21 Muscle Building Slow Cooker Meals for Protein Lovers to Devour

All hail the mighty crockpot. For ’tis but a necessary tool in the dwelling of healthy Gods and Goddesses.

This simple appliance lets you create amazing muscle building slow cooker meals.

If you somehow forgot to pick one up for your kitchen, that’s okay. People make mistakes all the time.

Just last week a guy named Mike made dinner for his date. He was proud of his work. During dinner his date remembered she needed to call her son to say goodnight. So she excused herself. After several minutes, Mike went to check on her. He couldn’t find her. She was gone. He called her cell but it went to voicemail. That’s when it hit him…

His date didn’t have kids!

Poor Mike. Nothing ruins a date like a bad meal.

But you can avoid a similar dating experience by doing two things right now.

The first thing you need to do is get a slow cooker. If you already have one, skip this and scroll to the recipes.

However, if you need one, we’ve made it easy for you.

Here are three of the best slow cookers:

1. Crock-Pot 6-Quart Slow Cooker (longer cooking times + big size)
2. Hamilton Beach 6-Quart Slow Cooker (feature rich + reasonable price)
3. Crock-Pot 4-Quart Slow Cooker (for tight spaces + tiny appetites)

After you grab the one you like, the next thing you need to do is check out the awesome list recipes below. We’ve curated them especially for for you.

Every recipe on the list is loaded with tons of protein to satisfy your muscle building needs. And they’re delicious too!

So, let’s stop wasting time and find your next favorite meal.

High Protein Muscle Building Slow Cooker Meals

1. Indian Curry Chicken Slow Cooker Spice

credit: InSonnettsKitchen.com

Around here we love us some curry. Ours might be a lot more spicy than this tasty recipe. But this is perfect for you if you’ve got mild tastebuds. It also swaps out heavy cream for coconut milk to give you those healthy fats. Yummy!

Want to try this recipe? Get it here.

Fast Facts:
Prep time = 15 minutes
Cook time = 4 hours
Carbs = 8g
Fat = 27g
Protein = 32g

2. Chicken and Shrimp Slow Cooker Jambalaya

credit: TheSeasonedMom.com

Jambalaya is probably one of the top three dishes most people make with their slow cooker. But this one ditches the boring sausage for chicken and shrimp. This means you’ll get a healthy dose of whole grains, veggies, and lean protein to satisfy you before or after the gym.

Want to try this recipe? Get it here.

Fast Facts:
Prep time = 20 minutes
Cook time = 5 hours
Net Carbs = 30.5g
Fat = 6g
Protein = 33.6g

3. Succulent Summertime Slow Cooker BBQ Ribs

credit: SlowCookerGourmet.com

Who doesn’t love ribs? It’s a staple at most summertime picnics and backyard barbecues. And now you can enjoy it year-round in your cozy apartment. All you need to do is buy some ribs, combine them with this recipe, and toss them in your slow cooker. Easy peasy!

Want to try this recipe? Get it here.

Fast Facts:
Prep time = 10 minutes
Cook time = 8 hours
Net Carbs = 13g
Fat = 26g
Protein = 44g

4. Turkey and Sweet Potato Slow Cooker Stew

credit: Prevention.com

Thanksgiving might come once a year but turkey doesn’t. If you’re a fan of this delightful dish, then you’ll love this recipe. It features a combo of ginger and cranberries to give you a flavorful stew. The sweet-and-sour taste will hit your tastebuds with a bang TANG!

Want to try this recipe? Get it here.

Fast Facts:
Prep time = 10 minutes
Cook time = 6 hours
Net Carbs = 37g
Fat = 22g
Protein = 67g

5. Super Simple Traditional Beef Stew

credit: TheSkinnyFork.com

After a crazy week at work you probably don’t want to do much on the weekend. That’s cool. You don’t have to. You can just toss some beef, veggies, and broth into your large slow cooker. This meal will keep you fed during the weekend and longer. So you can spend your weekend watching Netflix and chilling.

Want to try this recipe? Get it here.

Fast Facts:
Prep time = 10 minutes
Cook time = 5 hours
Net Carbs = 23g
Fat = 8g
Protein = 50g

6. Lemon Garlic Chicken Slow Cooker Roast

credit: RecipeTinEats.com

If you’ve ever roasted chicken, you probably dealt with dryness 9 times out of 10. Making that perfect restaurant-style roast can feel like a midsummer night’s dream. But you don’t have to dream or spend hours experimenting with the best oven temperature. Now you can make an awesome Sunday roast with your slow cooker and this recipe.

Want to try this recipe? Get it here.

