or the sun has set completely.

We make this taco chicken at least once a month. It’s versatile (use it in tacos, burritos, etc.), requires almost no effort to prepare, and makes a lot of food. As a result, we get to enjoy leftovers at least once during the week. For me, this just adds to this chicken’s appeal.

Three Ingredient Slow Cooker Taco Chicken | A Nerd Cooks

Three Ingredient Slow Cooker Taco Chicken | A Nerd Cooks
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Three Ingredient Slow Cooker Taco Chicken
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
6 hrs
Total Time
6 hrs 5 mins
 
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Mexican
Author: laurenpacek
Ingredients
  • 4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
  • 15.5 oz jar of salsa
  • 1 oz packet taco seasoning
Instructions

  1. Place all ingredients in a 4 quart slow cooker. Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6 hours. 

  2. Using two forks, shred the chicken.

Recipe Notes

Note: I usually use mild salsa, but feel free to go as spicy or as mild as you like.

Just like the Pressure Cooker Carnitas that I shared last week, this shredded chicken is pretty versatile. Eat it in tacos, quesadillas, burritos, or alongside/atop some Cilantro Lime Rice. Do you! Do what feels right.

If you’re looking for something a little spicier, but just as easy to throw together, take a look at this Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken. Super easy to make, and can also be used in a number of ways.

Three Ingredient Slow Cooker Taco Chicken | A Nerd Cooks

 

Three Ingredient Slow Cooker Taco Chicken | A Nerd Cooks

Three Ingredient Slow Cooker Taco Chicken | A Nerd Cooks

Pressure Cooker Carnitas

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These Pressure Cooker Carnitas are the easiest, most delicious carnitas you will ever make. Depending on how much time you have on your hands, I’ve included instructions for how to make them in either the electric pressure cooker OR slow cooker.

Pressure Cooker Carnitas | A Nerd Cooks

I have made these carnitas embarrassingly often since first discovering the recipe 3 years ago. The original recipe is for the slow cooker, which is great if you have all day, or have the presence of mind to throw everything together before you leave for work. For me, this is not always the case. After receiving an electric pressure cooker for Christmas, I decided to adapt the recipe. That way, I’m able to have carnitas in a fraction of the time.

Our favorite way to eat these carnitas is Chipotle burrito bowl-style. Toss some of this crispy yet tender pork in a bowl with some Cilantro Lime Rice and a variety of taco/bowl toppings (beans, cheese, guacamole, etc.), and you’re in business. They’re also excellent in a taco (corn tortillas, please).

The slow cooker preparation comes from Damn Delicious.

Pressure Cooker Carnitas | A Nerd Cooks
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Pressure Cooker Carnitas
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
40 mins
Total Time
45 mins
 
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Mexican, Tex-Mex
Servings: 8 people
Ingredients
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 2 onions, quartered
  • 1 tbs chili powder
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • 2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper
  • 3-4 lbs boneless pork shoulder, trimmed of excess fat
  • 2 oranges, juiced
  • 2 limes, juiced
  • fresh cilantro, chopped
Instructions
  1. Combine all of the spices in a small bowl. Set aside.
Instructions for pressure cooker
  1. Cut the pork shoulder into 2- to 3-inch chunks.

  2. Add the garlic cloves, quartered onions, and cubed pork to the electric pressure cooker insert. Sprinkle the spice mixture over everything. Using your hands, toss the garlic, onions, and pork around in the spices, rubbing the spices into the meat. Add the orange and lime juice to the pressure cooker.

  3. Place the lid on and lock it. Cook for 25 minutes on high pressure. Depending on your preference, you can allow the pressure to release naturally or do a quick release.

