This post is sponsored by Prego. All opinions are my own.
Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan Casserole
Sauce-y, cheesy, delicious slow cooker Chicken Parmesan. All the flavors you love from Chicken Parmesan, but only a fraction of the work. Let the slow cooker do it for you!
Serve with the World’s Best Cheesy Garlic Bread Recipe and an Italian Garden Salad for a great meal.
This slow cooker Chicken Parmesan is one of those meals that is both delicious and comforting, but also makes the regular rotation because of just how easy it is to make. It makes having a homemade meal on a busy night not only possible, but easy!
This is one of the simplest recipes you will see. It is just 8 ingredients, all of which are easy to find. You simply add it all to the slow cooker, and let the slow cooker do its thing.
In practically no time, you get everyone’s favorite dinner with very little effort.
What You Need to Make Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan
One of my favorite parts of this recipe is that it takes simple, wholesome ingredients, and turns them into something magical. Here is what you need to make Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan:
- Prego Traditional: This thick and hearty sauce offers the perfect way to build flavor in this Chicken Parmesan without having to round up a bunch of spices or simmer a sauce for hours. Prego already does the work for you with this sauce. It tastes homemade and it’s no surprise it is the #1 Italian sauce in America.
- Crushed Tomatoes: We built flavor with Prego Traditional; now it is all about texture. If you do not have crushed tomatoes, you can sub more Prego Traditional.
- Chicken Breast: Simmered low and slow in the crock pot, means you get tender, juicy chicken.
- Salt and Pepper: Just a little seasoning for the chicken.
- Penne Pasta: Feel free to sub out another pasta if needed.
- Minced Garlic: Adjust to preference.
- Parmesan Cheese: It wouldn’t be Chicken Parmesan without the Parmesan. Select your favorite Parmesan and use it generously in this dish.
- Mozzarella Cheese: Adds creamy goodness and that stretch we all love.
- Parsley: A fun garnish to brighten things up!
Recommended Equipment
- Slow Cooker: Cooks everything up, I recommend 5 qt or larger
- Stock Pot: For cooking your pasta
- Mixer with paddle attachment: Makes shredding chicken easy, but is not necessary
How to Make Chicken Parmesan Casserole
This recipe is really simple:
- Layer in ingredients. Let cook for 3-4 hours.
- Shred chicken and add in cooked pasta and cheese.
- Finish with more cheese on top.
Step One: Add Chicken to Slow Cooker
Simply place your chicken in the bottom of the crock pot or slow cooker, and spread it out. I cut my chicken breasts into thinner strips to promote more even cooking.
Step Two: Cover chicken with Prego Traditional
Pour 14 ounces of Prego Traditional over the top, as well as 28 ounces of crushed tomatoes. Cover the chicken so it can absorb the delicious flavors as it cooks.
Step Three: Add Garlic
Add garlic to the slow cooker, and stir it up to evenly distribute and coat the chicken.
Step Four: Cook for 3.5 Hours
Cook the chicken for 3 to 3.5 hours, until it is cooked through and internal temperature is 165 degrees F. Then remove it from the slow cooker and shred it.
Tip: The quickest way to get nicely shredded chicken is to put it in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment and turn it on a low speed. It shreds the chicken beautifully.
Step Five: Cook Pasta
Meanwhile, cook your pasta to just under al dente. Basically read the cooking instructions and subtract one minute from the cooking time. The pasta will finish cooking in the sauce with the chicken as the cheese melts, and you do not want it overcooked.
Step Six: Combine in Slow Cooker
Add your cooked and drained pasta, your Parmesan cheese, half the mozzarella cheese, and the shredded chicken back into the slow cooker, and mix it all together.
Step Seven: Top with More Prego Original
Now cover the whole thing with an even layer of Prego Original. This not only adds more awesome flavor, but makes this dish nice and saucy and fun.
Step Eight: Top with Cheese + Cover
Cover the whole thing with the remaining mozzarella cheese, and put the lid back on for about 30 minutes to allow the cheese to melt, the sauce to heat, and everything to finish cooking.
Step Nine: Garnish and Serve
Once the cheese is melted and you are ready to serve, simply garnish with fresh parsley, serve, and enjoy!
Serve With:
This recipe is so delicious and versatile. It is great for a busy weeknight, but tastes good enough to serve to company. I love pairing it with:
Tips and Tricks
Making this recipe is Eazy Peazy, but here are some tips for making sure it turns out perfect every single time:
- Watch the Chicken: Every slow cooker is different and some have hot spots etc. So pay attention to your chicken and stop cooking it when it is done. You don’t want it to dry out, so after a couple hours of cooking, check the temp and when it reaches 165 degrees F internally, take it out to shred.
- Shred Chicken Warm: I love using my mixer to shred my chicken, it makes it quick, easy, and uniform, but one thing you have to know is it works best with warm chicken. So if you are prepping ahead, be sure to shred the chicken while it is still warm.
- Undercook the Pasta: It takes about 30 minutes for the cheeses to melt after you have cooked everything, so your pasta will continue to cook during this time, to avoid overcooked pasta, you want to cook it just slightly less than al dente before adding it to the pan.
- Use Prego Traditional: This sauce offers the perfect balance of acid and sweet, thick, and flavorful. It is the right consistency for this recipe, and should not be subbed for another brand. It is the perfect way to achieve that homemade meal with balanced flavors, on busy nights.
Make Ahead and Storage
This recipe can easily be made ahead and frozen for later. Simply add more sauce, and reheat in the slow cooker, microwave, or oven.
It can also be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
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Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken breast cut into strips
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 28 ounces Prego Traditional divided
- 1 pound penne pasta cooked al dente
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 1/2 cups Parmesan cheese shredded
- 3 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
- Garnish: fresh minced parsley
Instructions
- In a 5 Qt or larger slow cooker, place chicken breast in the bottom, and season with salt and pepper.
- Dump 28 ounces crushed tomatoes, 14 ounces of Prego Traditional Sauce, and minced garlic over the chicken.
- Put lid on and cook for 3 hours on high.
- Remove chicken from the slow cooker, and shred. Note: I used a mixer with a paddle to shred the chicken. Return chicken to the slow cooker.
- At 3 hours, cook penne al dente in a large stock pot of water, according to package directions, drain, and add to crock pot, along with Parmesan cheese, and half the mozzarella cheese.
- Stir everything together.
- Pour the remaining 14 ounces of Prego Traditional sauce over the top.
- Top with remaining shredded Mozzarella Cheese
- Put lid back on and cook for 30 more minutes until cheese is melted.
- Garnish with fresh parsley
- Enjoy!
Nutrition
Our recipe card software calculates these nutrition facts based on averages for the above ingredients, different brands, and quality of produce/meats may have different nutritional information, always calculate your own based on the specific products you use in order to achieve accurate macros for this recipe.
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