Tailgating made easy: Skip the fuss and use the slow cooker!
I don’t know how many tailgate parties I’ve been to where the food consisted of heavy cheese sauce, cheese-stuffed, bacon-wrapped jalapeño poppers, and fat-filled beefy chili. None of those things are bad – in fact, they’re all so delicious that I often overindulge. The next day, I always find myself wracked with guilt from my poor choices, but then I just hit the repeat button the next week. It’s time to break the cycle with these easy tailgating recipes made in a slow cooker (including a killer fried chicken recipe!).
The slow cooker not only makes it easier to whip together my tailgate food, but it also helps me make healthier choices. This collection of skinny recipes doesn’t skimp on the flavor, but it will help you keep your waistline trim and stick to your diet plan. No one at the party will know you brought healthy food – everything tastes that delicious! It’s time to take back chili, cheese dip, meatballs, sandwiches, and tacos by making healthy ingredient choices.
1. Slow Cooker Fried Chicken
Who doesn’t love fried chicken? Well, maybe those of us who are actually trying to stick to our diet plans! That’s what makes this is the ultimate skinny fried chicken recipe. It tastes just as good as the deep-fried variety, but we make it in the slow cooker instead. You’ll still get a crispy piece of chicken but it’s so much healthier without all that extra oil. Sounds like a win-win situation to me!
Try the recipe: Slow Cooker Fried Chicken
2. Slow Cooker Taco Soup
This recipe absolutely nails two of my favorite easy tailgating recipes: soup and tacos. This is a sure-fire way to easily feed a crowd (and make them happy, too). It’s packed with filling fiber and keeps things lean by using turkey instead of beef.
Try the recipe: Slow Cooker Taco Soup
3. Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Chili
Indulge in the ultimate comfort food with this tailgating recipe, where tender chicken is simmered in a zesty blend of buffalo sauce and hearty chili ingredients for a spicy kick that warms you up from the inside out.
Try the recipe: Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Chili
4. Slow Cooker Buffalo Turkey Meatballs
Tender turkey meatballs team up with tangy buffalo sauce, creating a crowd-pleasing appetizer that’s both flavorful and easy to prepare, leaving you more time to enjoy the game day festivities.
Try the recipe: Slow Cooker Buffalo Turkey Meatballs
5. Crock Pot 3-Ingredient Balsamic Chicken
This is one of the most popular recipes on our site! It’s sweet, it’s savory, and it only takes three ingredients to pull it together. This tender chicken will have so much flavor, no one will guess it’s just a bottle of salsa, some balsamic vinegar, and a few boneless skinless chicken breasts. It makes the perfect shredded chicken for sliders!
Try the recipe: Crock Pot 3-Ingredient Balsamic Chicken
6. Skinny Buffalo Chicken Tacos with Slow Cooker Everything Chicken
This easy and delicious recipe will satisfy everyone’s chicken wing cravings in a much healthier way. Our Slow Cooker Everything Chicken Recipe is perfect for this recipe! Make the chicken ahead of time, keep it warm in the slow cooker, and serve the tacos hot at the tailgate!
Try the recipe: Skinny Buffalo Chicken Tacos
7. Slow Cooker Thick and Chunky Beef Stew
Liven up your game day spread with this yummy beef stew! It offers hearty chunks of tender beef, savory vegetables, and aromatic herbs slow-cooked to perfection! This ensures a comforting and satisfying meal that’s perfect for cheering on your favorite team.
Try the recipe: Slow Cooker Thick and Chunky Beef Stew
8. Slow Cooker French Onion Soup
In this tailgating recipe, caramelized onions are simmered to perfection in a rich broth, topped with crusty bread and melted cheese, delivering a comforting and flavorful experience that’s sure to score big with your buds.
Try the recipe: Slow Cooker French Onion Soup
9. Slow Cooker Sesame Ginger Ribs
These tasty ribs are marinated in a flavorful blend of sesame and ginger, then slow-cooked to tender perfection, offering a unique tailgating experience that will have your friends begging for the recipe.
Try the recipe: Slow Cooker Sesame Ginger Ribs
10. Slow Cooker Stuffed Bell Peppers
Warm your body from the inside out with these Slow Cooker Stuffed Bell Peppers. They taste like a burrito (without any of the carbs from the wrap) and the slow cooker makes them easier than ever to make. Just core your peppers, stuff ’em up, and wait to see the looks of joy on your tailgating partners.
Try the recipe: Slow Cooker Stuffed Bell Peppers
11. Overnight Slow Cooker Breakfast Casserole
Kick things off with this yummy casserole, featuring layers of hearty ingredients like eggs, turkey sausage, cheese, and potatoes, all prepared the night before and slow-cooked to perfection, ensuring a hassle-free and delicious start to your game day festivities.
