Chicken is no stranger to the weeknight dinner table; thighs, breasts and even whole birds can all be made into easy meals. But when you know you’ll be short on time at the end of the day, turn to your slow cooker. This must-have kitchen appliance can help you make soups, curry dishes, pulled chicken and more — even a whole chicken! This no-fuss dinner requires only seven ingredients to make the bird moist and tender. Simply rub the chicken in spices and prop it up on canning lids, suspending it above the juices for a roasted effect right in the slow cooker. Piercing the skin on the bottom will let excess juices run out, allowing for even and gentle cooking.

This simple recipe takes only a few minutes to get into the pot, cooks while you go about your day and will reward you with meals all week. Use the shredded chicken as is or in one of the flavorful variations below. Either way, it’s great for salads, sandwiches, pastas, quesadillas, tacos, soups or as a pizza or flatbread topping.

Forget bland, boring chicken dinners! This easy-to-make curry is loaded with flavor, thanks to the curry powder, cumin, fresh ginger and chile pepper.

Making the mole sauce for this recipe takes a bit of prep and planning but you’re going to be so impressed with the result. The combination of chiles, chocolate and fragrant spices give the chicken so much flavor that you’ll wonder why you ever ordered Mexican take out!