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I am so excited to share my favorite Crock Pot Chicken Parmesan recipe with you today! I have put a lot of effort into perfecting this dish, and know you will love it. It's ready to cook with 10 minutes or less of prep, and is the perfect effortless dinner for a large family or meal planning for the week ahead!
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Crockpot Chicken Parmesan
As much as I love cooking, when I get home exhausted and hungry after a long day, the last thing I want to do is spend my evening in the kitchen. I'm sure you know what I mean!
This is why I love slow cooker recipes so much, like crock pot pork chops or slow cooker ribs. You can have dinner ready without needing to spend much time in the kitchen at all. My crock pot chicken parmesan recipe is by far one of my favorites, and my family loves it, too!
Prep it in the morning, then come back to a tasty dinner ready to serve and enjoy after a long day. What could be better than a hearty, flavorful meal of chicken parm with hardly any effort? It's so relaxing!
Creamy, juicy, tender, and so cheesy. You can't go wrong with my slow cooker chicken parmesan!
Chicken Parm Crock Pot Ingredients
- Chicken Breasts: Boneless skinless chicken breasts work best as the protein for this recipe. You can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs, too. Just be sure to check the temperature before serving.
- Italian Breadcrumbs: Mixed with Parmesan, salt, and pepper, this will form the crust on your chicken Parm. For a gluten-free version, you can use gluten-free breadcrumbs.
- Parmesan: Mixed with breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper, this forms the coating for your chicken parm. I recommend using a high quality parm for the best flavor.
- Egg: For coating the chicken with the breading. This helps it stick!
- Mozzarella Cheese: For topping the chicken and giving it that ooey, gooey cheesy layer that is totally irresistible.
- Tomato Sauce: Pour into the slow cooker first, then top the chicken with the tomato sauce. It helps keep the chicken from sticking to the bottom of the crock pot, and is a necessary part of chicken parm! You could also use marinara sauce. Sometimes I like to mix in leftover bolognese!
- Olive Oil: You will need a total of 4 Tablespoons of olive oil, divided into 2 Tablespoons each. If you don't want to sear the chicken, you don't need any oil. But, I recommend it for the best flavor.
Crockpot Chicken Parm Instructions
Beat Eggs and Prepare Breadcrumbs
In a shallow bowl, crack eggs and whisk until well beaten. Set aside. Then, to a large bowl, add breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
Slice and Coat Chicken
Carefully slice the chicken breasts in half using a sharp knife, then dip them into the egg. After coating in egg, dredge the chicken breasts in the breadcrumb mixture, making sure to coat both sides well.
Sear Chicken (Optional)
Optional, but recommended: Heat your skillet over medium heat with 2 Tablespoons of olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add 2 pieces of chicken at a time. Sear them on each side for 2-3 minutes. The chicken should not be cooked all of the way through, only seared to golden-brown on both sides. Repeat with the remaining oil and chicken.
Add Tomato Sauce and Chicken
Pour 1 cup of your tomato sauce into the bottom of your slow cooker. This prevents sticking. Then, add the chicken breasts.
Layer with Sauce and Cheese
Layer with the remaining sauce, then top with half of your mozzarella cheese.
Cook on Low
Close the lid and cook on LOW for 6 hours. Use a meat thermometer and my chicken temperature chart to ensure your chicken is cooked through.
Add More Cheese
During the last 10 minutes of cook time, sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese over everything in the slow cooker. Cover and continue to cook until the cheese melts and the chicken is completely cooked through.
Serve over your pasta of choice, garnish with fresh parsley, and enjoy! Personally, I love serving this recipe over penne pasta to make a delicious parmesan chicken pasta, but spaghetti is great, too.
Tips for Making Slow Cooker Chicken Parm
- Mozzarella is a perfect mild and melty cheese for chicken parmesan, but feel free to experiment with other melty white cheeses! I love using pepper jack or Gruyere for a flavorful kick.
- Jarred sauce makes this recipe incredibly low-effort and quick to whip up, but it's also the perfect recipe for using up leftover spaghetti sauce.
- It's super easy to alter this recipe into gluten-free Chicken Parmesan by using gluten-free breadcrumbs instead!
