Slow Cooker Italian Chicken Sandwiches Recipe
These Slow Cooker Italian Chicken Sandwiches feature tender shredded chicken cooked in a flavorful tomato and Italian dressing sauce, served on melty provolone-topped garlic bread. Perfect for an easy, hearty lunch or dinner, the slow cooker does most of the work while you prepare the garlic bread for a delicious homemade sandwich experience.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Total Time: 6 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 sandwiches 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Sauce
- 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1/2 cup good Italian dressing (e.g., Newman’s Own)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 15 oz can petite cut diced tomatoes (drained)
- 1/4 cup fresh basil (chopped)
Sandwich Assembly
- 4 slices Provolone cheese
- 8 slices frozen garlic bread
Instructions
- Prepare Slow Cooker: Place the boneless, skinless chicken breasts into a 6-quart slow cooker. Drain the diced tomatoes and pour them evenly over the chicken.
- Make Sauce Mixture: In a small bowl, whisk together the Italian dressing, tomato paste, sugar, salt, and red pepper flakes until combined. Pour this mixture over the chicken and tomatoes in the slow cooker.
- Cook Chicken: Cover with the lid and cook on LOW for 6 hours. After cooking, shred the chicken directly in the slow cooker using two forks. Then switch the slow cooker setting to WARM to keep the chicken hot without overcooking.
- Bake Garlic Bread and Melt Cheese: Meanwhile, bake the frozen garlic bread slices according to the package instructions. During the last minute of baking, place one slice of provolone cheese on each of four slices of garlic bread to allow the cheese to melt.
- Assemble Sandwiches: Stir the freshly chopped basil into the shredded chicken mixture. Pile the Italian chicken generously on top of the provolone-topped garlic bread slices. Complete the sandwiches by topping each with one remaining slice of garlic bread. Serve immediately and enjoy.
Notes
- For a spicier sandwich, increase the amount of red pepper flakes according to taste.
- Using fresh chicken breasts ensures juicy and tender shredded meat.
- You can substitute provolone with mozzarella or another melting cheese of your preference.
- If fresh basil is unavailable, dried basil can be used but reduce quantity to about 1 tablespoon.
- Leftover shredded chicken can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheated for another meal.
Keywords: slow cooker chicken sandwich, Italian chicken, shredded chicken sandwich, easy chicken recipe, garlic bread sandwich, provolone chicken sandwich
