Spice up your slow cooker with this African chicken stew.

RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS, PA—Your slow cooker makes it easy to prepare meals that are hearty, satisfying, and healthy. But it can also be your ticket to international cuisine. These tasty slow-cooker meals from the Rodale Recipe Finder, inspired by various international cuisines, will definitely add spice to your meal plans. And while you may already rely on your slow cooker when making soups and stews, we've included a few dishes that you may not have prepared using this convenient countertop cooking method, such as meatballs, stuffed peppers, and lasagna.

#1: Jammin' Jambalaya. The hot sauce that gives this Creole dish its heat contains capsaicin, and animal and laboratory studies have shown that the chemical can help ward off infections and colds. In one study, mice that were given a daily dose of capsaicin had nearly three times more antibody-producing cells after three weeks than those who consumed none. And other studies found that eating food containing hot components such as capsaicin may help boost immunity.

#2: Slow-Cooker Moroccan Chicken with Olives. More slow-cooker meals containing healthy hot peppers include this exotic Moroccan chicken recipe and African Chicken Stew.

Read on to find recipes for sweet and sour chicken, triple layer lasagna, and more.