Last updated on December 7, 2016 by Liza Hawkins

Tomorrow is the BIG GAME, which means fans (and non-fans) will be watching a lot of football (and really great commercials) while feasting on all kinds of game-time goodies.

We’re keeping it small at our house: the husband, one friend, our basement man cave, and a slow cooker full of beef chili!

The kids and I will probably keep ourselves occupied elsewhere in the house (watching Harry Potter on ABC Family; I may have already set a reminder), flipping every now and again to the game. Maybe.

The great thing about slow cooker dinner recipes is that you can feed an army, and you can also be really flexible about when dinner’s served. If the guys don’t want to come up for dinner at 7 p.m. because it’s in the middle of a nail-biter end of a quarter, so be it. The chili can slowly  simmer away, waiting patiently, flavor developing fabulously the longer it goes.

Chili’s not the the only thing that’s great for the Big Game though! How about 5 slow cooker dinner recipes that are perfect for when you’re gathering a group?

5 Slow Cooker Dinner Recipes

Perfect for game day or any other day!

1. Whole Chicken in the Slow Cooker

I love this recipe. It will never replace a true roast chicken, but it’s perfect for  a day where you’re running around, super busy, or just want to have the yummy-ness of slow cooked chicken without having to really do much of anything. For the Big Game, you could pull the meat off the bones (remember to save the bones and carcass for Overnight Slow Cooker Chicken Stock!), and make chicken salad, BBQ chicken sandwiches, or a variety of other meals to feed a crowd.

2. Slow Cooker Beef and Potatoes

Beef roasts are the best when you can find them on sale at the grocery store – I always stock up on a few and throw them into my deep freeze. Another great idea is to find a local farm with grass-fed organic cows, and buy a 1/4 cow directly from the farmer. They’ll butcher it and let you pick the cuts you want, plus you’re eating healthier and supporting local agriculture. This recipe is another that can feed an army if you pick the right size roast. If you don’t want to serve it with potatoes, leave them out and instead shred the beef when it’s cook. It would make a killer hot beef sandwich, especially with the au jus!

3. Mediterranean Inspired Shrimp & Sausage Jambalaya

The fabulous flavor combo of sausage, shrimp and all the other goodies slowly cooking together for hours and hours is drool-worthy. This is also one of those dishes that gets better with time. I find the next day, leftovers trump the jambalaya from the night before. SO, you could make this today, and then just reheat it tomorrow for the Big Game. How easy would that be? Also, not an olive fan? Just leave them out – flavor will still be just as fabulous.

4. Slow Cooker Black Bean Chicken Chili

Making chili with chicken instead of beef or pork is a great way to appeal to a broader set of palates, especially when folks don’t eat red meat (my brother-in-law) or pork (my parents – except for bacon, LOL). I happen to love beans in my chili, but my husband hates it. When I make this for him, he either has to pick them out, or I make it bean-less. Hrmph. Can’t please everyone!

5. Slow Cooker Chili – Texas Twist

Speaking of chili, one of my favorite things to do is make slow cooker chili with a Texas twist – stew beef! After it cooks all day, the stew beef just falls apart with a spoon, it’s so tender. Super hearty, a mugful is enough to fill most bellies, which means one slow cooker full of chili can really feed an army of game watchers!