Crock Pot Chicken Parmesan Recipe With Spaghetti Sauce
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Crock Pot Chicken Parmesan features juicy, breaded chicken breasts smothered in gooey mozzarella and a bold tomato sauce — hello, comfort food! The best part? It’s a simple delicious dinner for the whole family!
No standing over the stove or dodging oil splatters while you’re cooking.
This easy chicken parmesan recipe combines all of the classic Italian flavors you love into a crockpot meal your family will be begging for again and again.
If there is such thing as a perfect recipe, this is the one. It’s my go-to when I’m having a busy day, and I love classic recipes like this.
The parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese paired with the tender chicken breast create a flavor the entire family will crave.
Crock Pot Chicken Parmesan
With a mouthwatering combination of seasoned poultry, breading, tangy marinara, and melted cheese, it’s no wonder this popular Italian dish is enjoyed around the world!
I’ve also got a more classic stovetop version if you’re in a hurry, or you can transform this dish into sliders for game day or family get-togethers.
And don’t forget the sides! You can never go wrong with a big bowl of salad and homemade breadsticks with any Italian meal.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Chicken – Boneless, skinless breasts work best for this easy chicken parmesan crock pot recipe.
If yours seem extra thick, you can slice them into cutlets so they cook a bit faster. And be sure to pat them dry first to help the breading stick to the surface! - Breadcrumbs – Italian breadcrumbs add loads of flavor, making it super easy to bread and season the meat at the same time.
You could also use plain or panko breadcrumbs and add your own seasonings — about 1 tablespoon total per cup of breadcrumbs. - Cheese – For more variety, you can use any combination of Italian cheeses to top the chicken.
Mix some freshly grated parmesan into the mozzarella, or swap it for fontina, asiago, or provolone instead. - Marinara – Make your own from scratch or grab a jar from the store. Really, any red pasta sauce will do the trick!
- Pasta – We love to serve this crock pot chicken parmesan on a bed of spaghetti, but it’s just as delicious with another type of noodle.
Be sure to have extra warmed marinara on hand to coat every bite.
Chicken Parmesan Crock Pot Kitchen Tools
- Slow Cooker – Great for soups, roasts, shredded chicken, and more!
I love it in the cooler months, but it’s also great in the summer when you don’t want to heat up the whole house with the oven. - Mixing Bowls – I like to have a variety of sizes on hand, and this set has them all.
- Box Grater – As much as I love buying bagged shreds because it’s easier, freshly grated cheese melts down so much smoother and tastes better too.
Crock Pot Chicken Parmesan FAQs
Yes, crock pot chicken parm would traditionally be served after the pasta course, perhaps with a side of vegetables. However, many families don’t serve separate courses for meals, choosing instead to have everything served together.
It doesn’t hurt that the noodles can soak up all that delicious marinara and cheese that will inevitably be left on the plate! You can also swap the pasta for gnocchi or mashed potatoes, or enjoy this chicken parmesan crock pot dish as a sandwich instead.
According to the USDA, cuts of chicken should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F. Check this by inserting an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the meat and reading the display.
While there are recipes for cooking chicken and pasta together in a slow cooker, I don’t recommend cooking them together.
You would need to include extra liquid for the noodles to absorb, which could cause the breading to slide off of the meat.
Just boil and drain the spaghetti while the top layer of cheese is melting on the chicken parm, and you’ll be able to serve them together!
You can make this the perfect comfort food recipe any way that you want. I love to serve this with spaghetti noodles for a busy night, and don’t forget the side of garlic bread!
For a healthier side dish, green beans are a family favorite side dish that pairs well with juicy chicken.
You can also sprinkle on a bit of fresh basil, red pepper flakes, or anything else that you want on top of the sauce to create the perfect meal and flavor. The best part of this easy meal idea is that it’s flexible with any side dish great option that you want to serve.
You choose the best way and make it happen!
Chicken Parmesan Crock Pot Prep Ahead Instructions
If needed, you can bread the chicken the night before and store it in the refrigerator. Shred the mozzarella while you’re at it so everything is ready to go!
This crockpot chicken parmesan comes together in a snap — just toss it all in to cook for 5 hours, then melt some extra cheese on top before serving.
Storing Leftover Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan
Allow leftover slow cooker chicken parmesan to cool, then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for 3 to 4 days.
You can also freeze crock pot chicken parmesan for future meals! I suggest storing individual servings in quart-sized freezer bags so they don’t all stick together.
Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat in the microwave or on the stove. Or, warm several servings in the oven at 350°F with extra marinara.
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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Other Easy Slow Cooker Recipes
Crock Pot Chicken Parmesan Recipe With Spaghetti Sauce
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, (about 1 pound total)
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
- ⅓ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 4 cups marinara sauce, or spaghetti sauce, divided
- 2 cups freshly shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- chopped Italian parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Sprinkle chicken breasts with salt and pepper.
- In a shallow bowl, whisk together egg and milk.
- In a second shallow bowl, combine bread crumbs and parmesan cheese.
- Dip each chicken breast into the egg mixture and then into the bread crumb mixture, coating both sides well.
- Spread ½ cup marinara sauce in the bottom of the slow cooker. Place coated chicken breasts in a single layer over the sauce.Sprinkle 1 cup of mozzarella cheese evenly over the chicken, then pour the remaining sauce over the top.
- Cover the crockpot and cook on LOW for 5 hours. Confirm that the chicken is cooked through by inserting a cooking thermometer into the thickest portion of chicken. The internal temperature should be 165°F.
- Once the chicken is cooked, sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese over everything. Cover, and continue cooking for about 15 minutes longer, or until the cheese melts.
- Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and basil and serve.
Donna’s Notes
- Any type of breadcrumbs will work – the Italian seasoned breadcrumbs have lots of flavor added in, making this super easy to bread and season the chicken at once. You can also use panko or plain breadcrumbs and add your own seasonings.
- You can use any combo of Italian cheeses to top the chicken.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, or cool the meal and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Serve with any type of pasta – we like spaghetti.
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally published May 2022, updated and republished April 2024
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I’ve tried your other chicken parmesan recipe, this one was so easy to follow just like the other one. This one was so easy to put in the crockpot and have it ready
How does the breading hold up to the moist steam-like environment? Wouldn’t it become soggy and fall off the chicken?
This was very easy to prepare and tasted delicious. My pieces of chicken were a bit large, so I cooked on “high” in the crockpot for the first hour without covering with the mozzarella and marinara sauce. I added them afterwards, and the rest cooked up tender and tasty.
Can you brown the chicken with the breading before putting in crock pot?
I tried this recipe 2 days ago. I used 4 chicken breasts that had been in my freezer, one of which was a little freezer burned. I followed your recipe and put the chicken in my 4 qt. slow cooker. I wasn’t sure if it would be big enough as the cooker in your pictures looked larger. Anyway, they came out perfect! The chicken was so tender, we could cut it with a fork! The flavors were wonderful. I froze the last one for when we don’t want to cook. I did take pictures, but I wasn’t able to upload them. Thank you for this wonderful recipe. It was one of the easiest and tastiest meals I have fixed lately.
The family really enjoyed it. I will make again. The taste was wonderful and the chicken was very tender. I used linguine instead of spaghetti and the sauce clung to the pasta very well.
Hi Stacy!
We’re so glad you enjoyed!!
TSRI Team Member,
Devlyn