Ingredient amounts and entire recipe directions in recipe card below with print option!

Where Do I Find Apple Butter?

You can find Apple Butter in your local grocery store, normally in the same section as the jelly and jams.

If you’d like to make you’re own, I have a recipe for Homemade Apple Butter here.

Serving Suggestions and Sides:

Ready to enjoy your delicious slow cooker apple butter bbq chicken? Here are a few serving suggestions to pair with your main dish:

1. Rice: Scoop your chicken and sauce over a bed of fluffy white rice for a classic and comforting option. Try using brown rice or quinoa for a healthier twist.
2. Bread: Mop up the delicious sauce with a slice of crusty bread or even some dinner rolls. You can also toast the bread for a crunchy texture. These Fluffy Homemade Rolls are the best.
3. Salad: Balance out the richness of the chicken with a fresh side salad. A simple mix of greens, sliced apples, and a vinaigrette dressing would be a perfect complement.
4. Roasted Vegetables or Steamed Vegetables: Instead of cooking your veggies in the slow cooker, try roasting them in the oven for some added texture and flavor. Brussels sprouts, roasted carrots, and roasted broccoli would all pair well with the apple butter chicken.

No matter what you choose to serve alongside your slow cooker apple butter chicken, it’s sure to be a hit with friends and family.

More Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes:

• 1980s Slow Cooker CrockPot Chicken and Stuffing
• Toni’s Slow Cooker Stupid Easy Chicken
• Easy Crock Pot Chicken
• Slow Cooker Italian Chicken, Potatoes and Green Beans

More BBQ Recipes:

• BBQ Pineapple Chicken Sandwiches
• BBQ and Grape Jelly Crockpot Meatballs
• Slow Cooker BBQ Pork Chops
• 30 Minute 2 Ingredient BBQ Wings

Slow Cooker Apple Butter Chicken

Slow Cooker Apple Butter BBQ Chicken

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 4 hours

Total Time: 4 hours 10 minutes

Feeling stressed or overwhelmed? Slow cooker apple butter chicken is the perfect comfort food. It's warm, cozy, and packed with flavor. Make a batch for yourself or share it with loved ones for a heartwarming meal that will soothe your soul.

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Ingredients

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 18 ounce bottle BBQ sauce*
• 2 cups apple butter

Instructions

Add 1/2 cup apple butter to bottom of slow cooker bowl.

Add chicken breasts to the bowl of a slow cooker / crock pot.

Cover chicken with the BBQ sauce and apple butter.

Cook on high for 4 hours.

Serve with extra BBQ sauce for dipping.

Notes

*I used Sweet Baby Ray's Hickory & Brown Sugar BBQ Sauce

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1 chicken breast
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 661Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 102mgSodium: 1420mgCarbohydrates: 112gFiber: 3gSugar: 92gProtein: 39g

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The first time I ever cooked pasta in a slow cooker / crock pot was back in 2012 when I made Pizza Pasta one year by accident. I had intended to make Pizza soup and turned into pizza pasta which was fantastic. Then I fell in love with Crock Pot Mac and Cheese.

After that, I was a slow cooker pasta fan for life.

I particularly love this Crock Pot Ziti because it is like baked ziti but the slow cooker does all the work. Which normally means, I pop everything into the slow cooker a few hours before I have to pick up my son from preschool and its ready for lunch by time we get home.

No need to stir anything, just pour, cover and cook.

Ingredient amounts and entire recipe directions in recipe card below with print option!

How To Make Slow Cooker Ziti:

What Should I Serve with Slow Cooker Ziti Pasta?

Slow Cooker pasta like this “baked” ziti would be great served with a fresh green salad, Homemade Garlic Bread or Parmesan Garlic Knots.

Could I Add Meat To This Recipe?

You sure could! You would want to make sure you cooked the meat first but I think ground beef, Italian sausage, ground turkey or ground chicken would be great in this dish. I would just layer it right over the ricotta cheese mixture.

You could also add cooked mushrooms and other cooked veggies like bell peppers and onions to the sauce!

