Ah, the summer! If you’re anything like us, the heat can be brutal. The food, however, is unparalleled. There’s something about summer cookouts that just make the heat and humidity (almost) worth it.
We put together 3 easy summertime meals that you can whip up in the slow cooker and bring to your next poolside gathering.
Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork
Ingredients:
- 3 lbs pork shoulder
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Instructions:
- Mix together the BBQ sauce, apple cider vinegar, chicken broth, brown sugar, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl.
- Place the pork shoulder in the slow cooker.
- Pour the BBQ sauce mixture over the pork shoulder.
- Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or until the pork is tender.
- Use a fork to shred the pork.
- Don’t forget the buns!
Slow Cooker Corn and Potato Chowder
Note: “Chowder? In the summer?” Yes, yes, we know. Summer soups aren’t exactly a really popular thing, but trust us on this one. This corn and potato chowder will feel way lighter than other soups. It’s truly a perfect year-round meal!
Ingredients:
- 4 cups frozen corn
- 4 cups diced potatoes
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- Chopped bacon and green onions for serving (optional)
Instructions:
- Place the frozen corn, diced potatoes, onion, garlic, chicken broth, salt, and black pepper in the slow cooker.
- Stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or until the potatoes are tender.
- Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth (alternatively, transfer the soup to a blender and puree in batches).
- Stir in the heavy cream.
- Cover and cook on high for an additional 15-30 minutes or until the soup is heated through.
- Serve with chopped bacon and green onions if desired.
Slow Cooker Chicken Fajitas
Ingredients:
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 onion, sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 1 green bell pepper, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- Flour tortillas, shredded cheese, sour cream, and chopped cilantro for serving
Instructions:
- Place the chicken breasts in the slow cooker.
- Add the onion, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, garlic, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper to the slow cooker.
- Stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until the chicken is tender.
- Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and shred with two forks.
- Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and stir to combine with the vegetables.
- Serve the chicken fajita mixture on flour tortillas with shredded cheese, sour cream, and chopped cilantro.