Fast Facts:
Prep time = 10 minutes
Cook time = 8 hours
Net Carbs = 2g
Fat = 26.3g
Protein = 72.6g

7. Zesty Chicken Arrabbiata

credit: TheIronYou.com

Shout out to the Eye-talians. They make-a-gouda-pasta. And this chicken recipe is no different. You can make it as fiery as you like by varying the amount of spices you use. Like most Italian dishes, the ingredients are simple. The only difference is, your slow cooker will do all the work.

Want to try this recipe? Get it here.

Fast Facts:
Prep time = 7 minutes
Cook time = 6 hours
Net Carbs = 9g
Fat = 10g
Protein = 49g

8. Lamb Shawarma Sensation

credit: RecipeTinEats.com

This recipe is perfect for a family with big appetites. You probably only treat yourself or your family to lamb when you go to restaurants. Well now you don’t have to. You can surprise everyone at home with this tender lamb shawarma dish. The meat is literally going to fall apart into nice juicy pieces. Mmm!

Want to try this recipe? Get it here.

Fast Facts:
Prep time = 10 minutes
Cook time = 3.5 hours
Net Carbs = 1.2g
Fat = 54g
Protein = 68g

9. Pulled Pork Garlic Supreme

credit: MensHealth.com

You’re sitting on the couch. A commercial for a mouth-watering pork sandwich flashes across your screen. You’re reminded that Arby’s has the meats. Well F@%# Arby’s! You don’t need their unhealthy crap. The ingredients in this pulled pork recipe will marry themselves into a healthy feast to feed you for an entire week!

Want to try this recipe? Get it here.

Fast Facts:
Prep time = 9 minutes
Cook time = 8 hours
Net Carbs = 3g
Fat = 26g
Protein = 60g

10. Crispy-Skinned Tantalizing Turkey

credit: CafeDelites.com

Getting your turkey to look like a presidential dish can be challenging. Especially if you have a history of burning water. But now you can elevate your cooking game with a recipe that will make you want to stare at your food rather than eat it. This juicy turkey meal is so easy to make it’ll blow your mind!

Want to try this recipe? Get it here.

Fast Facts:
Prep time = 10 minutes
Cook time = 4 hours 20 mins
Net Carbs = 6g
Fat = 25g
Protein = 53g

11. Asian-American Traditional Pepper Steak

credit: TheIronYou.com

Let’s be real, you can’t handle a wok as well as a Chinese chef. It takes some next level kung-fu cooking skills to do that. What you can do though, is steal this recipe and whip up your own asian inspired dish at home. No need to order takeout from Golden Duck Dynasty. Your slow cooker is all you need.

Want to try this recipe? Get it here.

Fast Facts:
Prep time = 13 minutes
Cook time = 8 hours
Net Carbs = 6g
Fat = 10g
Protein = 55g

12. Simply Divine Slow Cooker Pot Roast

credit: Prevention.com

Remember those days as a kid when you looked forward to Sunday dinner? Think of how excited you were to devour your scrumptious roast. One bite and you were in heaven. If you forgot what it was like or never had that experience, then you’ll love this recipe. It’ll help you relive the past or create new tasty memories.

Want to try this recipe? Get it here.

Fast Facts:
Prep time = 10 minutes
Cook time = 9 hours
Net Carbs = 6g
Fat = 25g
Protein = 47g

13. Old School Creamy Beef Stroganoff

credit: WellPlated.com

First off, this ain’t your grandma’s secret recipe. Her food may have been great back in the day but it attacked your waistline like an ant on crumbs. Thanks gran! Anyway, this recipe has better ingredients so it’s a lot healthier. And you don’t have to spend hours making it. Your slow cooker will take care of that.

Want to try this recipe? Get it here.

Fast Facts:
Prep time = 10 minutes
Cook time = 5.5 hours
Net Carbs = 38g
Fat = 15g
Protein = 34g

14. Guinness Braised Slow Cooker Ribs

credit: MensHealth.com

Like most people, you probably work 100 hours a week. So when your friend brags about packing their own homemade lunch, you wanna punch them in the face. Well you can stop feeling like that because this recipe will give you a week’s serving of ribs. Just drop everything into your slow cooker on Sunday and you too can enjoy a week of homemade lunches.

Want to try this recipe? Get it here.

Fast Facts:
Prep time = 17 minutes
Cook time = 4 hours
Net Carbs = 18g
Fat = 27g
Protein = 48g

15. Wild Cabbage and Beef

credit: EatingWell.com

If you enjoy corned beef, you’ll love this recipe. It’s got the same seasoned taste as the traditional dish, but none of the bad ingredients. That means there’s less sodium to mess with your health. And best of all, it doesn’t take days to make when you use a slow cooker.