More Easy Slow Cooker Recipes:

• Slow Cooker BBQ Hawaiian Meatballs
• Slow Cooker Dr. Pepper BBQ Chicken
• Crock Pot Spaghetti and Meatballs
• Slow Cooker Baked Beans

More Pasta Recipes:

• Baked Cheesy Tortellini Casserole
• BBQ Chicken Cajun Pasta (Southwest Pasta)
• 5 Ingredient Pesto Pea Pasta
• Air Fryer Pizza Pasta Pockets

Slow Cooker Ziti

Slow Cooker Ziti

Yield: 4-6 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes

This Slow Cooker Ziti comes together in a snap and is perfect served along slices of homemade garlic bread. You'll love how easy this crock pot ziti is to toss together for lunch or dinner!

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Ingredients

• 15 ounces ricotta cheese
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
• 24 ounces pasta sauce
• 2 cups uncooked ziti pasta
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• parsley or basil for garnish

Instructions

Pour pasta sauce into the bowl of a slow cooker.

Add dry pasta in a single layer. Pour water over pasta.

In a bowl, combine ricotta cheese, egg and seasoning. Mix well.

Dollop over pasta and then spread out into a thin layer over pasta.

Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over pasta.

Cover and cook on high for about 2.5 hours or until pasta is tender.

Garnish with parsley or basil.

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Normally when it comes to parties and meatballs, my go to recipe has always been my mom’s “BBQ and Grape Jelly Crockpot Meatballs“. However, I’m crazy about pineapple so this recipe for Crockpot BBQ Hawaiian Meatballs is coming as a close second when it comes to favorites.

Ingredients For Slow Cooker BBQ Hawaiian Meatballs:

• frozen meatballs (or fresh that have been frozen)
• BBQ Sauce
• pineapple chunks, drained

Ingredient amounts and entire recipe directions in recipe card below with print option!

Which Brands Did I Use For This Recipe?

Sometimes when it comes to Semihomemade recipe that use packaged foods to create meals, the brands of items can make or break a dish. I don’t think this ALWAYS happens but I do know that not all packaged items are created equally.

Meatballs – for this recipe I used my Baked Turkey Meatball recipe that I frozen but you can use any frozen meatballs from the grocery store. I love turkey meatballs but beef meatballs, pork meatballs, chicken meatballs or even vegan “meatballs” will work great for this recipe.

BBQ Sauce – I used the G Hughes Sugar Free BBQ Sauce for this recipe but your favorite BBQ sauce would work well too. I’ve also made these with Sweet Baby Ray’s Hawaiian Barbecue Sauce and the Sweet Baby Ray’s Original Barbecue Sauce.

Pineapple Chunks – I like to use the Dole Brand Pineapple Chunks. Make sure to drain the pineapple juice. You can save this for another recipe or toss it.

Do The Meatballs Need To Be Frozen For This BBQ Pineapple Meatballs Recipe?

I personally think that they should be frozen for this recipe. I’ve made it both ways, with frozen meatballs and with cooked/thawed meatballs. Well the taste was great for both but when I didn’t use frozen meatballs, the meatballs tended to fall part a little too much for my preference.

How To Make Slow Cooker BBQ Hawaiian Meatballs:

Are We Use Raw or Cooked Meatballs For This Recipe?

We’re using cooked meatballs! However, I like to use them frozen! These cook up so nicely because the meatballs are already cooked and we’re just using the BBQ sauce and pineapples to add flavor to the meatballs while we heat them up.

How To Serve Slow Cooker BBQ Hawaiian Meatballs:

You can serve these crockpot meatballs as an appetizer with toothpicks for a party or you can serve as a main dish and serve the meatballs over white rice or jasmine rice for a great lunch or dinner.

How To Store Leftover Meatballs:

Store leftovers in an air tight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Can I Turn These Pineapple BBQ Meatballs Into A Freezer Meal?

You sure can! Take a large gallon (or 2 gallon) sized freezer ziplock bag and dump in the frozen meatballs, bbq sauce and pineapple chunks. Squeeze out the air, close the bag and pop it into the freezer for up to 3 months!