Try the recipe: Overnight Slow Cooker Breakfast Casserole
12. Slow Cooker Apple Butter Pulled Pork
Imagine being with friends on gameday in the crisp autumn air with the aromas of pork, apples, cinnamon, and nutmeg drifting over the tailgate. Sounds magical, doesn’t it? In this recipe, tender pork is infused with sweet and tangy flavors, creating a mouthwatering dish that’s as easy to make as it is delicious.
Try the recipe: Slow Cooker Apple Butter Pulled Pork
13. Slow Cooker Honey Mustard Chicken
Sports fans of all ages adore this dish! One of our most popular slow cooker tailgate recipes, tender chicken thighs are glazed in a sweet and tangy blend of honey, dijon mustard, rosemary, and more. This crowd-pleasing dish is sure to become a favorite at any game day event.
Try the recipe: Slow Cooker Honey Mustard Chicken
14. Slow Cooker Jalapeno Chicken Flautas
These scrumptious little flautas are sure to spice up your tailgating spread! Chicken is slow cooked alongside salsa, jalapeno, and cream cheese before being shredded and wrapped in crispy tortillas. This flavorful appetizer is perfect for adding some heat to your game day festivities.
Try the recipe: Slow Cooker Jalapeno Chicken Flautas
15. Slow Cooker Vegetable Chili
No tailgating party is complete without a hearty chili! This satisfying recipe is sure to hit the spot without expanding your waistline. This fully vegetarian chili contains two different kinds of filling beans and the superfood sweet potato to round it out with a full flavor and rich texture. Yum!
Try the recipe: Slow Cooker Vegetable Chili
16. Slow Cooker Spicy Barbecue Drumsticks
Slow cooked chicken drumsticks are coated in a homemade spice rub and barbecue sauce, creating the ultimate tailgate recipe that’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser with its bold flavors and fall-off-the-bone tenderness. So yummy!
Try the recipe: Slow Cooker Spicy Barbecue Drumsticks
17. Slow Cooker Hawaiian Barbecue Chicken
In this tropical recipe, chicken is simmered in a scrumptious blend of pineapple, barbecue sauce, lime juice, soy sauce, and more, creating a mouthwatering dish that’s bursting with sweet and savory flavors. Serve it up on your favorite bun and enjoy! It’s a perfect way to celebrate those sunny tailgating days!
Try the recipe: Slow Cooker Hawaiian Barbecue Chicken
18. Best Creamy Slow Cooker Broccoli Cheddar Soup
With its easy preparation and warming qualities, this homemade broccoli cheddar soup is the ideal dish to keep friends and family cozy while cheering on their team in the chilly weather.
Try the recipe: Best Creamy Slow Cooker Broccoli Cheddar Soup
19. Skinny Slow Cooker Loaded Baked Potato Casserole
This wholesome twist on a classic favorite is perfect for feeding a crowd on gameday! Packed with nutritious ingredients like lean turkey bacon, Greek yogurt, and fat-free cheeses, it’s the perfect satisfying option while cheering on your team.
20. Slow Cooker Philly Cheesesteaks
Serve up some delicious sandwiches straight out of the slow cooker! This recipe for Slow Cooker Philly Cheesesteaks delivers all the flavors of your favorite fattening sandwich, but we keep things lean by using lean round sirloin steak and low-fat cheese. You won’t be able to taste the difference!
Try the recipe: Slow Cooker Philly Cheesesteaks
21. Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas
Juicy pork is slow-cooked with aromatic spices until it’s melt-in-your-mouth delicious. Perfect for tacos, burritos, or nachos, it’s an effortless crowd-pleaser that brings the fiesta to your table (or tailgate!)
Try the recipe: Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas
22. Slow Cooker Barbecued Beans and Chicken Joes
This two in one combo combines two of our favorite game day foods: barbecue beans and chicken! Serve these up on burger buns for a full meal or slider buns for a crowd pleasing appetizer!
Try the recipe: Slow Cooker Barbecued Beans & Chicken Joes
23. Skinny Slow Cooker Italian Beef
Juicy beef infused with zesty Italian flavors and served up in a lighter, healthier way. Need we say more?! This tailgating recipe is perfect for feeding a crowd without compromising on taste or nutrition.
Try the recipe: Skinny Slow Cooker Italian Beef
24. Slow Cooker Vegetarian Enchiladas
This recipe is packed with hearty black beans, corn, and cheese, all wrapped in tortillas and smothered in a zesty homemade enchilada sauce. It’s the perfect meatless option to satisfy all your guests’ cravings while still bringing plenty of bold, delicious flavors to the party.
Try the recipe: Slow Cooker Vegetarian Enchiladas
25. Slow Cooker Pumpkin Pecan Cobbler
Tailgating wouldn’t be complete without a dessert! We absolutely love the flavors in this pumpkin-pie-meets-pecan-pie cobbler. And, since everything is made in the slow cooker, you won’t have to slave over the stove all day just to make a tasty tailgating treat.
Try the recipe: Slow Cooker Pumpkin Pecan Cobbler
Did you love these slow cooker tailgate recipes? If so, you might also like to try:
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