Most slow cooker recipes quietly ask you to brown the meat first. This one does not, and that is the whole point of dump and go crock pot recipes: everything goes in cold, the lid goes on, and you leave. The trade-off is real, though. Skipping the sear means you lose some browned flavor, so the recipe compensates with tomato paste, smoked paprika, and a late addition of frozen peas that keeps the vegetables from turning to mush.
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Here is the worked example, because the numbers matter more than the adjectives. Five minutes of assembly, five hours on low, and roughly 285 calories per bowl across six servings. The chicken thighs are cut into 1-inch pieces so they cook through in that window without drying out, and the cornstarch slurry at the end is what turns a thin broth into something that coats a spoon.
Assumption worth flagging: your slow cooker runs at the temperature it claims. Older models and models filled past the fill line can run 10 to 15 degrees cooler, which can stretch the cook time by an hour. If yours is old, plan for six hours, not five.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
About the Ingredients
2 lb (900g) boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
Thighs stay tender through a long cook; breasts dry out. If using breasts, add them at the 3-hour mark instead of the start.
1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
Frozen diced onion works identically here and saves four minutes. Do not use red onion, which turns gray and sweet in a slow cooker.
3 medium carrots, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds (about 1 1/2 cups)
Buy whole carrots rather than baby carrots; baby carrots are cut from larger roots and cook unevenly. Parsnips are a fine swap.
1 lb (450g) baby Yukon Gold potatoes, halved
Halve anything larger than a golf ball or it will still be firm at five hours. Russets will disintegrate; waxy potatoes hold shape.
2 tbsp (30g) tomato paste
This is the stand-in for browning. Sun-dried tomato paste is a stronger, sweeter substitute if you have it.
3 cups (720ml) low-sodium chicken broth
Low-sodium matters because the broth reduces by only about a cup. Vegetable broth makes it vegetarian if you swap the chicken for chickpeas.
1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp dried thyme, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper
Smoked paprika is doing the heavy lifting for depth; regular paprika will taste flat. Salt at the end, not the start, if your broth is not low-sodium.
1 cup (150g) frozen peas
Added at the end so they stay bright. Frozen edamame or chopped green beans work the same way.
2 tbsp cornstarch whisked into 3 tbsp cold water
Cornstarch needs cold water or it clumps. Arrowroot starch works but thins faster on reheating.
1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream
Stir in off heat or it can curdle. Whole milk plus 1 tsp flour is a lighter substitute; coconut milk makes it dairy-free.
Tips & Tricks
Do not lift the lid
Every peek drops the internal temperature and adds roughly 20 minutes to the cook. Use a glass lid if you are tempted.
Layer in the right order
Potatoes and carrots on the bottom, chicken on top. The vegetables need the direct heat and the chicken steams gently above them.
Thicken at the end only
Cornstarch added at the start loses its power over five hours. Whisk the slurry in during the last 15 minutes on high.
- Check the temperature, not just the clock: Chicken should read 165F (74C) at the center of the thickest piece. Timing varies by cooker size and fill level.
Pro Tips
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Layer the vegetables
Put the halved potatoes and sliced carrots in the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. They need the most direct heat, and sitting at the bottom puts them closest to the element.
2. Add the chicken and aromatics
Scatter the diced onion and chicken pieces on top. Spoon the tomato paste over the chicken and sprinkle the smoked paprika, thyme, and black pepper across the surface.
3. Pour the broth
Pour the 3 cups of broth down the side of the pot so it does not wash the spices off the chicken. The liquid should come about three-quarters of the way up the contents, not cover them.
4. Cook on low
Cover and cook on low for 5 hours, or on high for 3 hours. Do not lift the lid during the first 4 hours; the trapped steam is what cooks the chicken evenly.
5. Check doneness
At 5 hours, insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest piece of chicken. It should read 165F (74C), and a carrot should slide off a knife with no resistance.
6. Thicken the sauce
Whisk the cornstarch into the cold water, then stir it into the pot. Turn the cooker to high and cook uncovered for 15 minutes, until the broth thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon and the edges bubble.
7. Finish with peas and cream
Stir in the frozen peas and cook 5 minutes more, until they are bright green and heated through. Turn off the heat, then stir in the cream and taste for salt.
8. Rest before serving
Let the stew sit uncovered for 10 minutes. It tightens slightly and the chicken absorbs some of the liquid, so it does not run across the plate.