When you’re ready to cook them. just open the bag and pour the entire meal into the bowl of a crockpot and cook on high for 2-3 hours or low for 5-6 hours.

More Slow Cooker Recipes:

• Slow Cooker Dr. Pepper BBQ Chicken
• Slow Cooker Baked Beans
• Crock Pot Spaghetti and Meatballs

More Pineapple Recipes:

• Pineapple Angel Food Cake
• Pina Colada Poke Cake
• BBQ Pineapple Chicken Tacos

Slow Cooker BBQ Hawaiian Meatballs

Slow Cooker BBQ Hawaiian Meatballs

Yield: about 35 meatballs

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours

Total Time: 5 minutes

These Easy Slow Cooker BBQ Hawaiian Meatballs only take 3 ingredients and a little time in the slow cooker / crockpot! Perfect for dinner or as an party appetizer!

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Ingredients

• About 1 pound frozen meatballs*
• 18 ounces BBQ Sauce
• 20 ounce can pineapple chunks, drained

Instructions

1. Add everything to the bowl of a slow cooker / crockpot.
2. Stir well to combine.
3. Put the top on the slow cooker.
4. Cook on high for 2-3 hours OR on low for 5-6 hours.

Notes

*about 30 frozen meatballs

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 5 Serving Size: 5 meatballs
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 503Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 60mgSodium: 1653mgCarbohydrates: 67gFiber: 4gSugar: 53gProtein: 14g

If you make this recipe, snap a picture and share it on Instagram or  Facebook  with the hashtag #semihomemaderecipes — We love to see what you’re making from the blog! 

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Slow cooker BBQ and Soda BBQ might have been one of the first things I cooked when I started learning how to cook. Beef and Vegetable Soup, Ma’s Broccoli Casserole and BBQ Pulled Pork (for Sandwiches) were the main dishes that I made when I first learned my way around the kitchen.

This BBQ chicken is one recipe that I love to pop into the crockpot before I take my son to school and take it out when it’s time for lunch.

Although this BBQ chicken is great on it’s own, served with sides, it is fantastic on a bun for a sandwich.

What Side Dishes Go With BBQ Chicken:

• Slow Cooker Baked Beans
• CopyCat Rock-ola Loaded Cheese Fries
• Easy Chili Cheese Fries
• Cold Ranch Pasta Salad

More Great Slow Cooker Crockpot Recipes:

• Slow Cooker Baked Beans
• Crock Pot Spaghetti and Meatballs
• Semi Homemade Crockpot Chicken and Stuffing
• Slow Cooker Italian Chicken, Potatoes and Green Beans

More Chicken Breast Recipes:

• BBQ Chicken Cajun Pasta (Southwest Pasta)
• Skillet Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli
• BBQ Pineapple Chicken Sandwiches

Slow Cooker Dr. Pepper BBQ Chicken

Slow Cooker Dr. Pepper BBQ Chicken

Yield: 4 chicken sandwiches

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 5 hours

Total Time: 5 hours 5 minutes

This Slow Cooker Dr. Pepper BBQ Chicken is so easy to make that you'll want to add it to your menu all the time! 3 ingredients and a few hours in the Crockpot is all that stands between you and a delicious meal! This Slow Cooker Dr. Pepper BBQ Chicken is perfect on its own but even better as a BBQ sandwich on a brioche bun!

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Ingredients

• 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 12 ounce can Dr. Pepper
• 18 ounces BBQ Sauce

Instructions

1. Pour a bit of BBQ sauce in to the bottom of the slow cooker bowl.
2. Add Chicken breasts.
3. Pour the rest of the BBQ sauce over the chicken breasts.
4. Pour Dr. Pepper into crock pot bowl.
5. Set slow cooker to low and cook for 5 hours.
6. Once chicken is cooked, use two forks to shred chicken. Stir chicken with BBQ sauce in slow cooker.
7. Use as a main dish or pile BBQ chicken high onto buns for the best sandwiches.

Notes

We used Stubbs BBQ sauce for ours.

