Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan That Comes Together Quickly

If you're a huge fan of chicken Parmesan but hate how much time it takes to prepare this delicious dish, consider trying recipe developer Erin Johnson's recipe for slow cooker chicken Parmesan. With all the flavor and crispiness of the traditionally prepared dish but with the ease of using a slow cooker, this recipe quickly will become a favorite on your menu rotation.

"Using the slow cooker is a great way to have a meal you love ready, even if you don't have time to be in the kitchen for more than a few minutes," Johnson said.

Prep time takes a mere five minutes, then cook time in the slow cooker runs 3.5 hours. The ingredients are pretty simple, too, and aren't hard to find at the store. If, by some miracle, there are leftovers, Johnson said that chicken Parm tastes positively delicious on a sandwich roll, too. There's nothing like getting two meals out of one easy-to-fix dish!

You will need 2 eggs, a cup of Italian breadcrumbs, 2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts thinly sliced, 3 cups pasta sauce, mozzarella cheese averaging for a 1-ounce slice per chicken breast, Italian herb blend, spaghetti noodles, and the option of fresh basil for garnish. If you need to swap out the wheat-based breadcrumbs for a gluten-free version, you can substitute panko breadcrumbs or another type of breadcrumb. But be sure to season them first before using them if they are not already bursting with seasoning and flavor, Johnson noted.

"The Italian breadcrumbs have garlic, oregano and basil, so add those in," Johnson said.

When prepping the chicken, be sure to slice it longways or purchase the chicken breasts thinly sliced at the store.

"I like to use thin-cut chicken breasts so that it has a faster cook time, and it results in lighter, moist chicken. You can use regular boneless chicken breasts if you'd prefer a larger portion of meat," Johnson said.

Just note that you'll need to adjust your cooking time a bit to ensure that the larger pieces of boneless chicken breasts are thoroughly cooked if you opt for those instead of the thinly sliced portions of meat.

This recipe calls for 3 cups of pasta sauce, which can be whatever type you love, whether it's homemade or from the store, Johnson said. You may want to even try making your own slow cooker marinara sauce a day before. As long as it is tomato-based, whichever sauce you choose will work just fine. You also can take a traditional marinara sauce and spice it up by adding black pepper, oregano and red chili flakes. Converting a red sauce into a creamy red bell pepper sauce gives it a little extra kick by using tahini and olive oil. 

While this recipe calls for traditional spaghetti noodles, feel free to swap them out for any shape, like rotini, or any type such as rice noodles for a gluten-free version or even vegetable noodles like zucchini noodles.

Once the chicken cuts are ready, beat together the eggs in a shallow bowl. Pour 1 cup of breadcrumbs into a similar bowl. Both bowls should be suitable for dredging the chicken pieces. Thoroughly coat each piece of chicken in the egg wash then dredge it in the breadcrumbs. Place each piece of chicken in the slow cooker that's been coated with cooking spray. If you are using thinly sliced chicken breasts, you can roll the chicken pieces a bit to make the pieces rounder instead of flat. Pour your spaghetti sauce of choice over each chicken breast using 2 cups of the sauce, reserving 1 cup for the spaghetti.

Sprinkle half of the 1 tablespoon of Italian herb blend across the chicken pieces and cook on low for three hours. If you are using thicker boneless breasts, cook them on low for seven to eight hours. Lay a 1-ounce slice of yummy mozzarella cheese on top of each chicken breast and allow them to cook for an additional 30 minutes, or until the cheese has melted. If you'd rather your cheese be brown and bubbly, remove the chicken from the slow cooker and place it on a baking sheet to cook in the oven for a bit longer.

Prepare the pasta noodles according to package directions and mix with the remaining spaghetti sauce. Remove the chicken carefully from the slow cooker, sprinkle the remaining Italian herb blend atop each piece and, if you choose, garnish with the fresh basil. Ladle the spaghetti onto a plate and slide a piece of chicken atop the noodles. Then grab a fork and dig in! You won't believe how fantastic this dish tastes! Sitting in the slow cooker helps seal in the abundance of flavors and moisture, too. Don't make the slow cooker mistake of opening it too early. This recipe will soon become a star in your kitchen and a favorite at your dinner table.