Instructions for the slow cooker
  1. Add the garlic cloves, quartered onions, and pork to the slow cooker. Sprinkle the spice mixture over everything. Using your hands, toss the garlic, onions, and pork around in the spices, rubbing the spices into the meat. Add the orange and lime juice to the slow cooker.
  2. Put the lid on and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours.
Instructions for both preparations after meat is finished cooking
  1. Now that the pork shoulder is cooked through, you'll want to crisp things up a bit. Preheat the broiler to high. Remove the pork from to a baking sheet lined with foil, and shred the meat. Spoon some of the juices and onions that are left over onto the shredded meat. Broil for 2-3 minutes.

  2. Remove the sheet pan from the oven and toss the meat around a bit with tongs. Pour some more of the juices over the meat and broil for 2-3 additional minutes. 

  3. Remove from the oven, top with chopped cilantro, and serve immediately. 

Pressure Cooker Carnitas | A Nerd Cooks

Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oats

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This Slow Cooker Oatmeal–made with steel cut oats–is a healthy, filling, make-ahead breakfast for the entire week!

Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oatmeal | A Nerd Cooks

I have good intentions. I really do. Like, every weekday I intend to get up early enough to make myself a healthy breakfast before running out the door. Does this always happen? Definitely not.

Meal prepping really helps with this issue. I make a big batch of something on Sunday afternoons (like these Make-Ahead Omelet Muffins), portion it out, and then all I have to do is grab something from the fridge on my way out the door.

This winter, slow cooker oatmeal has been my go-to. Mix some ingredients up in the slow cooker, set it, and forget it. And you can change up the flavors however you see fit, which helps to prevent breakfast boredom. Plus, it’s healthy. Win-win-win. Just heat the oatmeal up in the microwave and you’re off and running.

Before making this for the first time, I had concerns about how the consistency of the oatmeal would hold up over the course of a work week. No need to worry, though! Because the steel cut oats retain their slightly chewy texture, rather than just turning to mush.

Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oatmeal | A Nerd Cooks

Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oatmeal | A Nerd Cooks
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Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oatmeal
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
6 hrs
Total Time
6 hrs 5 mins
 
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6
Ingredients
Basic steel cut oatmeal:
  • 1 1/2 cups steel cut oats
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 6 cups milk and/or water
Optional add-ins:
  • Spices (cinnamon, pumpkin spice, etc.)
  • Sweeteners (maple syrup, agave nectar, honey, brown sugar, etc.)
  • Toppings (nuts, dried fruit, fresh fruit)
Instructions
To make basic steel cut oatmeal
  1. Place the steel cut oats, salt, and milk/water in a greased (either butter or cooking spray) slow cooker and whisk to combine.
  2. Cook for 2-3 hours on high or 4-6 hours on low. Stir everything around once or twice during the cooking process.
Optional add-ins
  1. If you'd like to dress this oatmeal up a bit, feel free to add spices and/or sweeteners of your choice along with all of the other ingredients. I generally don't add any of the suggested toppings until I'm ready to eat.
Recipe Notes

Notes: Cow's milk, almond milk, water, and a combination of any of those 3 work well. Other non-dairy milks—such as coconut—may also work, though I haven't tried using them.

 

Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oatmeal | A Nerd Cooks

Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oatmeal | A Nerd Cooks

Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oatmeal | A Nerd Cooks

Turkey White Bean Pumpkin Chili – Updated

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This Turkey White Bean Pumpkin Chili is delicious, filling, and healthy. It’s great year-round, but the pumpkin makes it perfect for Fall!

Turkey White Bean Pumpkin Chili | A Nerd Cooks

I originally blogged about this chili, following a recommendation from my mom that I make it, about 3 years ago. I’ve been making it on the regular ever since. Even Sean, who tires easily of pumpkin, loves it.

Like many of my older posts, this one was in dire need of an update.

Turkey White Bean Pumpkin Chili | A Nerd Cooks

The recipe was originally published by Skinnytaste.