Delicious Variations
Mexican Version
Swap the thyme for 2 tsp cumin, add a 4 oz can of diced green chiles, and finish with lime juice and cilantro instead of cream.
Curry Version
Replace the paprika and thyme with 2 tbsp curry powder and add 1 cup coconut milk at the end in place of cream.
Italian Version
Use 1 tsp dried oregano, add a 14 oz can of drained white beans with the peas, and finish with grated Parmesan.
How to Store Dump and Go Crock Pot Recipes
Refrigerator
Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The stew thickens further as it chills; loosen with a splash of broth when reheating.
Freezer
Freeze in single portions for up to 3 months. Leave 1 inch of headspace, and thaw overnight in the refrigerator rather than at room temperature.
Reheating
Reheat on the stove over medium-low for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it reaches 165F (74C). Add broth a tablespoon at a time if it looks tight.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can you put raw chicken in a crock pot?
Yes, raw chicken is safe to add directly to a slow cooker as long as it reaches 165F (74C) internally, which this recipe does in 5 hours on low. Cut it into uniform 1-inch pieces so no section lags behind. Do not start with frozen chicken, which spends too long in the 40F to 140F range.
Q: Why did my crock pot recipe turn out watery?
Most slow cooker meals are watery because the vegetables release liquid as they cook and the lid traps every drop. This recipe accounts for that by using only 3 cups of broth and thickening with cornstarch at the end. If yours is still loose, cook it uncovered on high for 15 minutes.
Q: Can I leave a crock pot on all day while at work?
Yes, on low, and this recipe is built for it, holding safely for up to 8 hours. The catch is texture: past 7 hours the potatoes start to break down and the chicken shreds rather than cubes. If your day runs long, use the warm setting after 5 hours.
Q: Do you have to brown meat before putting it in a slow cooker?
No, browning is a flavor choice, not a safety requirement. Skipping it costs you some Maillard depth, which is why this recipe leans on tomato paste and smoked paprika to compensate. Browning first will taste richer but adds 10 minutes and a pan.
Q: How much liquid goes in a slow cooker?
Fill the pot no more than two-thirds full, and use roughly half the liquid a stovetop version would call for. Slow cookers do not reduce, so extra broth stays extra broth. For a 6-quart cooker, 3 cups is right for this quantity of food.
If you have been skipping slow cooker dinners because the recipes demand a skillet first, this one is the counterexample. Assemble it in the morning, set it to low, and check the internal temperature at five hours. Check the numbers, then decide.
Dump and Go Crock Pot Recipes
Dump and go crock pot recipes like this creamy chicken stew: five minutes of hands-on work, no browning, and a full dinner waiting when you get home.
🧂 Ingredients
- 2 lb (900g) boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 3 medium carrots, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 1 lb (450g) baby Yukon Gold potatoes, halved
- 2 tbsp (30g) tomato paste
- 3 cups (720ml) low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp dried thyme, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 cup (150g) frozen peas
- 2 tbsp cornstarch whisked into 3 tbsp cold water
- 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream
📋 Instructions
- 1Layer the vegetables — Put the halved potatoes and sliced carrots in the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. They need the most direct heat, and sitting at the bottom puts them closest to the element.
- 2Add the chicken and aromatics — Scatter the diced onion and chicken pieces on top. Spoon the tomato paste over the chicken and sprinkle the smoked paprika, thyme, and black pepper across the surface.
- 3Pour the broth — Pour the 3 cups of broth down the side of the pot so it does not wash the spices off the chicken. The liquid should come about three-quarters of the way up the contents, not cover them.
- 4Cook on low — Cover and cook on low for 5 hours, or on high for 3 hours. Do not lift the lid during the first 4 hours; the trapped steam is what cooks the chicken evenly.
- 5Check doneness — At 5 hours, insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest piece of chicken. It should read 165F (74C), and a carrot should slide off a knife with no resistance.
- 6Thicken the sauce — Whisk the cornstarch into the cold water, then stir it into the pot. Turn the cooker to high and cook uncovered for 15 minutes, until the broth thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon and the edges bubble.
- 7Finish with peas and cream — Stir in the frozen peas and cook 5 minutes more, until they are bright green and heated through. Turn off the heat, then stir in the cream and taste for salt.
- 8Rest before serving — Let the stew sit uncovered for 10 minutes. It tightens slightly and the chicken absorbs some of the liquid, so it does not run across the plate.