If you make this recipe, snap a picture and share it on Instagram or  Facebook  with the hashtag #semihomemaderecipes — We love to see what you’re making from the blog! 

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RECIPE IS BELOW IN PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD BUT BLOG POST IS FULL OF “HOW TO MAKE IT”, TIPS, INFORMATION AND FAQ

Baked Beans are such a great side dish and they’re so easy to make. While baked beans made from canned Great Northern Beans like these Dr. Pepper Baked Beans are great, I really love the flavor of Bush’s baked beans and love to doctor them up to create this dish.

This slow cooker baked beans recipe is so easy and so delicious that it is going to become a family favorite for sure!

These baked beans are great served along side of Baked Chili Cheese Dogs, Easy Herb Garlic Chicken Thighs and Sloppy Joe Hot Dogs!

Why You Should Make Slow Cooker Baked Beans…

• great tasting side dish
• this side dish recipe won’t tie up the stove top or oven space
• perfect for cookouts, Thanksgiving or Sunday Supper

QUICK GLANCE AT INGREDIENTS for Slow Cooker Baked Beans:

• bacon
• Bush’s Best Vegetarian Baked Beans
• Bush’s Best Original Baked Beans
• brown sugar
• ketchup
• yellow mustard
• onion powder

(AMOUNTS IN RECIPE CARD BELOW)

How to make Slow Cooker Baked Beans:

Frequently Asked Questions

More great slow cooker recipes:

• Crock Pot Spaghetti and Meatballs
• Semi Homemade Crockpot Chicken and Stuffing
• Easy Slow Cooker Pot Roast
• Toni’s Slow Cooker Stupid Easy Chicken

Slow Cooker Baked Beans

Slow Cooker Baked Beans

Yield: 12 cups baked beans

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 4 hours

Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes

These Slow Cooker Baked Beans are so easy to make and they might be some of the best doctored baked beans that we've ever made.

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Ingredients

• 8 slices bacon
• 2 (28 ounces each) cans Bush's Best Vegetarian Baked Beans
• 1 (28 ounces) can Bush's Best Original Baked Beans
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
• 2 tablespoons onion powder

Instructions

1. Chop bacon into 1 inch pieces.
2. Cook bacon in a skillet* until crispy
3. Drain grease and set bacon aside.
4. Pour baked beans into the bowl of a large slow cooker.**
5. Add brown sugar, ketchup, mustard, and onion powder.
6. Stir well.
7. Add in cooked bacon.
8. Stir and cover.
9. Cook on low for 4 hours.

Notes

*my slow cooker has a skillet setting so I just cook the bacon in that.

**I use a 6 quart slow cooker

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1 cup
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 113Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 371mgCarbohydrates: 18gFiber: 2gSugar: 12gProtein: 5g

If you make this recipe, snap a picture and share it on Instagram or  Facebook  with the hashtag #semihomemaderecipes — We love to see what you’re making from the blog! 

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RECIPE IS BELOW IN PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD BUT BLOG POST IS FULL OF “HOW TO MAKE IT”, TIPS, INFORMATION AND FAQ

We love to utilize our slow cooker all year long. I know most people only think about dragging their Crockpot out during the winter but it’s also prefect for the summer! Dinners without heating the kitchen up in the summer is ideal around here because in the summer it is already 95F by 8am!

I started using my crockpot to make spaghetti about 7 or 8 years ago when I fell in love with my baked creamy spaghetti recipe and realized that I could make it in the crockpot. Then we moved onto Crock Pot Spaghetti and Meatballs!

This Crock Pot Spaghetti and Meatballs is super creamy and I love that the sauce really cooks into the noodles. Thomas says that it is an adult version (and MUCH better tasting!) version of Chef Boyardee Spaghetti and Meatballs that he ate as a kid.

