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    Home » Dinners » Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan

    Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan

    Published: Sep 6, 2019 · Modified: Dec 20, 2021 by Kate · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Plate with crock pot chicken parmesan topped with cheese and bread crumbs

    Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan recipe - tender chicken breast topped with marinara, cheese, and crisp breadcrumbs! Easy crock pot dinner recipe!
    The crock pot is great for making all sorts of recipes!  I've made cinnamon rolls, dinner rolls, desserts, and breakfasts with my slow cooker.

    Since I don't like overly crunchy chicken parmesan, I thought that chicken parmesan that's made in the slow cooker would be good fit. That way you get a little crunch but mostly it's just saucy, cheesy chicken.

    With this slow cooker chicken parmesan recipe, you end up with very moist chicken breast that's smothered in sauce and cheese. It's all topped with a bit of crunchy breadcrumb topping. All of which is my idea of delicious chicken parmesan!

    How to make slow cooker chicken parmesan

    Sauce ingredients in a slow cooker insert

    Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, garlic, Italian seasoning, basil, salt, and pepper to the slow cooker insert. Stir to combine the sauce ingredients.

    Chicken in marinara in a slow cooker insert

    Add the chicken and nestle the chicken down into the sauce. Cook for 4-6 hours on LOW, or until chicken registers 165F.

    To make the topping, add olive oil to a pan. Stir in bread crumbs, and cook until toasted and golden brown. To serve, top chicken with sauce, cheeses, and toasted bread crumbs.

    Chicken parmesan and spaghetti on a speckled plate

    Tips

    • Tomato sauce: I almost always get questions about what tomato sauce is when I use it in a recipe. Tomato sauce is a simply pureed tomatoes.
    • Chicken: For this recipe, I recommend using larger chicken breasts. Using chicken breast halves, cutlets, or tenderloins can leave you with dry chicken.
    • Cooking time: The cooking time will vary depending on the size and thickness of the chicken breast used.

    Can you put raw chicken in a crock pot?

    You can! The raw chicken will fully cook in the sauce. If you aren't sure whether the chicken is fully cooked, check the temperature. The chicken should be 165F.

    Can you put frozen chicken in a crock pot?

    The USDA cautions against using frozen chicken in a crock pot as the meat could spend too much time in the danger zone which can lead to harmful bacterial growth. I have heard from people who like to use frozen chicken in the crock pot, but I don't see any reason to chance it.

    Slow Cooker chicken parmesan on a plate next to a silver fork

    How to serve

    This chicken is great served over pasta like spaghetti. It is also great served on a hoagie roll for chicken parm sandwiches.

    Sides that go well with this recipe

    I serve this chicken parm with my 30 minute garlic knots or homemade garlic breadsticks and a green salad for an easy weeknight dinner.

    Slow cooker chicken parmesan on a speckled plate

    More slow cooker dinner recipes!

    • Crock Pot Mexican Chicken
    • Slow Cooker Barbecue Chicken Quinoa Chili
    • Crock Pot BBQ Chicken
    • Crock Pot Lasagna

    If you’ve tried this slow cooker chicken parmesan recipe, don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below. I love to hear from people who've made my recipes!

    You can SUBSCRIBE to receive my latest recipe newsletters or FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST for even more delicious food.

    Slow cooker chicken parmesan on a speckled plate

    Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan

    Slow cooker chicken parmesan - tender chicken covered with sauce and cheese. 
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Italian
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 4 hours
    Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 506kcal
    Author: Kate @ I Heart Eating

    Equipment

    • Crock pot

    Ingredients

    • 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
    • 8 ounce can tomato sauce1
    • 4 ounces tomato paste
    • 6 cloves garlic minced
    • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
    • 1 teaspoon dried sweet basil
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper
    • 4 chicken breasts2
    • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
    • ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
    • ¼ cup Italian breadcrumbs
    • ½ tablespoon olive oil

    Instructions

    • Combine crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, garlic, seasonings, salt, and pepper in the slow cooker; mix well.
    • Place chicken breasts in the sauce.
    • Cook on low for 4-6 hours.3
    • Remove chicken from slow cooker, and stir sauce.
    • Top chicken breasts with sauce and cheeses. 
    • In a small pan, heat the oil over medium heat for a minute.
    • Add the breadcrumbs, and cook, stirring regularly, for about 5 minutes, or until toasted.
    • Serve chicken topped with toasted breadcrumbs.

