10 Low-Calorie Crockpot Recipes for Weight Loss

I’ve been on a crockpot journey for like three years now, and let me tell you, not every experiment has been a winner. There was this one chicken thing that came out so dry I’m pretty sure it could’ve doubled as a doorstop. But somewhere between the failures and the “hey, this is actually edible” moments, I figured out how to make low calorie crockpot recipes that don’t taste like sad diet food.

Everyone keeps asking me how I lost weight without giving up actual flavor, and honestly? It’s because I got lazy in the best way possible. Throw stuff in a pot, go to work, come home to dinner. No standing over a stove, no complicated meal prep that I’d give up on by Tuesday. Just real food that happens to be lighter on calories.

These recipes aren’t fancy. They’re not going to win any Instagram awards (though I’ve tried). But they WORK. For busy weeknights, for feeding a family, for when you want to eat something that doesn’t make you feel like you’re punishing yourself for existing.

1. Crockpot Salsa Chicken (The One That Started It All)

This was literally the first low calorie crockpot recipe I ever made, and I’ve probably cooked it 47 times since. Maybe more. I’ve lost count.

Why it’s amazing: Three ingredients. THREE. And somehow it tastes like you actually tried. I make this when I have zero mental energy but still need to eat like a functioning adult. Plus it’s stupidly high in protein—great for weight loss without feeling hungry an hour later.

Ingredients:

• 3-4 chicken breasts (I buy the frozen ones because I never remember to defrost anything)
• 1 jar of salsa (whatever kind you like—I go medium because I’m boring)
• 1 packet taco seasoning (or just throw in cumin, paprika, and garlic powder if you’re anti-packet)

Instructions:

1. Put the chicken in the crockpot. Doesn’t matter if it’s frozen or thawed. Yes, really.
2. Dump the entire jar of salsa on top. Don’t be shy.
3. Sprinkle the taco seasoning over everything.
4. Set it to low for 6-7 hours (or high for 3-4 if you forgot to start it in the morning like I always do).
5. Come back to chicken so tender it shreds with a fork. Actually shred it. Mix it all together.
6. Eat it with literally anything—tortillas, rice, salad, straight from the crockpot with a fork while standing in your kitchen.

Chaos notes: I’ve added black beans to this before. Corn too. Sometimes both. One time I threw in a can of diced tomatoes because I felt like it needed more… tomato? It was fine. This recipe is very forgiving of your random additions.

My kids drown this in sour cream and cheese, which kind of defeats the low-calorie purpose, but at least they’re eating dinner without complaining.

2. Lemon Garlic Chicken That Actually Tastes Like Something

I tried making this “healthy” once and forgot the garlic. FORGOT THE GARLIC. It was the saddest, most flavorless chicken I’ve ever eaten. Learn from my mistakes.

Why it’s amazing: It tastes bright and fresh, which is not always easy with slow cooker recipes. Plus it’s one of those healthy slow cooker chicken recipes for weight loss that doesn’t taste punishing.

Ingredients:

• 4 chicken breasts (boneless, unless you enjoy obstacles)
• 1/2 cup chicken broth (low sodium if you’re watching that)
• Juice of 2 lemons (the bottled stuff works too, no judgment)
• 6 cloves garlic, minced (or more, I won’t stop you)
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried basil
• Salt and pepper (be generous)
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Instructions:

1. Mix the broth, lemon juice, garlic, herbs, salt, pepper, and olive oil in a bowl. This is your sauce situation.
2. Put chicken in the crockpot.
3. Pour the sauce over everything.
4. Cook on low for 5-6 hours. It’ll smell incredible around hour 3, and you’ll want to eat it immediately. Don’t. Wait.
5. When it’s done, you can shred it or leave it whole. I usually shred half and leave half because I can’t make decisions.

Chaos notes: This is AMAZING over cauliflower rice if you’re doing the low-carb thing. Also great with actual rice if you’re not. Sometimes I add spinach in the last 30 minutes just to feel like I’m eating vegetables.

One time I accidentally used lime instead of lemon. Still good. Different, but good.

3. High Protein Turkey Chili (The “I Can’t Believe This is Diet Food” Recipe)

Listen, I’m not usually a ground turkey person. It can be so DRY. But this high protein slow cooker recipe for weight loss converted me.

Why it’s amazing: It makes a huge batch, freezes perfectly, and has so much protein you’ll actually stay full. Plus it tastes like real chili, not like someone tried to make chili “healthy.”

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs ground turkey (I use 93% lean)
• 2 cans diced tomatoes (don’t drain them)
• 2 cans kidney beans, drained (or black beans, or one of each)
• 1 can tomato sauce
• 1 onion, chopped (I cry every single time)
• 1 bell pepper, diced (any color works)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 tsp paprika
• Salt and pepper
• Optional: jalapeño if you want some heat

Instructions:

1. Brown the ground turkey in a pan first. I know, I know, it’s an extra step. But trust me—it prevents that weird gray meat texture.
2. Throw the browned turkey in the crockpot.
3. Add literally everything else. Just dump it in. This isn’t a fancy cooking show.
4. Stir it around a bit.
5. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Or high for 3-4 hours. It’s chili, it’s hard to mess up.
6. Taste it and adjust seasonings. I usually add more cumin because I’m obsessed.