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Turkey White Bean Pumpkin Chili
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
8 hrs
Total Time
8 hrs 15 mins
 
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Ingredients
  • 2 lbs ground turkey
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 2 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 2-15 oz cans great northern or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 4.5 oz. can chopped green chiles
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 15 oz can pumpkin puree
  • 2 bay leaves
  • salt and pepper, to taste
Toppings (optional)
  • Greek yogurt or sour cream
  • shredded cheese
  • tortilla chips, crumbled
Instructions

  1. Spray a large skillet with cooking spray. Cook the ground turkey over medium heat until browned and cooked through, crumbling it as it cooks. Once cooked through, add the turkey to the slow cooker.

  2. Add olive oil to the skillet and sauté the onions and garlic, until the onions start to soften. Add the cumin and cook for a minute more. Add this to the slow cooker.

  3. Add the chili powder, oregano, white beans, pumpkin, and broth to the slow cooker. Stir to combine. Place the bay leaves on top.

  4. Put the cover on the slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours.

  5. Once finished cooking, remove the bay leaves and taste. Adjust the seasonings if necessary. 

  6. Ladle the chili into bowls and top with your desired toppings.

Turkey White Bean Pumpkin Chili | A Nerd Cooks

 

Turkey White Bean Pumpkin Chili | A Nerd Cooks

Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken

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This Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken is one of those recipes that I make again and again, never tiring of it.

Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken | A Nerd Cooks

Sean loves it, too. And for good reason: It’s spicy and delicious! This buffalo chicken is also super versatile. We typically eat it in taco form, although we’ve also been known to put it on top of a baked potato. Top either the taco or baked potato with some sharp cheddar cheese and a drizzle of Ranch dressing and you’re in business. Don’t rule out a little avocado, either.

Not that you needed yet another reason to make this… but I’m going to give you another one. It’s incredibly easy to make! Just toss a few chicken breasts into a slow cooker, add some sauce, and walk away! Once they have cooked, you just need to shred the chicken. It couldn’t be easier.

Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken | A Nerd Cooks

Note: Text from this post was updated on 4/4/2018.

If you’re looking for more buffalo chicken deliciousness, make sure to pop on over to check out my Buffalo Chicken Dip!

Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken | A Nerd Cooks
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Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
4 hrs
Total Time
4 hrs 5 mins
 
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Author: laurenpacek
Ingredients
For the chicken
  • 4 chicken breasts
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 12 oz. hot sauce
  • 1/4 cup yellow mustard
  • 1 oz Ranch seasoning (1 packet)
  • 2 tbs butter
Optional toppings and accompaniments
  • shredded cheddar cheese
  • Ranch dressing
  • taco shells or tortillas
  • baked potatoes
Instructions

  1. Place the chicken breasts in a 4 quart slow cooker. Salt and pepper the chicken.

  2. In a medium bowl, combine the hot sauce, mustard, and Ranch seasoning. Pour it over the chicken.

  3. Set the slow cooker to high, and cook for 4 hours.

  4. After 4 hours, remove the chicken to a plate and shred it. Add the butter to the crock pot and stir so that it melts into the sauce. Add the chicken to the crock pot again and stir to coat with the sauce.

  5. Serve immediately or let the shredded chicken hang out in the crock pot on low for another hour.

Recipe Notes

Note: We like to eat our Buffalo Chicken taco-style. But you do you. Eat it however feels right. It's great on a baked potato, or on its own as well. However you choose to eat it, let me recommend a little drizzle of Ranch dressing to temper the heat.

Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken | A Nerd Cooks

 

 

Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken | A Nerd Cooks

Slow Cooker Chickpea and Sweet Potato Curry

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This Slow Cooker Chickpea Curry (with sweet potatoes!) is delicious, largely hands-off, and can cook all day while you’re at work!

So, as you may have figured out… Indian food and curry-based dishes are sort of my jam. Thus far, I’ve made Chicken Tikka Masala, Chicken Curry, Easy Chickpea Curry, and, most recently, Curried Egg Salad.

Slow Cooker Chickpea and Sweet Potato Curry | A Nerd Cooks

Though delicious, those dishes (with the exception of the egg salad) can be a little time and labor intensive. They’re great for dinner on a weekend, but maybe aren’t what I’d opt for after a long day at work.

