The Easiest “Dump-and-Go” Dinner: The Ultimate Healthy Crockpot Chicken & Veggies!

It’s a beautiful Thursday afternoon, a perfect time to start thinking about a dinner that is both incredibly nourishing and wonderfully simple. In a world of complicated recipes and long ingredient lists, isn’t there something so appealing about getting back to basics with a truly simple meal? It’s the kind of clean, wholesome eating that makes you feel absolutely amazing from the inside out.

What if you could create this beautiful, nourishing meal with just a few minutes of chopping and virtually no active cooking time at all? Imagine placing fresh chicken and a rainbow of colorful vegetables into your crockpot in the morning, and then coming home to a perfectly cooked, flavourful dinner. It’s the very definition of a low-stress, healthy lifestyle.

Today, we are embracing that beautiful simplicity with this recipe for a Simple Chicken & Veggie Dinner. It’s a naturally gluten-free, flavour-packed, and complete one-pot meal that your slow cooker will master for you. Get ready to discover your new favorite way to make a healthy dinner.

The Ultimate Clean Eating Meal: Gluten-Free Slow Cooker Recipe

This dish is the perfect example of a gluten-free slow cooker recipe. It is built entirely on a foundation of whole, unprocessed ingredients like lean chicken and fresh vegetables. There are no flours, processed sauces, or gluten-containing thickeners required, making this a naturally clean and compliant meal for a healthy lifestyle.

A Perfect Easy Healthy Chicken Dinner for Simple One-Pot Meals

You will find that this is a wonderfully easy healthy chicken dinner. The gentle, moist heat of the slow cooker keeps the chicken incredibly juicy and tender without the need for any added oils or fats. This recipe is also a true star among simple one-pot meals, as your protein and all of your delicious vegetables cook together perfectly in a single dish, making cleanup an absolute breeze.

Your Guide: How to Cook Chicken and Vegetables Together in a Crockpot

So you’re wondering, how to cook chicken and vegetables together in a crockpot so that everything turns out perfectly cooked? The simple secret is to layer your ingredients correctly in the pot based on how long they take to cook. You should always place the heartier, slow-cooking root vegetables like potatoes and carrots at the very bottom of the slow cooker, and then place your chicken breasts on top so they can gently steam and stay extra juicy.

Why You’ll Love This Crockpot Chicken & Veggies

You are going to fall completely in love with this recipe because it is an incredibly easy “dump and go” meal that requires only about 10 minutes of active prep time. You’ll also adore that it’s a healthy, clean, and complete meal all in one pot, which makes it perfect for a busy weeknight. Best of all, the slow cooking process makes the chicken unbelievably tender and infuses the vegetables with a rich, savory chicken flavour.

Nutritional Benefits

This simple one-pot meal is a true powerhouse of clean, wholesome nutrition. The lean chicken breast is a fantastic source of high-quality protein, which is essential for keeping you full and supporting muscle health. The rainbow medley of vegetables, including potatoes, carrots, and green beans, provides a huge dose of essential vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber. It’s a perfectly balanced, low-fat, and nutrient-dense meal that will leave you feeling nourished and energized.

Full Recipe

Are you ready to create the easiest and healthiest one-pot meal of your week? This comprehensive guide will walk you through the incredibly simple “dump and go” process, from layering your vegetables to letting your slow cooker work its magic. Get ready to master a new staple recipe for a delicious and completely stress-free dinner.

A simple, healthy, and incredibly easy one-pot slow cooker recipe. This Crockpot Chicken & Veggies dinner combines tender chicken breasts and a medley of fresh vegetables, all cooked together with a simple herb seasoning. This is the ultimate “dump and go” clean eating meal, perfect for a busy weeknight or for healthy meal prep.

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 4-6 hours (on low) | Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes | Yield: 4 servings | Category: Dinner, Main Course | Method: Slow Cooking | Cuisine: American | Diet: Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Whole30, Paleo

Essential Ingredients for Crockpot Chicken & Veggies

This clean and healthy one-pot meal comes together with a handful of simple, whole-food ingredients.

• Chicken: 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5 lbs / 700g)
• Vegetables:
  • 1 lb (450g) baby potatoes, halved
  • 4 large carrots, chopped into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 2 cups fresh green beans, trimmed
• Liquid: 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• Aromatics: 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• Seasoning:
  • 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper

Ingredients Notes

A little more detail on our simple ingredients will ensure your one-pot meal is a flavourful success.

• The Chicken: This recipe is designed for ultimate ease using boneless, skinless chicken breasts. The gentle, moist heat of the slow cooker keeps the lean meat incredibly tender and juicy. You can also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs if you prefer an even more flavourful result.
• The Vegetables: We use a classic, hearty medley of potatoes, carrots, onions, and green beans. It’s important to cut the hard root vegetables, like the potatoes and carrots, into uniform pieces to ensure they cook evenly. The quicker-cooking green beans are added during the last part of the cooking time to ensure they stay crisp-tender.
• The Seasoning: A simple, all-purpose Italian seasoning blend is perfect for this dish, providing a wonderful, aromatic flavour that complements both the chicken and the vegetables. You can also use a combination of your favorite individual dried herbs like thyme, rosemary, and oregano. Using a low-sodium chicken broth allows you to control the final saltiness of the dish yourself.

