Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan Sliders
One of our easiest freezer meals: Chicken Parmesan Sliders. Just put a few ingredients into the crockpot and you’ll have one of your favorite meals for a busy night. Great meal idea for large groups too!
“I need more recipes like this in my life,” I told my husband, as he and the kids scarfed down slider after slider. When I don’t have to touch raw meat (can I get an amen?), I can just dump a few ingredients in a slow cooker, and a healthy and kid-friendly meal magically appears at dinner time…I’M IN!
Why are Chicken Parmesan Sliders SO Easy?
Look no further for a slow cooker, chicken dump-and-go meal idea. The simplicity of getting dinner done will have you doing victory laps around your house. There isn’t any prep before placing the very few ingredients in the slow cooker either.
Here’s all you really need from the store:
- chicken breasts, fresh or frozen
- a jar of your favorite marinara (or make your own)
- some mini whole wheat buns or rolls (or make your own)
- Parmesan cheese
- mozzarella or Provolone cheese slices
Just dump in your chicken, marinara sauce and a few choice seasonings and press a button. Gotta love that!
How Long do I Cook Chicken Parmesan Sliders in the Slow Cooker?
After you dump all of your ingredients into the slow cooker, how long do you have to wait until dinner? You might be surprised at the answer. In fact, we wrote an entire post about how long to cook chicken in the slow cooker because so many people are doing it wrong! After loads of recipe testing, we have found that chicken breast is done after 3-4 hours in the slow cooker. This will vary on the type of slow cooker but it’s done quicker than you think!
Can I Make Chicken Parmesan Sliders in the Instant Pot?
Let’s say you aren’t home around the time these Chicken Parmesan Sliders need to go into the slow cooker. You can have Chicken Parmesan Sliders done in minutes using your Instant Pot! In fact, we have done the work and converted the recipe for you. Hop over to our Instant Pot Chicken Parmesan Sliders recipe here.
How do I make Chicken Parmesan Sliders a Freezer Meal?
As with so many of our recipes, Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan Sliders freeze well. (Find all our Freezer Meal recipes here.) You have some options on how to make this a freezer meal too.
Option One: Prepare and freeze it before cooking
To Freeze:
Place raw chicken and marinara (and any optional seasonings) into a freezer-safe container or zip top bag and freeze. You can also wrap up the cheese slices and rolls tightly and freeze. Keep all ingredients in a grocery sack in the freezer, so the meal components are together.
To Prepare:
When ready to cook, thaw everything in the fridge for 24-48 hours. Place chicken & marinara into the slow cooker and follow steps 2-3.
Option Two: Freeze after cooking
To Freeze:
Fully cook and cool the chicken. Place in a freezer-safe container or zip top bag. You can also wrap up the cheese slices and rolls tightly and freeze. Keep all ingredients in a grocery sack in the freezer, so the meal components are together.
To Prepare:
When ready to cook, thaw everything in the fridge for 24-48 hours. If chicken is still partially frozen, use the defrost setting on the microwave. Warm chicken mixture over medium-low on the stove stirring occasionally, in a slow cooker on low setting, or in the microwave. Serve according to the instructions in Step 3 above.
Video Tutorial for Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan Sliders
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PinDescription
Just put a few ingredients (like chicken and marinara ) in to the crockpot and you’ll have one of your favorite meals for a busy night!
Ingredients
- 3–4 chicken breasts
- Salt and pepper
- 1 jar (24 ounce) or 3 cups all-natural marinara sauce (or make your own)
- Optional: 2 teaspoons fresh garlic, minced
- Optional: 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, crushed in hand
- 12 mini whole wheat buns or 6 large whole wheat buns (or make your own)
- 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 6 slices of Provolone or Mozzarella cheese, cut into fourths
Instructions
- Lightly season all sides of chicken with salt and pepper. Add the chicken breasts, sauce, garlic, and seasoning to the slow cooker.
- Cook on LOW for 2 1/2 – 3 hours. Chicken is done when it shreds easily and is white all the way through (or registers 165°F internally). Shred with two forks.
- To build a sandwich place some hot shredded chicken on a bun, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese, top with two little pieces of Provolone or Mozzarella cheese, and pop the top of the bun in place.* Enjoy!
*If you’d like, place the sliders (open faced) on a sheet pan and broil for a 1 minute to melt the cheese.
Notes
Freeze For Later: Fully cook and cool the chicken. Place in a freezer-safe container or zip top bag. You can also wrap up the cheese slices and rolls tightly and freeze. Keep all ingredients in a grocery sack in the freezer, so the meal components are together.
