Slow cooker chicken parmesan is an easy and delicious way to make an old classic. It's the perfect meal to make any night of the week feel special!
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I’ll admit it....right here, right now on the internet for the whole world to see (literally!): I was wrong.
You may want to take a screenshot of that because I don’t really like to admit when I am wrong. Plus, there is always a chance that I will change my mind and alter this post! 😉
I did not believe that a chicken parmesan recipe could be made in a slow cooker. I just could not conceive of skipping the process of pan frying the chicken prior to smothering it with sauce and cheese.
However, I still felt a need to test my theory. And luckily I was wrong (look at that... I said it twice in the same post!). You can bread chicken, cover it with cheese and sauce, slow cook it, and still have an amazing end result.
The slow cooker version of this whole family favorite is tender and delicious. Bonus: it does not require you to clean up all the little splatters of oil that come with pan frying. Or even the frying pan itself, for that matter!
📃Shopping List
To make this easy recipe, you will need:
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts, chicken thighs - or a combo of the two
- Eggs
- Panko crumbs
- Parmesan cheese
- Italian seasoning
- Garlic powder
- Kosher salt
- Mozzarella cheese - sliced is preferred
- Marinara sauce
🔪Assembly
Start off this amazing chicken parmesan recipe by using either a slow cooker liner or some non-stick cooking spray
In a small bowl, beat two eggs together and set aside. In a separate shallow bowl mix together bread crumbs, half of the parmesan cheese and all the spices.
Place one piece of raw chicken at a time into the beaten eggs to coat. Dip chicken, one egg-coated piece at a time, into bread crumb mixture and turn to coat all sides. Place chicken pieces into a single layer on the bottom of the slow cooker.
When all chicken is in your crock pot, lay a slice of mozzarella cheese on top of each one. Fully cover all the cheese topped chicken with marinara sauce. Then cover and cook on the low heat setting.
One half hour prior to serving, sprinkle the remaining parmesan cheese over top of the tomato sauce.
A note about chicken
Chicken in the slow cooker can be a bit tricky. Boneless chicken breast can dry out and get tough if overcooked. Dark meat is a little more forgiving and flexible and won't dry out quite as fast.
I find that the best way to ensure a juicy, tender chicken breast every time is to use a meat thermometer. Towards the end of cooking time, use the thermometer to test the internal temperature of larger chicken pieces. Chicken is considered safe to eat once it reaches an internal temperature of 165F.
🍽Serving Suggestions
Crock pot chicken parmesan can be served with many delicious sides. Penne pasta, spaghetti, steamed veggies, green beans, baked potatoes, mashed potatoes, and mashed cauliflower are all great options.
All the flavors of decadent chicken parmesan make this a perfect recipe to turn into great hot sandwiches. We love serving it on a kaiser roll with some rice on the side!
You can sprinkle it with some extra cheese or if you're a fan of heat, some red pepper flakes. It is also great topped with a chopped fresh herb, such as some fresh basil.
Storing leftovers
Leftover crockpot chicken parm can be stored in an airtight container or bag. It will last for 2-3 days in the refrigerator. The breading will get a little gooier while the leftovers sit in the sauce. I would not recommend freezing for this reason.
If you love this recipe, please let me know in the comment section below!
😉Hints & hacks
- I always suggest the use of a slow cooker liner for easy clean-up. I like to buy mine in bulk for a cheaper per-piece price
- In the market for a new crock-pot? I love mine!
- This delicious crockpot chicken parm is a great make-in-advance, simple recipe. You can assemble all ingredients in a bowl or slow cooker liner the night before. In the morning, add the mixture to your slow-cooker and you are set (just don't forget to turn it on) 😉
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Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan Recipe
Equipment
- 6 quart slow cooker
- 2 mixing bowls
Ingredients
- 4 pieces boneless, skinless chicken I use two breasts and two thighs to please everyone at my table
- 2 eggs, beaten
- ½ cup panko crumbs
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 1 tablespoon McCormick Italian Seasoning Or, make your own: 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon dried rosemary and 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ lbs sliced mozzarella cheese
- 3-4 cups red sauce
Instructions
- Mix panko, ¼ cup Parmesan and spices together in one bowl
- Place eggs in separate bowl and beat
- Place one piece of chicken at a time into the beaten egg and make sure it is well coated - then press egg drenched piece of chicken into the panko crumb mixture and turn to coat with crumbs on all sides
- Place each breaded piece of chicken into the slow cooker
- Lay one slice of mozzarella cheese on top of each piece of breaded chicken
- Fully cover all cheese-topped chicken with marinara sauce
- Place lid on pot and cook 4 - 6 hours on low.
- About ½ an hour before serving, sprinkle remaining grated Parmesan cheese over top of sauce and finish cooking; allowing cheese to melt.
Notes
Nutrition
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Have you tried this recipe? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comment section below!
Lisa says
Very easy, did kind of two layers of breaded chicken, cheese and sauce, smaller pieces of chicken so ready in roughly 4 hours on low.
Monia says
Question: can I assemble this a day in advance and leave it in the fridge?
The Lazy Slow Cooker says
Hi Monia,
I have never tried assembling this one in advance. However, if I did, I would bread the chicken and top with cheese, but I wouldn’t add the marinara sauce until I was about to turn the crockpot on.
If you try it, I would love to hear how it goes.
Thanks for asking!!