Chaos notes: Top with a tiny bit of cheese and Greek yogurt (instead of sour cream) to keep it lower calorie. Or don’t. You’re an adult.

I eat this for lunch all week. Sometimes I put it over a baked potato. Sometimes I eat it with corn chips even though that’s not exactly “weight loss” behavior. We contain multitudes.

4. Tuscan White Bean Soup (The Vegetarian One That Surprised Me)

I made this by accident when I forgot to buy chicken for another recipe. Turned out to be one of my favorite vegetarian healthy crockpot recipes.

Why it’s amazing: It’s creamy without any cream. High in fiber. Somehow tastes fancy even though it cost like $8 to make the whole pot.

Ingredients:

• 3 cans white beans (cannellini or great northern), drained
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 3 cups fresh spinach (or frozen, or kale, whatever greens you have)
• 1 onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced (sensing a theme? I love garlic)
• 1 tsp dried rosemary
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt and pepper
• Parmesan rind if you have one (game changer)

Instructions:

1. Everything goes in the crockpot except the spinach. Including the parmesan rind if you found one hiding in your fridge.
2. Stir it around.
3. Cook on low for 6-7 hours.
4. About 20 minutes before serving, stir in the spinach. It’ll wilt down.
5. Fish out the bay leaf and parmesan rind.
6. Use a potato masher to mash up some (not all) of the beans. This makes it creamy without adding cream. Magic.

Chaos notes: I serve this with crusty bread even though bread isn’t exactly low-calorie. But like, life is short, you know?

Sometimes I add Italian sausage to this if I’m not feeling the vegetarian vibe. Just brown it first and throw it in. Totally different soup but equally good.

5. Asian-Inspired Chicken Lettuce Wraps (Deconstructed Because I’m Lazy)

These started as actual lettuce wraps, but honestly? I usually just eat the filling with a fork straight from a bowl.

Why it’s amazing: Low calorie, high flavor, and you feel like you’re eating something interesting instead of plain chicken breast for the 800th time.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lbs ground chicken (or turkey)
• 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsp hoisin sauce (a little goes a long way)
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced (or the jarred stuff)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can water chestnuts, diced (for crunch)
• 3 green onions, chopped
• Butter lettuce for serving (if you’re being proper about it)

Instructions:

1. Brown the ground chicken in a pan. Again with the browning! I know! But it matters!
2. Put the browned chicken in the crockpot.
3. Mix together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, hoisin, ginger, and garlic in a bowl.
4. Pour over the chicken.
5. Add water chestnuts.
6. Cook on low for 3-4 hours. It doesn’t need as long as other recipes.
7. Stir in green onions at the end.
8. Serve in lettuce cups if you’re feeling fancy, or just eat it over rice or by itself.

Chaos notes: I add sriracha to mine because I like it spicy. Kids don’t get sriracha. They get disappointed.

This is also really good cold the next day, which is rare for crockpot meals.

6. Beef and Veggie Stew (The One That Uses All the Random Vegetables)

This is my “clean out the fridge” recipe. Got random vegetables about to go bad? They’re going in the stew.

Why it’s amazing: It’s a complete meal in one pot. Protein, veggies, everything. Plus it’s one of those simple low calorie crockpot recipes that feels hearty without being heavy.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lbs beef stew meat (the cheap stuff works great)
• 4 cups beef broth
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 3 celery stalks, chopped
• 2 cups potatoes, cubed (I use red potatoes but whatever)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• Optional: green beans, mushrooms, or whatever vegetables need to be used up

Instructions:

1. Put the beef in the crockpot.
2. Add all the vegetables.
3. Mix the broth with tomato paste and pour it over everything.
4. Add herbs, bay leaf, salt, and pepper.
5. Cook on low for 8 hours. Yes, 8. The beef needs time to get tender.
6. Remove bay leaf before serving.
7. If it’s too thin, mix 2 tbsp cornstarch with cold water and stir it in. Let it thicken for 15 minutes.

Chaos notes: This tastes even better the next day. I make it on Sunday and eat it all week for lunch.

Sometimes I add a splash of red wine to the broth because I saw someone do it on a cooking show once. Does it make a difference? Maybe? I can’t really tell but it makes me feel fancy.

7. Crockpot Chicken Fajitas (The “Everyone Eats Different Things” Dinner)

This saved me during the phase where everyone in my house wanted different dinners. Make the filling, everyone builds their own.