Prepare From Frozen: When ready to cook, thaw everything in the fridge for 24-48 hours. If chicken is still partially frozen, use the defrost setting on the microwave. Warm chicken mixture over medium-low on the stove stirring occasionally, in a slow cooker on low setting, or in the microwave. Serve according to the instructions in Step 3 above.
What to Serve with Chicken Parmesan Sliders
Here are some recipe ideas that would go well with this dish:
Want More Easy Slow Cooker Recipes?
Check out our cookbook, From Freezer to Cooker! Every recipe is easy, drool-worthy, and made with recognizable, whole food ingredients, and what makes the book even more family friendly is its unique two-in-one style. Each recipe provides instructions on how to cook the same meal for both the slow cooker and the Instant Pot!
This is essentially giving home cooks double the recipes. From Freezer to Cooker is the first book of its kind to combine the ease and effectiveness of freezer cooking and hands-free appliances with healthy and delicious recipes.
3-4 chicken breasts is uselessly ambiguous as there is such a wide variation in the size of chicken breasts. Can you please provide a measurement by weight?
Agreed. I’d say about 2 pounds. The good thing about this recipe is that it’s very forgiving. 🙂
Hi I just found your site and I am so excited. I want to make the Chicken Parmrsan sliders for a group of twelve ladies. If I double the recipe will it cook ok and would the cook time be the same? Thank you!
Yes, the cook time should be close to the same, but do check to make sure that there is no more pink inside (or registers 165°F internally). Please reach out if you have any more questions. Enjoy!
This was a hit with my family! I made this several months ago (for the freezer), and defrosted and slow cooked it today. Served it with King Hawaiian rolls and a big green salad. My husband eats everything and made a special comment…”this one here is a winner.” Easy peasy no fuss dinner. Thank you!
★★★★★
Hooray! Thanks so much for taking the time to share a rating/review!
I’ve made these with brioche dinner rolls as well as Hawaiian rolls. Both are good, and so easy to have on hand!
★★★★★
Looks delicious. If you make your own sauce, how much do you put in the crock pot?
Great question! I just updated the recipe. You will need 3 cups of homemade marinara sauce.
Hi! Thanks so much for all of these recipes! It is so appreciated! I made this yesterday and it went over well-enough (of course one of the two kids didn’t like it as much! :)). But I wondered if there was a second recipe that the left over chicken could be used for (some sort of chicken Parmesan casserole)? My creations don’t always work out…LOL! Thanks!
Great question and yes! Our Chicken Parmesan Casserole is the #1 most popular recipe on our site. https://thrivinghomeblog.com/2013/07/chicken-parmesan-casserole-recipe-an-easy-freezer-meal/ P.S. Every meal is like what you described in our house too…usually there is on nay-sayer. Ha!
When you say 3-4 chicken breast, is that 3-4 full breasts or 3-4 1/2 breast, as they are packaged?
Thank you. Sounds delicious!
3-4 FULL.
Thank you. Making for our 4th of July party! Made the marinara sauce recipe. It rocks!!
Looks and sounds delicious! If using frozen chicken, will cooking times change?
Thank you!
I haven’t used frozen chicken before, so I’m sorry that I can’t advise on that one.
I used frozen chicken and it worked out perfectly, high for 6 hrs.
Making 9 batches of this for a meal swap this weekend. Sounds yummy!! Thanks!
★★★★★
That is awesome, Sharon! It’s so easy and a crowd favorite.
We are in the process of moving so I made this because it looked so simple. It was thoroughly enjoyed by 4 adults and a 1 year old! Thanks for the easy, delicious recipe!
I made this yesterday and it is DELICIOUS! Even my picky 3 year old asked for seconds. This will definitely be in rotation in my meal planning. Thank you for sharing these recipes!
★★★★★
Awesome! I love hearing success stories, especially with picky kiddos. yeah!
This recipe worked out great for my son’s first birthday party, so simple! Everyone was commenting on how delicious they were – My addition: I toasted up some panko breadcrumbs in butter.. People were able to scoop some on before adding the cheese and it gave it that crunch of chicken parm. Will definitely be making again!
Good idea!
Made these for dinner tonight and they were crazy good. The provolone really made the sandwiches. Love your recipes. I have a four month old and three year old and have just started freezer cooking. Freezer meals have allowed me to enjoy cooking again despite my busy work schedule. Your recipes and tips have been so much help. Thank you!
We love hearing that! I just made these last week too and am so glad we have leftovers!
This is in the crockpot right now and my house smells divine!!! Yum!
Yeah! You’ll have to let me know what the boys think. I hope they like it. You can tell Justin that this one doesn’t have any hidden spinach in it. 😉