How to Make Crockpot Chicken & Veggies

Let’s walk through the incredibly simple layering and cooking process for this healthy one-pot dinner.

• Step 1: Layer the Hearty Vegetables. In the bottom of your slow cooker, create an even layer with your prepared hearty vegetables. Add the halved baby potatoes, the chopped carrots, and the chopped onion.
• Step 2: Add the Chicken and Seasonings. Place the raw chicken breasts on top of the bed of vegetables. In a small bowl, mix together the Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle this seasoning blend evenly over the chicken and vegetables.
• Step 3: Add the Liquid and Aromatics. Sprinkle the minced garlic over the chicken. Pour the chicken broth into the slow cooker around the sides of the chicken.
• Step 4: Let the Slow Cooker Work its Magic. Place the lid on the slow cooker. Cook on the LOW setting for 4-6 hours, or on the HIGH setting for 3-4 hours.
• Step 5: Add the Green Beans. About 30 minutes before the end of the cooking time, add the trimmed fresh green beans to the slow cooker on top of the other ingredients. Replace the lid and let them steam until they are bright green and tender-crisp.
• Step 6: Serve and Enjoy. The meal is done when the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are all fork-tender. Serve a chicken breast with a generous scoop of the tender vegetables and a drizzle of the flavourful broth from the bottom of the pot.

Storage Options

This one-pot chicken and vegetable meal makes for fantastic and healthy leftovers. Once the dish has cooled completely, you can store the chicken and vegetables in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It can be easily reheated in the microwave, making for a perfect, well-rounded lunch for the next day.

Variations and Substitutions

This simple and clean recipe is a wonderful template that you can easily adapt to your tastes. You can use any of your favorite hearty root vegetables, such as sweet potatoes or parsnips, in place of the regular potatoes. For a different flavour profile, you could add other herbs like a few sprigs of fresh rosemary or a different seasoning blend like a lemon-herb mix. You could also easily use other cuts of chicken, like bone-in thighs or drumsticks, though they may require a slightly longer cooking time.

Practical & Valuable Tips

For the best and most evenly cooked result, it is important to place your hard root vegetables, like the potatoes and carrots, on the bottom of the slow cooker, as this is where the heat is most consistent. To keep your green beans from becoming mushy and overcooked, be sure to only add them during the last 20-30 minutes of the cooking time. Finally, the liquid in the bottom of the pot at the end of cooking is a delicious and light broth that is perfect for spooning over your plated meal.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. My potatoes were still hard, but my chicken was cooked. What did I do wrong? This usually means that the potato pieces were cut too large. For them to cook through in the same amount of time as the chicken, it’s important to dice them into smaller, uniform 1-inch cubes. You can also ensure they are on the very bottom of the slow cooker where the heat is most direct.
2. Can I use frozen chicken breasts for this recipe? Yes, you can cook the chicken from frozen in this recipe since it is cooked in a liquid broth. You will just need to increase the cooking time on the LOW setting to about 5-6 hours. Always ensure the chicken reaches a safe internal temperature of 74°C (165°F) before serving.
3. Is there a way to make a thicker gravy for this dish? Yes, absolutely. Once the chicken and vegetables are cooked, you can remove them from the slow cooker. Create a simple slurry by whisking together 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 3 tablespoons of cold water, then whisk this into the simmering broth in the slow cooker on the HIGH setting until it thickens into a gravy.
4. Can I cook this on the HIGH setting to make it faster? You can, and the meal will be cooked in about 3-4 hours on HIGH. However, for the most tender and juicy result with lean chicken breast, the “low and slow” cooking method is always highly recommended, as it is much more gentle and forgiving.
5. What other vegetables would be good to use in this one-pot meal? This recipe is very versatile! Other great hearty vegetables that would work well on the bottom layer include cubed butternut squash or parsnips. You could also add other quick-cooking vegetables like sliced zucchini or mushrooms along with the green beans during the last 30 minutes.

Conclusion

This Simple Crockpot Chicken & Veggie Dinner is the ultimate solution for anyone looking for a healthy, easy, and completely hands-off meal. It’s a dish that celebrates the beauty of simple, whole-food ingredients and the pure convenience of your slow cooker. It’s a nourishing, flavour-packed, and complete one-pot meal that you can feel amazing about serving to your family. This is a Clean Eating Crockpot Recipe that will become a staple in your kitchen. If you love this easy and healthy dinner, don’t forget to share it and save it to your favorite slow cooker recipes board on Pinterest!