Want to try this recipe? Get it here.

Fast Facts:
Prep time = 30 minutes
Cook time = 6 hours
Net Carbs = 15g
Fat = 15g
Protein = 54g

16. Prehistoric Lamb Shanks

credit: HealthyRecipesblogs.com

Get ready to sink your teeth into this amazingly flavorful recipe for lamb. Even though slow cookers can do pretty much anything, some foods are meant for it. Lamb shanks are one of them. If you cook it long enough, your inner carnivore will enjoy this savory and tender-tasting meal.

Want to try this recipe? Get it here.

Fast Facts:
Prep time = 10 minutes
Cook time = 4 hours 10 mins
Net Carbs = 0.1g
Fat = 15g
Protein = 57g

17. Warming Salsa Verde Chicken Chickpea Chili

credit: AmbitiousKitchen.com

Are you feeling chili? Well you know this list wouldn’t be complete without some kind of chili on it. You probably started to get a bit disappointed for a second there. Well cheer up buttercup because this healthy meal is just what the chef ordered. The ingredients are simple and the recipe is easy. You’ll totally enjoy making this chili… without the mess.

Want to try this recipe? Get it here.

Fast Facts:
Prep time = 10 minutes
Cook time = 7 hours
Net Carbs = 29.5g
Fat = 1.4g
Protein = 37.3g

18. Slow Cooker Tender Beef Tostadas

credit: Prevention.com

There’s a lot of beef on this list eh? Well if you’re looking to build muscle you need that protein. And beef is an excellent protein-rich food. This may be one of the longer slow cooking recipes but it’s definitely worth it. All you need are 5 ingredients and your slow cooker will do all the heavy lifting.

Want to try this recipe? Get it here.

Fast Facts:
Prep time = 25 minutes
Cook time = 9 hours
Net Carbs = 21g
Fat = 16g
Protein = 39g

19. Greek Bandit’s Lamb

credit: SupergoldenBakes.com

Wondering what’s with the weird name? Well it turns out this recipe (aka Lamb Kleftiko) was so good people would use it to cook stolen lamb in a pit. Greek thieves were a clever bunch back in the day. But sometimes you just gotta do what it takes to eat a nice meal. Hopefully you don’t have to steal anything to enjoy this ancient recipe.

Want to try this recipe? Get it here.

Fast Facts:
Prep time = 10 minutes
Cook time = 10 hours
Net Carbs = 47g
Fat = 20g
Protein = 46g

20. Sweet-n-Spicy Slow Cooker Asian Chicken Wings

credit: FoodFaithFitness.com

Pay attention! We’re about to let you in on a little secret. These wings are the bomb dot com. Of all the meals on this list, this is the one you won’t want to share. It fires up your tastebuds faster than a Space X rocket and hits your tummy with a satisfying fury. Make them when you’re alone, otherwise they’ll be gone in a flash.

Want to try this recipe? Get it here.

Fast Facts:
Prep time = 5 minutes
Cook time = 3 hours
Net Carbs = 16.7g
Fat = 13.1g
Protein = 48g

21. Taco Lentil Slow Cooker Soup

credit: AmbitiousKitchen.com

What better way to end this list than with tacos. Yummy! Also, if you listen closely you’ll hear the silent cheers from our vegetarian and vegan readers. That’s because this is the only meat-free recipe on the list. Don’t be fooled though. It’s loaded with tons of plant-based protein and other healthy nutrients. Just put everything into your slow cooker, eat what you can, and freeze the rest.

Want to try this recipe? Get it here.

Fast Facts:
Prep time = 10 minutes
Cook time = 4 hours
Net Carbs = 57.9g
Fat = 5g
Protein = 37.4g

Final Thoughts

These certainly aren’t the only muscle building slow cooker meals available. You can find many more or create your own special recipes.

For now these meals will give you a healthy boost of protein while you’re getting your body in shape.

Slow cookers are versatile and super useful. Plus they’ll save you tons of hours so you can focus on other important stuff. Like relaxing on the couch watching tv shows, laying in bed, or taking a warm bath.

Having this essential kitchen appliance is no brainer. If you still haven’t gotten one, just grab one of these recommended options:

1. Crock-Pot 6-Quart Slow Cooker (longer cooking times + big size)
2. Hamilton Beach 6-Quart Slow Cooker (feature rich + reasonable price)
3. Crock-Pot 4-Quart Slow Cooker (for tight spaces + tiny appetites)

Finally, before you run off to create delicious meals, share these recipes with your hungry friends. Heck, maybe even gift them a slow cooker too!