Why it’s amazing: Customizable, flavorful, and sneaks in peppers and onions which I consider a vegetable win.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lbs chicken breasts
• 3 bell peppers, sliced (I do red, yellow, and green for color)
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1 can diced tomatoes with green chiles (Rotel works)
• 2 tbsp fajita seasoning (or make your own with chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder)
• Juice of 1 lime
• Salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Put chicken in crockpot.
2. Add peppers and onions on top.
3. Dump in the tomatoes.
4. Sprinkle with fajita seasoning.
5. Squeeze lime juice over everything.
6. Cook on low for 5-6 hours.
7. Shred the chicken, mix everything together.
8. Serve with tortillas, lettuce cups, over rice, over salad, or just eat it with a spoon.

Chaos notes: I skip the tortillas to keep it lower calorie and just eat the filling with a ton of salsa, Greek yogurt, and a little cheese.

My husband piles his on tortillas with everything. My kids eat the chicken plain and ignore the vegetables. At least we’re all eating the same base meal.

8. Low-Fat Butternut Squash Soup (The “I Didn’t Know I Liked Squash” Recipe)

I was convinced I didn’t like butternut squash. Turns out I just hadn’t had it made right.

Why it’s amazing: Creamy, slightly sweet, comforting, and way lower in calories than it tastes.

Ingredients:

• 1 large butternut squash, peeled and cubed (or buy it pre-cut because life is short)
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 1 apple, peeled and diced (trust me)
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• Salt and pepper
• Optional: a tiny bit of maple syrup if it’s not sweet enough

Instructions:

1. Everything goes in the crockpot.
2. Cook on low for 6-7 hours until squash is super soft.
3. Use an immersion blender to puree it smooth. (If you don’t have one, carefully transfer to a regular blender in batches. Don’t burn yourself.)
4. Taste and adjust seasonings.
5. If it’s too thick, add more broth. Too thin? Just cook it longer with the lid off.

Chaos notes: I top mine with a tiny drizzle of balsamic glaze and some pepitas. Makes me feel like I’m at a fancy restaurant instead of eating soup in my pajamas at 6 PM.

The apple is the secret ingredient. Nobody can ever guess what it is, but it adds the perfect sweetness.

9. Stuffed Pepper Soup (All the Flavor, None of the Stuffing Hassle)

I love stuffed peppers but I hate making them. This is the lazy solution.

Why it’s amazing: All the stuffed pepper taste without the annoying hollowing-out-peppers part. Plus it’s basically a complete meal with protein, rice, and vegetables.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground turkey or lean beef
• 3 bell peppers, diced (any colors)
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 can tomato sauce
• 3 cups beef broth
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup uncooked white rice (don’t use brown, it won’t cook right)
• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
• Salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Brown the meat in a pan. You know the drill by now.
2. Put meat in crockpot.
3. Add everything EXCEPT the rice.
4. Cook on low for 5-6 hours.
5. Add the rice in the last hour of cooking. Stir it in well.
6. Let it cook until rice is tender. Check at 45 minutes.

Chaos notes: I sometimes use cauliflower rice instead of regular rice to make it even lower calorie. Add it in the last 15 minutes instead of an hour.

Top with a little shredded cheese if you want. Or don’t. The soup police aren’t watching.

10. Honey Garlic Chicken (The Sweet One That Still Counts as Healthy)

This one almost didn’t make the list because it has honey, but it’s still way lighter than takeout and people go CRAZY for it.

Why it’s amazing: Sweet, savory, garlicky, and it tastes like it took way more effort than it did.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lbs chicken thighs or breasts (thighs stay more moist but have more calories, your choice)
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 6 cloves garlic, minced (I told you I love garlic)
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water (for thickening at the end)
• Green onions and sesame seeds for topping

Instructions:

1. Put chicken in crockpot.
2. Whisk together honey, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes.
3. Pour over chicken.
4. Cook on low for 4-5 hours.
5. Remove chicken, shred if desired.
6. Pour the sauce into a small pot, add the cornstarch mixture, and simmer until it thickens (about 5 minutes).
7. Pour thickened sauce back over chicken.
8. Top with green onions and sesame seeds.

Chaos notes: Serve this over cauliflower rice and steamed broccoli. Or regular rice. I’m not your mom.

The sauce is so good you’ll want to drink it. Don’t judge me, I’ve considered it.

So there you have it. Ten low calorie crockpot recipes that don’t suck. Are they all perfect? No. Will you probably tweak them to your own taste? I hope so. That’s how you know you’re actually cooking and not just following instructions like a robot.

The thing about weight loss that nobody tells you is that you can’t hate what you’re eating. If you’re choking down bland chicken and steamed vegetables every night, you’re going to give up. Ask me how I know. These recipes? They actually taste good. They’re the reason I can stick to healthier eating without feeling like I’m punishing myself.

Let me know which one you try first. Seriously, I’m curious. The salsa chicken usually hooks people because it’s so stupid-easy, but the honey garlic chicken is the one everyone asks for the recipe to.