This crockpot Italian chicken is the most flavorful shredded chicken, with its combination of Italian seasonings and slight kick from pepperoncini. Simply cook, shred the chicken, and serve over pasta or rice. We also use this chicken to make "Italian beef" style sandwiches on hoagie rolls for a quick weeknight dinner.
Chicken in the crock pot is a staple in our home for easy dinners on busy nights. We rely on shredded chicken for many of our favorite recipes, but this one is so flavorful and uses just three ingredients, so we find ourselves making it several times a month.
Why We Love this Recipe
We could probably rant on for a long time about this tried and true Italian chicken recipe, but let's simplify our list to the top three. Here is why we love making shredded Italian chicken in the slow cooker:
- We can fix it and forget it. Toss the ingredients into the slow cooker, set the temperature and timer, and it's ready for dinner!
- This recipe calls for only three inexpensive ingredients: chicken breasts, Italian seasoning and a jar of pepperoncini.
- This recipe gives us two meals: half of the shredded chicken goes onto toasted hoagie rolls for "Italian beef" style sandwiches, and the other half is tossed into pasta. You can also serve it over rice or enjoy it on its own!
Ingredients
Most home cooks use these ingredients regularly. For the chicken, all you need are boneless chicken breasts, packets of Italian dressing seasoning, and a jar of pepperoncini. All three of these are easily found in any grocery store aisle. Then, depending on how you're serving it, you'll need hoagie rolls or pasta or rice.
How to Make Shredded Italian Chicken in the Crock Pot
To make the perfectly shredded Italian flavored chicken in the crock pot, simply combine all three ingredients in the slow cooker bowl and set the temperature to low. The chicken will be cooked and easy to shred in 6 to 7 hours. We leave it in the slow cooker bowl while shredding.
Shredded Italian Chicken Pasta
When we decide to use this shredded Italian chicken for a pasta dish, we transfer the chicken directly from the crockpot onto our dinner plates over a mound of pasta.
Italian Chicken Sandwiches
For Italian chicken subs, I first toast the hoagie rolls in a 400°F oven with a slice of provolone. Then fill each hoagie with hot chicken and peppers from the slow cooker bowl and serve!
What to Serve with Italian Chicken
If we go the pasta route, I tend to serve Caesar salad on the side with garlic bread and asparagus. For the Italian chicken hoagies, our favorite sides are tater tots and mac 'n cheese!
More Crock Pot Chicken Recipes
- Crock Pot Chicken Tacos
- Sweet and Sour Chicken
- Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Chicken Enchilada Soup
- Russian Chicken
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Photos by Lindsay Evers Photography
Recipe Card
Crockpot Italian Shredded Chicken
Ingredients
- 2.5 to 3 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 packets dry Italian salad dressing seasoning (.7 oz each)
- 8 oz. jar sliced pepperoncini medium heat, include juices
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a 6 to 7 quart slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 to 7 hours. When done cooking, use two forks to shred the chicken in the crockpot bowl and keep in the juices.
- Serve over pasta or rice. Or as Italian beef style sandwiches. See notes for serving instructions.
Notes
- For hot sub sandwiches:
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- Preheat oven to 400°F. Split open the buns while keeping both sides attached and place on baking sheet. Layer with a slice of provolone. Bake for 5 minutes to melt cheese and toast buns. Remove from oven and top with desired amount of hot shredded chicken and peppers from the crock pot. Fold and serve.
- For pasta dish:
- Cook 8 oz pasta according to package directions. Drain and stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons butter and 3 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle desired amount of Parmesan, about ¼ cup, more or less to taste. Serve pasta on plates topped with desired amount of hot shredded chicken from the crock pot. Drizzle with some of the juices from the crock pot.
