An Italian chicken sandwich always hits the spot. The juicy chicken sandwich paired with provolone cheese and crusty bread is perfect for lunch or dinner. Plus, the sandwiches are made in the slow cooker making the cooking process a breeze!
You can’t go wrong when it comes to Italian chicken sandwiches. The sandwiches are packed with slow-roasted chicken and then topped with melty provolone cheese, banana peppers, and ranch dressing. They will leave you stuffed in the best possible way.
SIMPLE SLOW COOKER ITALIAN CHICKEN SANDWICHES
If you think cooking in the slow cooker is not worth it, these Italian chicken sandwiches will prove you wrong. Just like their cousin, the Italian beef sandwiches, the sandwiches are packed with flavor. The slow cooker cooks the chicken nice and slow allowing for the maximum amount of flavor to develop.
The chicken is marinated with a simple Italian seasoning full of herbs and spices. Don’t worry about the spice packet being too mild. When combined with the chicken in the slow cooker, the flavors develop over time to make one mouthwatering bite.
While the chicken is the main ingredient in the sandwich, it is not the only star of the show. The chicken gets topped with sweet banana peppers that are full of acidic flavors and soak right up into the perfectly toasted piece of crusty bread. The toppings don’t stop there either. The sandwich is finished off with a layer of ranch dressing, which pairs seamlessly with the Italian spices from the chicken.
(Looking for more easy sandwich recipes? Try my Tuna Melt recipe too!)
INGREDIENTS FOR ITALIAN CHICKEN SANDWICHES
- Chicken breasts – use 3 -4 pieces of chicken
- Dry Italian seasoning – the dry seasoning mix will provide loads of flavor.
- Banana peppers – Use about half a jar of banana peppers and save a little juice for the bread and slow cooker.
- Crusty bread
- Provolone cheese
- Ranch dressing
HOW TO MAKE ITALIAN CHICKEN SANDWICHES
1. PREPARE THE CHICKEN
Place the chicken breast in a slow cooker and mix it with the Italian seasoning and some of the juice with the banana peppers. Cook the chicken on low for about 5 hours.
2. SHRED THE CHICKEN
When the chicken is fully cooked, use a fork to shred the chicken. Return the chicken to the slow cooker to stay warm while you make the sandwiches.
3. PREPARE THE SANDWICH
Cut and toast the bread and top with provolone cheese. Toast the top of the bread until the cheese fully melts. Add the chicken to the bread and top with ranch dressing.
FAQ
WHAT DO YOU SERVE WITH AN ITALIAN CHICKEN SANDWICH?
Any side dish goes really well with an Italian chicken sandwich. Since it is basically a regular sandwich, anything like French fries, potato chips, or even pasta salad would go great. Pretty much anything you would eat besides a typical sandwich would pair well with an Italian chicken sandwich.
WHAT KIND OF CHICKEN DO YOU USE?
Chicken breast is best for an Italian chicken sandwich. While you could use any kind of chicken for this sandwich, the breast works best as it is the easiest to shred. It also soaks up the flavor well while cooking in the slow cooker.
WHAT KIND OF BREAD IS BEST FOR THIS SANDWICH?
Go for a nice piece of crusty bread when making an Italian chicken sandwich. A piece of bread like a hoagie or something similar will work great. The crusty bread works as a great vehicle to soak up all the banana peppers and ranch dressing.
MORE SANDWICHES TO TRY OUT
- Italian Beef Sandwich
- Buffalo Chicken Sandwich
- Cheese and Veggie Sandwich
- Slow Cooker Cheesy Ranch Sandwich
Italian Chicken Sandwich
Ingredients
- 3-4 chicken breasts
- 1 package of Italian dressing seasoning
- half a jar of banana peppers and a little of the juice from the jar
- crusty bread
- provolone cheese
- ranch dressing
Instructions
- Place chicken breasts, Italian seasoning, and banana peppers with juice in a slow cooker on low for 5 hours.
- At the end of 5 hours, use a fork to shred the chicken. Add the chicken back into the slow cooker and let it warm up until the sandwich is ready to make.
- Cut and toast your bread. About halfway through the toasting process, add a slice of provolone cheese to the bread and let it fully melt.
- Add the chicken to the sandwich and top with ranch dressing and banana peppers.
- Enjoy!
Ranch powder or dressing? How much? In the crockpot or on the bun?
Ranch dressing! Add as much as you like on the sandwich just before serving. Hope this helps!