7 High-Protein Crockpot Meals with 30+ Grams of Protein
This post includes 7 high-protein crockpot meals that make it effortless to hit your protein goals and put dinner on the table. With these easy crockpot recipes, you can enjoy delicious warm meals all week long without sacrificing your precious free time or your nutrition goals.
If you’re anything like me, the last thing you want to do after a long busy day is toil away in the kitchen for hours. That’s why we’re coming to the rescue with healthy high-protein crockpot meals that you can make with minimal effort while still hitting your protein goals.
Of course, finding time to cook nutritious meals can be difficult, especially when you’re already juggling work, family, and your personal life…plus whatever precious free time you have left.
However, at the same time, it’s difficult to reach your health goals without prioritizing eating healthy food. Research shows that high-protein meals are essential for maintaining stable energy levels, muscle recovery, and overall health and wellness.
Fortunately, crockpot recipes make the perfect meal prep solution, allowing you to cook in bulk with minimal effort.
To make things easier, we’ve rounded up the best high-protein crockpot meals for you so you can feel confident that you’re not sacrificing taste or health for yourself or your family.
Before we get into the post, we have to plug our all-time favorite slow cooker. Well, it’s really so much more than that. The Instant Pot Pro Crisp is not only a slow cooker, it’s also a pressure cooker and air fryer. So no matter what you have planned for dinner, this handy kitchen gadget has all the bases covered.
Is it just me, or do you also get sucked into all the trends of the latest kitchen gadgets, only to find yourself stowing them away to collect dust after a few short months of thrill? Well, I’ve been there. But with this multifunctional device, you check all the boxes from slow cooking to pressure cooking, air frying, and even cooking sous vide.
The 7 Best High-Protein Crockpot Meals
We’ve rounded up the absolute best high-protein crockpot meals so you don’t have to! With these easy crockpot recipes, you’ll be eating delicious meals all week long without stressing about hitting your protein goals.
- White Chicken Chili
- Slow Cooker Classic Chili
- Butter Chicken
- Chicken Tinga Tacos
- Slow Cooker Vegetarian Chili
- Classic Pulled Pork
- Chicken Tortilla Soup
Alright, let’s get into these 7 high-protein crockpot meals.
1. White Chicken Chili
There are so many delicious and easy high-protein crockpot meals, but White Chicken Chili has to be our favorite. It’s a lighter take on a traditional chili with hearty white beans, tender chicken, and a creamy broth. While most white chili recipes include cream cheese, this healthy slow cooker recipe keeps it dairy-free and allows the flavors of the beans and chicken to take center stage.
This recipe is perfect for people who don’t eat red meat or just prefer chicken to beef. Plus, it packs even more protein than its traditional counterpart because of the use of chicken breast and bone broth.
We love topping this recipe with a big dollop of greek yogurt for some creaminess and added protein. A slice of crusty bread is perfect for scooping up all the remaining juices.
This high-protein crockpot meal makes 6 servings and each packs in 30 grams of protein.
Tip: Do you find shredding chicken time-consuming and messy? This handy chicken shredder makes the process really easy and practically mess-free. You simply put the chicken in, twist the lid back and forth, and ta-da perfectly shredded chicken. Plus, it’s dishwasher safe.
2. Slow Cooker Chili
When we think of high-protein crockpot meals, we automatically think of chili and that’s why this incredible slow cooker chili is second on our list. The low and slow cooking process creates an incredibly rich and decadent flavor that only gets better over the week. It’s packed with simple ingredients like veggies, lean protein, and spices making it a nutritious option that you can eat over and over without getting sick of it.
We’re big fans of high-protein crockpot recipes using ground beef because they pack in a lot of flavor without breaking the bank. In recent years, red meat has been demonized for its link to things like heart disease and cancer, however, when eaten in moderation it’s also a great source of key nutrients like protein, vitamin B12, and zinc.
Our favorite slow cooker chili recipe is an adaptation of a family recipe. It’s the perfect balance of meat, tomato, and spices — great for busy nights!
This recipe makes 6 servings and each portion has 33 grams of protein.
Tip: Pre-chopped veggies can save you a bunch of time but also come at a higher cost. Invest in a veggie chopper and save a ton of time and effort. It’s actually kind of life changing and I can’t remember the last time I made a meal without using mine.
Looking for more slow cooker recipes? Check out 7 Healthy Crockpot Soups.
3. Butter Chicken
Of all the high-protein crockpot meals, this one might just pack in the most flavor. It makes a great meal prep option because the flavors intensify and get more delicious as leftovers.
Indian takeout is a big guilty pleasure and although I reserve the right to keep it in the rotation on occasion, this homemade crockpot recipe hits the spot just as much but with better macros, more protein, and less money.
It requires the slightest bit more effort than some of the other recipes but it’s well worth it. There are few recipes that leave us excited to have them for the third or fourth meal in a row but this is one of them.
Serve it with a side of brown rice and green beans for a healthy recipe the whole family will love.
This recipe makes 6 servings, each packed with 31 grams of protein.
Tip: Want to make your life even easier? Herb scissors are a magical kitchen gadget that will save you time and clean up. Instead of getting out a cutting board and knife, simply chop the herbs straight onto your dish. They are also a great tool when making salads!