However!  Making a curry in the crock pot allows me (and you!) to enjoy all of that deliciousness, while putting in a fraction of the effort and hands-on cooking/prep time.

Slow Cooker Chickpea and Sweet Potato Curry | A Nerd Cooks

This recipe comes from the blog A Spicy Perspective, and has been modified just slightly.

Slow Cooker Chickpea and Sweet Potato Curry | A Nerd Cooks
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Slow Cooker Chickpea and Sweet Potato Curry
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
6 hrs
Total Time
6 hrs 15 mins
 
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients
  • 1 tbs olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 tbs fresh ginger, chopped
  • 13.5 oz. can unsweetened coconut milk
  • 2 tsp garam masala
  • 2 tsp curry powder
  • 2 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tbs honey
  • 2 - 14 oz cans chickpeas, drained
  • 3 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream, optional
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • basmati rice, for serving
Instructions
  1. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the oil, onion, garlic, and ginger. Sauté for 3-5 minutes, or until the onions are soft.
  2. Place the onions, garlic, and ginger in a blender. Add the can of coconut milk, curry powder, turmeric, cumin, and honey. Blend until completely smooth.

  3. Pour the sauce into a 4-quart slow cooker. Add the chickpeas and sweet potatoes and stir to coat everything. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4-5 (or until the sweet potatoes are fork tender).

  4. During the last 30 minutes of cooking, add the 1/4 cup of heavy cream and stir. The cream is not necessary here, but adds a rich luxuriousness to the curry. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Serve over rice.

Slow Cooker Chickpea and Sweet Potato Curry | A Nerd Cooks Slow Cooker Chickpea and Sweet Potato Curry | A Nerd Cooks

 

Slow Cooker Chickpea and Sweet Potato Curry | A Nerd Cooks

Slow Cooker Turkey Chili

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This Slow Cooker Turkey Chili is a great recipe for either a lazy or busy day. Just throw the ingredients in your slow cooker and forget about it until it’s time to eat.

Slow Cooker Turkey Chili | A Nerd Cooks

We’ve had several very rainy and windy days, thanks to Hurricane Florence. This cooler, dreary weather seemed like perfect excuse to make some comforting chili.
And it’s not that I didn’t have the time to attend to a meal on the stovetop, but making dinner in the slow cooker really freed up my time to catch up on TV. Sometimes you just need to be lazy.

Slow Cooker Turkey Chili | A Nerd Cooks

This post was updated on September 15, 2018

Slow Cooker Turkey Chili | A Nerd Cooks
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Slow Cooker Turkey Chili
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
5 hrs
Total Time
5 hrs 15 mins
 
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Author: Lauren Pacek
Ingredients
  • 1 lb ground turkey
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 bell pepper (any color), chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tbs chili powder
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 15 oz can of kidney beans, drained
  • 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes
  • 6 oz tomato paste
Garnishes (optional)
  • sour cream
  • shredded cheese
  • chives or green onions, minced
  • avocado, diced
  • tortilla chips, crumbled
Instructions

  1. In a large skillet, cook the turkey until browned, crumbling it as you cook.

  2. Add the chopped onion, bell pepper, garlic, and spices. Stir to combine, and cook for 5-7 minutes more, or until the onions begin to soften.

  3. Place the turkey mixture in the bottom of a 4 qt. slow cooker. Add the beans, tomatoes, and tomato paste. Stir to combine

  4. Put the lid on the slow cooker, and cook for 4-5 hours on low. 

  5. Ladle the chili into bowls and top with whatever garnishes you desire.

Looking for more chili recipes? How about my Pressure Cooker Green Chicken Chili or Turkey White Bean Pumpkin Chili!

Slow Cooker Turkey Chili | A Nerd Cooks

 

Slow Cooker Turkey Chili | A Nerd Cooks