High-protein slow cooker recipes for weight loss

A slow cooker is useful for weight loss for one unglamorous reason: dinner is already made when the day gets difficult. It does not lower the calories or raise the protein. It removes the point at which an intended meal becomes takeaway.

Every recipe here makes at least three portions and provides roughly 28 to 46 g of protein per serving. The calorie estimates are rounded from common food-composition values and typical package labels. Your brands, meat cuts and serving sizes will move them.

The recipes at a glance

High-protein slow cooker chicken recipes

1. Salsa chicken and cauliflower bowls

Ingredients, four servings

• 700 g boneless skinless chicken breast, thawed
• 400 g no-added-sugar salsa
• 2 peppers, sliced
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 800 g cauliflower rice, cooked separately
• Lime and coriander to serve

Method: Put the peppers and onion in the cooker, add the chicken, salsa and spices, then cover. Cook on low for five to six hours or until the chicken reaches 165°F or 74°C. Shred it into the sauce and serve over cauliflower rice.

Estimate per serving: 46 g protein, 350 calories. This is the clearest high-protein low-carb slow cooker recipe in the collection.

2. Chicken lentil soup

Ingredients, five servings

• 700 g chicken breast, thawed
• 220 g dry red lentils, rinsed
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 can chopped tomatoes
• 1.2 litres reduced-sodium chicken stock
• Cumin, smoked paprika and black pepper

Method: Put everything in the slow cooker and cook on low for six to seven hours. Shred the chicken, stir and add hot water if the soup is thicker than you want.

Estimate per serving: 39 g protein, 390 calories. Chicken supplies most of the protein; lentils bring additional protein and fibre.

3. White chicken chili

Ingredients, five servings

• 750 g chicken breast, thawed
• 2 cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 300 g sweetcorn, drained
• 1 onion, chopped
• 700 ml reduced-sodium chicken stock
• 200 g plain Greek yoghurt, stirred in after cooking
• Cumin, oregano, chilli and lime

Method: Slow cook everything except the yoghurt and lime for six hours on low. Shred the chicken. Let the chilli cool for a few minutes, then stir in the yoghurt and lime so the yoghurt stays smooth.

Estimate per serving: 42 g protein, 430 calories.

Ground turkey and beef Crockpot recipes

4. Ground turkey chili

Ingredients, five servings

• 750 g lean ground turkey
• 2 cans kidney or black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cans chopped tomatoes
• 2 peppers, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• Cumin, chilli, garlic and smoked paprika

Method: Brown the turkey in a pan first, then transfer it to the slow cooker with everything else. Cook on low for five to six hours. Check that the turkey reaches 165°F or 74°C.

Estimate per serving: 40 g protein, 420 calories. Portion it into five containers for a high-protein meal-prep recipe that reheats evenly.

5. Beef and mushroom stew

Ingredients, four servings

• 700 g lean stewing beef, trimmed and thawed
• 500 g mushrooms, halved
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 750 ml reduced-sodium beef stock
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• Thyme, bay leaf and black pepper

Method: Put vegetables in first, add beef, stock, tomato paste and herbs, then cook on low for seven to eight hours. Check the beef with a thermometer and remove the bay leaf before serving.

Estimate per serving: 38 g protein, 410 calories. Mushrooms and stock provide the volume, so the recipe does not need cream or a large flour thickener.

Low-carb slow cooker recipes

6. Pork, cabbage and apple

Ingredients, four servings

• 700 g pork tenderloin, thawed
• 700 g cabbage, sliced
• 1 apple, thinly sliced
• 1 onion, sliced
• 250 ml reduced-sodium stock
• Mustard, sage and black pepper

Method: Put cabbage, apple and onion in the cooker, place the pork on top and add stock and seasoning. Cook on low for five to six hours, until the pork reaches 145°F or 63°C, then rest it for three minutes before slicing.

Estimate per serving: 42 g protein, 390 calories. The apple is divided across four servings, so the meal stays relatively low in carbohydrate without pretending fruit is a problem.

7. Smoky pulled chicken

Ingredients, four servings

• 700 g chicken breast, thawed
• 300 g passata
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• Smoked paprika, garlic, mustard and black pepper
• 400 g shredded cabbage for serving
• 200 g Greek yoghurt for serving

Method: Slow cook the chicken, passata, tomato paste, vinegar and spices for five to six hours on low. Shred the chicken in the sauce. Serve with cabbage and yoghurt as a bowl, or add a measured wrap if it fits your day.

Estimate per bowl: 45 g protein, 360 calories.

A vegetarian high-protein slow cooker recipe

8. Tofu, edamame and lentil curry

Ingredients, five servings

• 600 g extra-firm tofu, pressed and cubed
• 500 g shelled edamame
• 200 g dry red lentils, rinsed
• 1 can light coconut milk
• 1 can chopped tomatoes
• 500 ml vegetable stock
• 300 g spinach
• Curry powder, ginger, garlic and chilli

Method: Add everything except the spinach to the cooker and cook on low for four to five hours. Stir in the spinach for the final ten minutes. Use light coconut milk because the full-fat version changes the calorie total substantially.

Estimate per serving: 28 g protein, 470 calories. This is vegetarian and vegan as written.

A slow cooker high-protein breakfast

9. Pumpkin cottage cheese oats

Ingredients, four servings

• 240 g steel-cut oats
• 500 g pumpkin puree
• 800 ml unsweetened soy milk
• 400 ml water
• Cinnamon, ginger and vanilla
• 800 g low-fat cottage cheese, added after cooking

Method: Cook the oats, pumpkin, soy milk, water and spices on low for six to seven hours. Divide into four bowls and stir 200 g cottage cheese into each serving after cooking.

Estimate per serving: 29 g protein, 400 calories. Adding cottage cheese after cooking keeps the texture better than leaving dairy in the cooker all night.

Slow cooker food safety in four rules

Slow cooking is safe when the cooker is used as intended. Keep these rules with the recipes:

1. Thaw meat and poultry before they go into the slow cooker.
2. Put slower-cooking vegetables at the bottom and keep the lid in place.
3. Check poultry at 165°F or 74°C, ground beef at 160°F or 71°C, and whole pork at 145°F or 63°C with a three-minute rest.
4. Refrigerate leftovers promptly in shallow containers. Reheat them on the stove, in a microwave or in the oven to 165°F or 74°C, not from cold in the slow cooker.

The simplest meal-prep rotation

Pick two recipes rather than cooking all nine. Make chicken soup for lunches and turkey chili for dinners, or salsa chicken for dinners and oats for breakfast. Freeze any portions you will not use within three to four days.

For recipes made without a slow cooker, continue with the high-protein recipes for weight loss. This page is general reference material rather than a medical diet. If a health condition or medication changes what you can eat, set the plan with your clinician or dietitian.