- Looking to bulk up dinner? Serve chicken parmesan over your favorite pasta! Just get the pasta cooked 15 minutes before the chicken is done.
- You can substitute boneless chicken thighs in this recipe.
- Feel free to garnish with fresh basil.
- If you want a more flavorful sauce, you can add Italian seasoning and garlic.
Chicken Parmesan in the Crock Pot FAQ
You can safely put raw chicken in the slow cooker! Given enough time to cook, the slow cooker will bring chicken up to temperature easily, as well as any included vegetables or sauces. It's an easy, mess-free way of cooking chicken. Just don't use frozen chicken - let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight first. I recommend searing the chicken first either way.
There is no difference between chicken Parmesan and chicken Parmigiana! They're two words for the exact same dish, using the English and Italian words for the same cheese. That said, it's likely that chicken Parmesan will use Parmesan cheese, which is technically different than Parmigiano due to strict rules on what can be called true Parmigiano.
Raw chicken comes to temperature quite quickly in a slow cooker, and cooks to 165°F in about 2-3 hours. However, cooking saucy chicken recipes for longer gives the sauce time to thicken and infuse the meat with flavor.
You should always cook chicken breasts on LOW with a slow cooker. This is to ensure that the meat stays juicy and tender! By cooking on HIGH heat, it's very easy to overcook the chicken and leave it dry, tough, and tasteless. Trust me- the longer cook time is worth it!
What to Serve with Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan
Make your life easy- equip yourself with a whole slew of amazing slow cooker recipes! Above are just a few of my very favorites. Try my Homemade Hamburger Helper, too!
If you enjoyed the recipe, leave a comment and a rating below!
Crock Pot Chicken Parmesan
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3-4 Chicken Breasts - boneless and skinless
- 1 cup Italian breadcrumbs
- ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon Black pepper
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 4 Tablespoons Olive oil - divided - not necessary if you skip step 4
- 2 Eggs
- 2 cups Mozzarella cheese - shredded
- 29 ounces Tomato sauce
Optional Ingredients
- 1 package spaghetti - for serving
- ½ Tablespoon fresh parsley - for garnish
Instructions
- In a small bowl, crack eggs and whisk until well beaten. Set aside.2 Eggs
- To a large bowl, add breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Mix well.1 cup Italian breadcrumbs,⅓ cup Parmesan cheese,½ teaspoon Black pepper,½ teaspoon Salt
- Carefully slice the chicken breasts in half using a sharp knife, then dip them into the egg. After coating in egg, dredge the chicken breasts in the breadcrumb mixture, making sure to coat both sides well.3-4 Chicken Breasts
- Optional, but recommended: Heat your skillet over medium heat with 2 Tablespoons of olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add 2 pieces of chicken at a time. Sear them on each side for 2-3 minutes. The chicken should not be cooked all of the way through, only seared to golden-brown on both sides. Repeat with the remaining oil and chicken.4 Tablespoons Olive oil
- Pour 1 cup of your tomato sauce into the bottom of your slow cooker. This prevents sticking. Then, add the chicken breasts.29 ounces Tomato sauce
- Layer with the remaining sauce, then top with half of your mozzarella cheese.2 cups Mozzarella cheese
- Close the lid and cook on LOW for 6 hours. Use a meat thermometer and my chicken temperature chart to ensure your chicken is cooked through.
- During the last 10 minutes of cook time, sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese over everything in the slow cooker. Cover and continue to cook until the cheese melts and the chicken is completely cooked through.2 cups Mozzarella cheese
- Serve over spaghetti, garnish with fresh parsley, and enjoy!1 package spaghetti,½ Tablespoon fresh parsley
Notes
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- Mozzarella is a perfect mild, melty cheese for chicken parm, but feel free to experiment with other melty white cheeses! I love using pepper jack or Gruyere for a flavorful kick.
-
- Jarred sauce makes this recipe incredibly low-effort and quick to whip up, but it's also the perfect recipe for using up leftover spaghetti sauce.
-
- It's super easy to alter this recipe into gluten free Chicken Parmesan by using gluten free breadcrumbs instead!
-
- Looking to bulk up dinner? Whip up a pot of your favorite pasta to serve Chicken Parmesan over top of! Just get the pasta cooking 15 minutes before the chicken is done.
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