Dinner time is better when these Slow Cooker Italian Chicken Sandwiches are on the menu! Cheesy sandwiches are filled with Italian seasoned chicken and red peppers in this easy recipe.
Love Italian food? Learn how to make amazing homemade spaghetti sauce sauce in the slow cooker too. Served up with our favorite Olive garden breadsticks, it’s a sure hit.
Why These Sandwiches are Best
I love easy slow cooker recipes! The slow cooker makes the chicken easy to shred and gives it time to absorb all the flavors from the marinade.
- Made in the slow cooker for juicy, tender chicken.
- Topped with lots of gooey melted cheese.
- Chopped red peppers for a perfect kick.
- Seasoned with aromatic Italian herbs and spices.
The best part is that you can just throw it together in the morning, then basically forget about the chicken until dinner time. Easy, hassle free and delicious.
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken breasts – This slow cooking method makes the chicken breasts juicier and more flavorful. Boneless skinless chicken thighs can be used if you prefer.
- Italian seasoning – I use this homemade Italian seasoning which is a blend of dried oregano, parsley, thyme, basil, rosemary, marjoram and red pepper flakes.
- Roasted red peppers – These give the chicken a little fiery flavor and add a pop of color to your sandwiches. No need to roast the peppers yourself. I just use the jarred ones and they’re delicious.
- Frozen chopped spinach – Don’t thaw and drain the spinach first. The water it releases as it thaws and cooks in the slow cooker adds necessary liquid that make these chicken sandwiches even juicier.
- Shredded cheese – I like Colby-Jack on these Italian Chicken Sandwiches. Mozzarella or Monterey cheese would be tasty choices too.
- Hamburger buns – Or serve the chicken on any toasted bun or roll you like!
Tips and Tricks
- Shred the chicken right in the slow cooker with two forks. No need for a separate bowl.
- Add the roasted peppers to the slow cooker after shredding the chicken. Let it cook for another 30 minutes before serving to warm the peppers.
- Cook this Italian chicken on the LOW setting for best results. Higher temperatures result in drier chicken with less flavor.
- Need more dinner ideas? Our list of easy chicken recipes has dozens of weeknight meal ideas, perfect so you never get bored.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, fresh spinach can be used instead of frozen in this recipe.
If you’re using fresh spinach, wait to add it until the last hour of cooking time.
The herby flavors in these chicken sandwiches pair perfectly with sides like this Olive Garden salad and this orzo salad.
A few sliced veggies with some roasted red pepper hummus for dipping makes a perfect side for these sandwiches too.
I make these slow cooker Italian Chicken Sandwiches with frozen chicken breasts all the time! You don’t have to thaw it first. Just add it straight from the freezer and let your slow cooker do its job.
I do not find it necessary to add any liquid to the chicken in this recipe. Don’t worry about the chicken drying out, keep the lid on and cook it on low and you’ll be set.
More Easy Dinner Recipes
- Slow Cooker Balsamic Shredded Beef: easy, delicious and perfect with a side of mashed potatoes!
- Jamaican Jerk Pulled Pork Tostadas: orange juice and jerk seasoning create a delicious tang to this pulled pork recipe!
- Chicken Taco Soup: This is one of our families favorite meals, it appears on the menu least once or twice a month!
- Crockpot Barbacoa
- Meatloaf
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Slow Cooker Italian Chicken Sandwiches
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped 12 ounce
- 1 package 10 ounce frozen chopped spinach
- 2 cups Colby-jack cheese shredded
- 6 hamburger buns
Instructions
- Add chicken to large slow cooker. Add seasonings and spinach. Cover and cook on low for about 6 hours.
- Using two forks, shred chicken. Add chopped red peppers to the slow cooker. Allow to heat thoroughly, about 30 minutes.
- When ready to serve, assemble bun with shredded cheese (desired amount) and scoop of shredded chicken mixture. ENJOY.
Notes
- If using fresh spinach add it around hour 5 of cooking, to give it time to wilt and soften.
- Shred the chicken right in the slow cooker with two forks. No need for a separate bowl.
- Add the roasted peppers to the slow cooker after shredding the chicken. Let it cook for another 30 minutes before serving to warm the peppers.
- Cook this Italian chicken on the LOW setting for best results. Higher temperatures result in drier chicken with less flavor.
- Need more dinner ideas? Our list of easy chicken recipes has dozens of weeknight meal ideas, perfect so you never get bored.
Nutrition
Cooked low and slow with fragrant herbs and spices, this shredded chicken makes the best Italian Chicken Sandwiches. Serve it on buns with plenty of cheese and dinner is ready to serve!
Yum, Aimee! Pinning!
Oh man Aimee this is awesome! Drooling over that photo and in the slow cooker?? It’s been too freakin’ hot to turn on the oven and these sandwiches would be PERFECTION during this humid heat wave. 😀
That sounds like something I would do…forget my list and not be able to remember! Love that you still bought ingredients to do your own version of the yummy sandwich!!! It looks great!!!
Oh, girl…your Italian Chicken Sandwiches look sooooo good! This certainly balances all the “shugary sweets”, doesn’t it? 😉 And, to make them in the slow cooker over the warm summer months? Bonus! Pinning to group boards at Pinterest! xo
It’s good to have balance, and this definitely does the trick 🙂 Thanks for pinning Stacy!
I need to have that sandwich ASAP! It looks wonderful! 🙂
Thanks Kristin!! I’m hungry again just seeing it today.
I want to live inside that sandwich!
I love all your dinners Aimee! I’m so making this sometime!
Thanks girl 🙂
Totally love this! They look wonderful and delicious and it is even better with the slow cooker!
Love this! Now when can I come over for dinner?
As long as you bring dessert I’m cool with that 🙂
I love everything about this! Pinned to try 🙂
Thanks Jamie!
All of these look so yummy! =)
Love the Italian chicken sandwich!
Pinning to save!
How delicious! Yummy! 🙂 Pinned it!
You sure can create on the fly! This looks absolutely delicious! Slow cookers are SOOO nice for rushed days – I can’t wait to try this.
Thank you!! They were awesome after a long day to just come home and eat!
Ok, these look fantastic!!
This looks awesome, and I love that the slow cooker does pretty much all the work for you!
Yeah, I love that about slow cookers. 🙂
These look yummy! I love slow cooker dinners. It’s awesome to work all day and walk in the door with dinner waiting for me. It’s totally a highlight of the week.
These look so yummy! I need to start using my crockpot more so I’m not as hard-pressed for time when I get home from work.
Craving this for lunch AND dinner. I love anything crockpot too…makes me feel like I have a personal chef 🙂
Ha! I so agree 🙂
You have such great slow cooker recipes! I just got a slow cooker within the last year and have used the heck out of it. I’m always on the search for new dinner recipe ideas. Can’t wait to try this one!
Thanks Elaine! I’m always on the hunt for dinner ideas too 🙂 Not that I ever follow a recipe, LOL.
I like how you roll, making recipes up on the fly! This looks so good Aimee! Love crockpot recipes!
I’m a fly by the seat of my pants kind of dinner maker 🙂 Thanks for stopping by Tanya!