Mediterranean Slow Cooker Meals

Mediterranean slow cooker meals offer delicious and quick weeknight dinner solutions packed with vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats such as olive oil. Try one of these Mediterranean slow cooker recipes for an unforgettable culinary experience!

I used boneless skinless chicken thighs in this recipe, but you can also opt for boneless skinless breasts (they will dry out more). Finish off this delicious meal with some feta cheese for extra flavor and nutrition!

Beef Stifado

This Greek beef stew is an aromatic and hearty meal. Chunks of tender meat are coated in an aromatic sauce infused with warming spices like cinnamon, cloves, and orange peel; pearl onions (kokkaris) add sweetness while thickening the sauce.

Cooking time is of utmost importance in creating delicious stifado. The beef must be tender and succulent so as to melt in your mouth with every bite, as well as sear for maximum color and caramelization.

Once the meat has been browned, saute onions, aromatics and garlic until lightly caramelized before adding spices (and deglazing with wine if desired). Transfer everything into a slow cooker; combine all of its contents and cook on **low for 6-8 hours** to achieve melt-in-your-mouth tender beef.

Chicken Stifado

Chicken Stifado is an authentic Greek stew packed with warm spices, juicy chicken pieces and a deep tomato wine sauce. While traditional stifado typically features rabbit or beef as the main protein source, using chicken instead provides an equally hearty yet flavorful option that cooks up just as heartily and flavorful in your slow cooker. Usually served over hilopittes (egg pasta), however, rice, mashed potatoes, or noodles work just as well when serving this classic Greek dish.

To prepare Stifado, combine chicken with marinade in a large sealable bag and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. Next, heat olive oil over medium high until shimmering before seasoning both sides with salt and pepper before adding it all back into your pot to brown on all sides, which should take approximately 4-5 minutes per side.

Remove the chicken from its marinade and drain all but two tablespoons of fat from the pot, before stirring in your reserved wine marinade, baby onions, garlic cloves, and tomato paste for one or two minutes to caramelize and bring all of its flavors together.

Chickpea Stew

This vegan stew comes together in just 30 minutes from start to finish and features all your favorite warm, summer flavors while packed with plant based goodness! Enjoy it today!

Recipe developer Susan Olayinka of The Flexible Fridge is a big fan of chickpeas, and this stew showcases their versatility perfectly. Packed full of hearty chickpeas, nutritious vegetables and flavor-enhancing spices such as cumin, cinnamon and ginger; this meal provides warmth and satisfying satisfaction!

To create this stew, first sauté the onions and red pepper in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, before adding garlic for two or three minutes, until onions begin to soften. Next add vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, sweet smoked paprika and fresh ground black pepper before stirring in canned chickpeas (if using dried, sort, wash and soak overnight before cooking until tender) with coconut milk – simmer this for 20 minutes then taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.

Greek Chicken

This warming stew makes a satisfying weeknight dinner, featuring tender chicken nestled into a rich tomato sauce spiced up by warming paprika, cumin and nutmeg flavors. Plus it can all be done in just one pot!

Dark meat chicken lends itself well to long simmering times, and this recipe makes an excellent quick dinner option on busy days when a quick fix will do just fine.

Start by sauteeing onion and garlic in a heavy pan before beginning. After browning your chicken pieces, drain any fat from them before combining all of the remaining ingredients with your slow cooker: tomatoes with their juice, cinnamon, oregano and seasoning with salt and pepper as desired. Cover and let cook for approximately an hour until your chicken falls apart tender – you may even like adding olives at this stage for added texture as well. Finally serve it alongside Greek salad and toasted bread so as to soak up all that delicious sauce!