    Notes

    1. Tomato sauce is a simply pureed tomatoes. 
    2. For this recipe, I recommend using larger chicken breasts. Using chicken breast halves, cutlets, or tenderloins can leave you with dry chicken. 
    3. The cooking time will vary depending on the size and thickness of the chicken breast used. 
    4. Nutrition facts are estimates. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 506kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 47g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 127mg | Sodium: 1848mg | Potassium: 1583mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 1660IU | Vitamin C: 31.2mg | Calcium: 559mg | Iron: 5.9mg
    Tried this recipe? Rate it below. Mention @i_heart_eating on Instagram & tag #ihearteating!

    Originally published 3/21/12. Updated with new photos and tips 9/6/19.

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    About Kate

    Kate got her first cookbook when she was five years old, and she hasn't stopped cooking since then! Her delicious recipes have been featured on Food Network, MSN, Better Homes & Gardens, Buzzfeed, The Huffington Post, and more. When she's not cooking or baking, she can be found on her mini farm with her husband and her five kids.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Elise

      September 19, 2019 at 9:22 pm

      5 stars
      It was a hit! Since I have fresh basil in the garden I used fresh, but everything else I followed exactly. It was easy, easy, easy which is the way I like to cook.

      Reply
      • Kate

        September 20, 2019 at 8:30 pm

        Yay!! So happy to hear that! Thanks for commenting!

        Reply
    2. Floranet

      September 11, 2019 at 1:11 am

      One of the finest writing I have read so far!

      Reply
    3. Alyce

      September 10, 2019 at 2:01 pm

      Once the chicken is removed from the crockpot, will it be hot enough for the cheese to melt? I would have thought that it would need to remain in the pot for a while for the cheeses to melt.

      Reply
      • Kate

        September 11, 2019 at 10:53 am

        Hi! I've never had any issue with the cheese melting. Between the hot chicken and sauce, it seems to be enough heat for the cheese to melt.

        Reply
    4. Flowers Indiawide

      September 10, 2019 at 6:40 am

      5 stars
      Great!! It was so looking so yummy. You explained the recipe very well. Thanks for the precautions,I didn't knew that.

      Reply
      • Kate

        September 11, 2019 at 10:55 am

        Thank you! I'm so glad that the explanation helped. =) Thanks for commenting!

        Reply
    5. Kris

      November 30, 2018 at 10:47 pm

      Can you use frozen chicken breasts and if so, cook for how long?

      Reply
      • Kate

        December 01, 2018 at 8:50 am

        I haven't tried using frozen chicken breast. I read that the USDA cautions against using frozen chicken in a slow cooker, and so I haven't tried it. I hope this helps!

        Reply
    6. Christina

      September 09, 2018 at 2:48 pm

      If I do high can it be done in about 2?

      Reply
      • Kate

        September 09, 2018 at 4:31 pm

        I haven't tried cooking it on high. I worry a little with chicken breast about it drying out, but, again, I haven't tried it to say for sure. Good luck!

        Reply
    7. Dsauce

      July 08, 2018 at 7:19 pm

      The top says cook time is 4 hours 5 minutes. The recipe says to cook for 6-8 hours. Which one is it?

      Reply
      • Kate

        July 08, 2018 at 7:29 pm

        Hi! Thanks for catching that! The cook time should be 4-6 hours. Thanks!

        Reply
    8. Jen

      April 28, 2018 at 9:32 pm

      5 stars
      Easy and yummy! Thanks!

      Reply
      • Kate

        April 28, 2018 at 10:01 pm

        Glad you liked it! Thank you!

        Reply

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