Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan Sloppy Joes are the ultimate lazy slow cooker recipe! It has all the flavor of traditional chicken parmesan but with a fraction of the work. Tender ground chicken, savory sauce, and gooey cheese, all cooked together by your crock pot. This delicious dish is great for everything from busy weeknights to game day!!
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To make these chicken sloppy Joes, you will need these simple ingredients:
- ground chicken*
- marinara sauce
- shredded mozzarella cheese* divided
- grated parmesan cheese
- Italian seasoning
- garlic powder
- salt
Optional Topping
- seasoned panko crumbs toasted
- olive oil or avocado
🔪Instructions
This great recipe involves just a few simple steps:
Preparing Your Slow Cooker
Prepare your slow cooker by coating it with a non-stick agent. Any nonstick cooking spray or oil will work. Olive oil and avocado oil are my go-to coatings.
NOTE: some slow cooker inserts come with a nonstick surface. Use of a non-stick agent is still suggested. However, oil is sometimes recommended rather than spray to protect the longevity of the non-stick surface. Check your slow cooker's manual if you have any concerns.
Alternatively, you can choose to use a slow cooker liner.
Cooking
- 🍗 Place ground chicken into the bottom of a greased slow cooker. Using a spoon or spatula, break the chicken apart a bit.
- 🍗 Add all other ingredients (except for half of the shredded mozzarella, oil and bread crumbs) into slow cooker and stir to combine. Be careful not to mix too much as overworked ground chicken can become mushy.
- 🍗 Cover and cook on low heat for 4-6 hours or high for 2-3 hours. If you want to confirm that your chicken is safe to eat, use a meat thermometer. Cooked ground chicken needs to reach 165℉ to be considered safe to eat.
- 🍗 Optional but delicious step: Preheat oven or toaster over to 350℉. In a separate bowl, mix bread crumbs and olive oil. Place the mixture in a single layer on a parchment paper covered baking sheet. Cook for about 10 minutes, or until golden and crispy.
- 🍗 Once chicken is finished cooking, stir again to fully combine all ingredients. Top with (optional) toasted bread crumbs and remaining mozzarella cheese. Cover slow cooker just long enough for cheese to melt.
- 🍗 Serve on brioche buns and enjoy!
Top Tip
If you are a fan of extra cheesy, up the shredded mozzarella added in at the start to 1.5 cups. This leaves on ½ a cup for topping, but makes for an extra goey!
🍽Serving suggestions
- Instead of adding bread crumbs and mozzarella cheese topping to slow cooker, add these to each sandwich when serving.
- Not a hamburger bun fan? This sloppy Joe mixture is also great served over pasta, rice or scooped up with tortilla chips.
- Looking to lighten things up? Serve this yummy sloppy Joe recipe in lettuce wraps or scooped-out bell peppers cut in half.
- For more crunch, toast your burger buns before loading them up with this juicy chicken dish.
- To turn this dish into an easy dinner, pair it with a simple side salad, pasta salad, French fries, or chips. And don't forget the pickles!!
- If you are an easy sloppy Joe recipe fan, you will love cheesesteak sloppy Joes, chicken satay sloppy Joes, and sloppy taco Joes.
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🔁Substitutions
- Swap lean ground chicken in this recipe with lean ground beef or ground turkey for different but delicious easy meals.
- Replace mozzarella cheese with shredded cheddar for a different flavor profile.
- Pretzel buns are a great sub for brioche or hamburger buns!
- To make your dish even sloppier, add an extra half cup of sauce
Flavor note:
Sauce matters. Use one you love and it will make all the difference! A mediocre sauce will make a mediocre meal.
Storing
Store leftovers of your cheesy chicken in an airtight container or bag. They will last for 3-4 days in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer.
Allow frozen leftovers to defrost overnight in the refrigerator before gently reheating.
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😉Hints & hacks
- Ground chicken is considered safe to consume once it reaches 165℉. A meat thermometer is a helpful tool if you are unsure whether your chicken is ready.
- Serving a crowd? Double this slow cooker ground chicken parmesan recipe. Cooking may need to be increased slightly, but not doubled. The first time you make it, just keep an eye on it to confirm when it is done.
- This is one of our non-traditional favorite slow cooker recipes to serve on game days. Our entire family likes it as a dip with pita or tortilla chips.
- I always recommend the use of a slow cooker liner. Of course, this is an optional step. I like to purchase my liners in bulk for a less expensive per-piece price.
- Store leftovers of your chicken sloppy Joe mixture in individual serving-size containers for an easy weeknight dinner or lunch.
- In the market for a new slow cooker? I love mine!
- Don't forget to turn on (and plug-in!) your slow cooker!!
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📖 Recipe
Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan Sloppy Joes Recipe
(Click on the stars to leave a rating)
Print Pin Rate SaveAll nutrition information shown here is automatically generated and should be considered an estimate. If you follow a specific diet, please calculate your own values to ensure accuracy.
Equipment
- 3 qt slow cooker or larger
- Mixing Spoon
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground chicken*
- 1½ cups marinara sauce
- 2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese* divided
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup seasoned panko crumbs toasted (optional)
- 2 tablespoon olive oil or avocado
Instructions
- Place 1 lb ground chicken* into greased slow cooker
- Use a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to break up the chicken
- Add in1½ cups marinara sauce, 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, ½ cup grated parmesan cheese, 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, and ½ teaspoon salt
- stir to fully combine
- Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours or high for 2-3 hours.
- If using 1 cup seasoned panko crumbs , mix with 2 tablespoon olive oil sand place on a baking tray. Toast in a 350℉ oven for about 10 minutes or until golden brown
- When chicken is cooked through, remove lid and stir again to combine all ingredients fully.
- Sprinkle toasted bread crumbs (if using) and remaining Mozzarella shreds over the top, cover, and continue to cook for a few more minutes - just until added cheese is fully melted.
- Serve promptly
Final Step
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Notes
Nutrition
All nutrition information shown here is automatically generated and should be considered an estimate. If you follow a specific diet, please calculate your own values to ensure accuracy.
💜Reasons To Love This Recipe (add after recipe card)
- It's easy!!: Let your slow cooker do all the work!
- Even your picky eaters will love it: A comforting, cheesy meal everyone will love.
- Meal Prep is a snap: Mix all ingredients in a ziptop bag the night before. Store in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook, then pop it in your crockpot and go!
- Perfect for Game Day: A fun twist on a classic favorite that is great scooped up with chips, served in buns or even served slider style!
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