Why You Should Make Crock Pot Spaghetti and Meatballs…

• Easy to toss together
• Super Creamy Spaghetti
• Uses Pantry and Freezer Ingredients so its easy to throw together anytime

QUICK GLANCE AT INGREDIENTS FOR Crock Pot Spaghetti and Meatballs:

• spaghetti sauce
• frozen meatballs
• water
• Italian seasoning
• garlic powder
• dry spaghetti noodles
• olive oil

(AMOUNTS IN RECIPE CARD BELOW)

How to make Crock Pot Spaghetti and Meatballs:

Frequently Asked Questions

More Pasta Slow Cooker Recipes

• Crock Pot Macaroni and Cheese
• Pizza Pasta
• Slow Cooker Taco Soup

Recipes to serve with Slow Cooker Spaghetti and Meatballs:

• No Knead Crusty Bread
• Fluffy Homemade Rolls
• Parmesan Garlic Knots

Crock Pot Spaghetti and Meatballs

Crock Pot Spaghetti and Meatballs

Yield: 8 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours

Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes

This tasty Crock Pot Spaghetti and Meatballs uses pantry and freezer items to make a fantastic meal that takes hardly any work to toss together!

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Ingredients

• 48 ounces spaghetti sauce
• 20 ounce bag frozen meatballs
• 4 cups water
• 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 16 ounces dry spaghetti noodles
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

1. Pour 1/4 of the sauce into the bottom of a oval or rectangle crock pot.*
2. Pour frozen meatballs into slow cooker in a single layer.
3. Add the rest of the sauce.
4. Pour in water.
5. Add Italian seasoning and garlic powder.
6. Add in dry spaghetti noodles.
7. Drizzle dry spaghetti noodles with olive oil and slightly separate with a fork.
8. Place lid onto slow cooker and cook on low for 3 hours.
9. Stir slightly every hour if you have time.
10. Grated parmesan cheese and parsley optional for topping

Notes

*The crock pot that I use for this is 8 Quarts

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 421Total Fat: 23gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 51mgSodium: 1345mgCarbohydrates: 39gFiber: 6gSugar: 13gProtein: 16g

If you make this recipe, snap a picture and share it on Instagram or  Facebook  with the hashtag #semihomemaderecipes — We love to see what you’re making from the blog! 

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Recipe originally posted on my other blog, BigBearsWife.com

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Recipe At Bottom of Post

Slow cooker recipes are always popular but I think they’re even more popular during fall and winter because they give you the sense of creating a warm and cozy meal! This 1980s Slow Cooker Chicken and Stuffing is exactly that. It’s super easy to toss together and the slow cooker does all of the cooking for you!

The first time I made this slow cooker chicken recipe it 100% reminded me of something my mom would have made for us when we were growing up in the 80s and 90s. I made it for her when she was over for dinner the other night and she agreed. This chicken recipe it’s now officially a 1980s recipe in our house.

What you’ll need for Semi Homemade Slow Cooker Crockpot Chicken and Stuffing

• boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• cream of chicken soup
• milk
• stuffing mix
• chicken broth

More Chicken recipes that you’ll love:

• Chicken and Rice Casserole
• Buttermilk Oven Fried Chicken
• Chicken and Broccoli Macaroni and Cheese

More Slow Cooker Recipes to make:

• Slow Cooker Italian Chicken, Potatoes and Green Beans
• Easy Slow Cooker Pot Roast
• Toni’s Slow Cooker Stupid Easy Chicken

Semi Homemade Slow Cooker Crockpot Chicken and Stuffing

Semi Homemade Slow Cooker Crockpot Chicken and Stuffing

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 6 hours

Total Time: 6 hours 5 minutes

This Semi Homemade Slow Cooker Crockpot Chicken and Stuffing recipe only takes about 5 minutes to toss together! Toss a few easy ingredients into the slow cooker and dinner will be ready without much work at all!

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Ingredients

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 can (10 or so ounces) cream of chicken soup
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 box (6 ounces) stuffing mix
• 1 2/3 cups chicken broth

Instructions

Place chicken breasts into bowl of slow cooker.

In a bowl, whisk together cream of chicken soup and milk.

Spread over chicken.

Add stuffing mix and chicken broth to bowl and mix.

Spoon stuffing over chicken.

Cover and cook on low for 6 hours

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