4. Chicken Tinga Tacos
One of the magical things about crockpot recipes is that you can use all kinds of leaner cuts of meat because the low and slow cooking process breaks them down and they become wonderfully tender and juicy. Chicken tinga is a style of slowly cooked, pull-apart, juicy chicken featuring chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.
Therefore, we love this crockpot version because it keeps things simple while packing in the flavor. You pair it with tacos, burritos, salads, and much more!
Of all the high-protein crockpot meals, this is one that we return to again and again. When combined with your favorite toppings and served in corn tortillas, it’s just so fun to eat.
This recipe makes 6 servings with about 32 grams of protein in each!
Do you ever find yourself with half an onion or a bit of lemon left to store in the fridge? Maybe you put it in a ziplock or a Tupperware and it disappears into the back of the fridge only to be found when you do a deep fridge cleanout. With these convenient food savers, you can easily store extras and their colorful design helps them stand out so they don’t get forgotten.
If you want more chicken recipes you can throw in the crockpot, check out 11 Healthy & High-Protein Crockpot Chicken Recipe Ideas.
5. Slow Cooker Vegetarian Chili
It can be hard to find high-protein vegan crockpot recipes, but this one is a total winner. Whether you are vegan, vegetarian, or neither, this high-protein crockpot meal is sure to not disappoint. The addition of a variety of beans along with quinoa helps to load up the protein content while also contributing fiber and vital micronutrients.
Plus, without the addition of meat, this high-protein crockpot recipe is a great budget option if you’re looking to save money on groceries. Most of the main ingredients store well in the pantry so if you decide to stock up, your next healthy meal will never be more than a couple of quick prep minutes and slow cooking hours away. And like many of these recipes, it tastes even better the next day.
Of all the crockpot recipes chili is one of our favorites, that’s why we are including three recipes for you. We know you’re gonna love this Vegetarian Chili from Simply Quinoa. It’s a comforting soup you can enjoy all year round.
This recipe makes 6 servings and each has about 11 grams of protein. If you want to hit 30 grams of protein per serving try adding your favorite meat replacement like Beyond Meat crumbles.
One of our favorite ways to store leftover soup and chili is in these brilliant souper cubes. You simply fill them with your leftovers and freeze them overnight. You can leave them there until you’re ready to reheat or you can transfer them to a plastic bag and reuse the freezer mold for your next meal.
6. Classic Pulled Pork
No high-protein crockpot recipe roundup would be complete without pulled pork on the list. Of all the crockpot recipes, pulled pork is a classic for a reason! The set-it-and-forget-it method is great for making juicy, tender meat dishes that are absolutely packed with protein.
In this crockpot recipe, pork shoulder is the main ingredient, and after being cooked down for hours, it becomes the most succulent and flavorful protein to add to all kinds of dishes, including tacos, bowls, and more.
We love serving it with a side of sweet potatoes for an easy meal perfect for a family dinner.
So, no matter how busy you get, this recipe will always be there to make meal prepping a breeze without sacrificing flavor. It only takes a couple of minutes to prep, so you won’t need to spend hours in the kitchen. Plus, there is almost no cleanup involved! These are the kinds of high-protein crockpot meals we love!
We love the Slow Cooker Pulled Pork from Downshiftology. It has hundreds of five-star reviews, so you know it’s gonna be good.
This recipe makes 8 servings, and each portion has 31 grams of protein.
If you love leftovers, you have to try this cool airtight food container set from Zwilling. It comes with a small wireless pump that you use to such the air out of the container or ziplock bag. It keeps your leftovers fresh for much longer and avoids unnecessary food waste.
If you’re someone who likes to batch prep your protein for the week, try my Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken.
7. Chicken Tortilla Soup
This High-Protein Chicken Tortilla Soup is such a good option when looking for crockpot recipes with chicken. It’s simple to make with basic pantry ingredients and is packed with protein, veggies, and fiber. 5 minutes of prep is all you need for this high-protein crockpot meal prep.
Additionally, if you’re someone who tends to get bored after eating the same meal multiple times, this is a great recipe for you because you can change the flavor profile based on the toppings you add. The options are endless, from tortilla chips to avocado and fresh cilantro, and lime.
This recipe makes 6 servings, each packing in 42 grams of protein.
Tip: We love these glass food storage containers because they are leakproof, meaning you can take them on the go without worrying about food spilling into your bag. They come in all shapes and sizes to fit everything you want to store. And they are food grade certified so you can be sure that they aren’t going to leach any toxic chemicals into your food.
FAQs
While crockpot meals may not always be high-protein. This roundup includes recipes that have at least 30 grams of protein per serving from chicken, beef, and grains.
Yes! Crockpot meals are excellent for meal prep because it’s easy to make a big batch and portion out for meals throughout the week.
While not all crockpot recipes freeze well, the 7 high-protein crockpot meals shared here all do great when frozen. Simply allow the meal to cook completely and then portion it into airtight containers and freeze.
There are several ways to increase the protein content of high-protein slow cooker recipes. A couple of ways include adding lean meats, Greek yogurt, blended cottage cheese, or even protein powders.
We hope you enjoyed this round-up of the 7 best high-protein slow cooker meals! Not only are these easy crockpot recipes a great way to stay on track with your health goals, but they also save you time in the kitchen.
Whether you’re meal prepping for the week or need a quick dinner for your family, these high-protein crockpot recipes will certainly not disappoint!
So, don’t forget to share these recipes with friends or bookmark them for future meal inspiration!
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