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slow cooker

Crock-Pot Chicken Parmesan (A Lighter Version of the Classic)

June 5, 2018 by sblades Leave a Comment

Updated: January, 2020

Easy Crock-Pot Chicken Parmesan will be your new go-to weekday dinner recipe! Basic ingredients with a delicious result.

Light Chicken Parmesan

It’s hot. You’re going to hear that a million times this summer, especially here in Texas where it’s been brushing 100 degrees since mid-May. I was born and raised in Texas and will never get used to the summer heat, but still love living here.

If you don’t want to heat up the kitchen, the go-to, of course, is the trusty Crock-Pot.

This Crock-Pot Chicken Parmesan is from a cookbook (The Family Table Slow Cooker by Dominique DeVito) that’s totally devoted to slow cooking. I like this recipe because instead of breading the chicken, it calls for herbs and cheese for a coating.

chicken parmesan

I have two crock-pots – one from the late seventies and a nice big new one from a couple of years ago. Each has its functions – the new one is better for cooking sizeable meat cuts. This Crock-Pot Chicken Parmesan is best suited for the big new one with the lift out dish so that the chicken breasts aren’t squished on top of each other.

I went fairly closely by the recipe, except that it calls for 1 1/2 cups of marinara and I use 3 cups. I want enough extra sauce to cover a side of pasta and there wouldn’t have been enough with the original amount. Next time I’ll add even a half-cup more.

I also use less mozzarella because it would’ve been smothered with it and not in a good way. You can take a look and revise accordingly to your tastes.

The chicken cooks in a lot less time than called for. It was set on low for 4 hours and was done (recipe calls for 6 hours). The chicken shreds nicely. We ended up with a little more of a Italian shredded chicken ragu, but the flavor combinations are very good and the mozzarella is gooey and plentiful.

The Family Table Slow Cooker has beautiful photos and inventive recipes. I’ll probably try a few more, but I’m skeptical that some of them will work in a slow cooker (Escargot “Magnifique”?). If you try recipes from the book, including this Parmesan, be sure and watch the cook times.

Update: The leftovers are delicious! Shredded all the chicken, added some more marinara and mixed it all with pasta. People at work are jealous.

Crock-Pot Chicken Parmesan

Crock-Pot Chicken Parmesan

Yield: 4
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours 45 minutes

An easy, no-fuss way to make Chicken Parmesan.  Adapted from The Family Table Slow Cooker. 

Ingredients

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1 tbsp Italian seasoning mix
  • 1/2 C Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 3 C prepared marinara sauce (your favorite)
  • 6 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded

Instructions

  1. Lay the chicken breasts in the slow cooker.  Mix the garlic powder, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning mix together in a small bowl.  Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the chicken breasts, patting lightly so it will stick to the chicken.
  2. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese evenly over the chicken, then pour the marinara sauce on top, covering the tops and sides of the chicken.
  3. Cover and cook on low, checking after 3 1/2 hours.  (Or cook on high, checking after 1 1/2 hrs.)
  4. Uncover and sprinkle the mozzarella evenly over the chicken.  Cover and cook on low for about 15 more minutes, until cheese is completely melted.

Notes

Tips and Stuff:

Changes I made to the original recipe:  original called for 1 tsp. of salt - I lowered it to 1/2 tsp because the marinara is salty enough.

I increased the marinara amount from 1 1/2 cups to 3 cups so we would have sauce for the pasta on the side.  Highly recommend this; otherwise, you won't have much sauce.

Lowered the mozzarella to 6 oz. from 8 oz.  It was more than plenty.

Lowered "low" cook time to 4 hours from the original 6.  It definitely would have been dry and overcooked at 6 hours.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 482Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 149mgSodium: 1716mgCarbohydrates: 19gFiber: 4gSugar: 10gProtein: 53g

Nutrition Values are Approximate

© Dominique DeVito
Category: Throw and Go! (Crockpot Recipes)

Filed Under: All Recipes, Chicken/Poultry, Throw and Go! (Crockpot Recipes) Tagged With: chicken, chicken parmesan, crock-pot, dinner, easy chicken recipe, slow cooker, slow cooker chicken parmesan, summer recipes

Slow-Cooked Beef Carnitas

May 19, 2014 by sblades Leave a Comment

 
Texas has two seasons – Winter and Summer.  This year we had a cold, icy winter and then it was suddenly 85 degrees.  OK, there were a few beautiful clear days in the 60’s and 70’s, but that’s over now!  This is the time of the year that I pull out the old (and I mean old) crockpot and bring out the trusty slow-cooker recipes.

I got this crockpot in the early 80’s and have worked it to death. It still works, but one of its little feet broke off, so I have to put a pot holder under it so it’ll be level. What a workhorse!

A few years ago I finally got a great new slow-cooker. It’s the kind you can pull the ceramic pot out of and clean easily. I use it a lot, but certain recipes are just better in the old upright crockpot with olive green flowers on it.

Beef Carnitas

I worked on this Slow-Cooked Beef Carnitas recipe a long time before coming up with the perfect combination of tender beef and Mexican spices. It cooks all day long and it smells soooo good at the end of a long work day when you walk in the door.  

After 7 or 8 hours on low, the juicy roast is shredded and the flavorful sauce that’s left in the pot is thickened and used as one of the delicious sides to add to the soft stuffed tortilla. It’s really hits the spot when you’re craving Tex-Mex or Mexican food.

Beef Carnitas 2

You can add or leave out whatever you like – we don’t use onions, but 2 or 3 tablespoons might be good thrown into the crockpot.

These Slow-Cooked Beef Carnitas are delicious. Bret usually has the leftovers for breakfast mixed with scrambled eggs, salsa and wrapped in a soft, warm tortilla!

Beef Carnitas

Beef Carnitas

Yield: 10 -12

Outstanding and so easy to make!  They taste better and better every day.

Ingredients

  • 2.5 to 3 lb. chuck roast
  • 1 (4 oz.) can diced green chiles
  • 2 tbsp chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp garlic powder, minced
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1-2 fresh jalapenos, deveined and chopped (optional)
  • 1 can Rotel tomatoes
  • 1/2 C water
  • Condiments: soft flour tortillas, sour cream, shredded cheese, salsa

Instructions

  1. In a small bowl, combine the green chiles, chili powder, oregano, cumin, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
  2. Place the roast in the crockpot and rub the green chile mixture onto the roast. Pour the Rotel tomatoes and water around the sides of the roast and sprinkle in the freshly chopped jalapeno. Cook on low for 6-8 hours until roast is tender and can be shredded.
  3. When the roast is finished, take it out of the crockpot and place on a cutting board.  Pour the sauce that remains in the crockpot into a saucepan and simmer on low heat.  
  4. In a cup, stir in about 1/4 cup of the sauce and about 2 tsp cornstarch or flour until smooth, then pour into the saucepan to thicken the gravy (add water if you want it thinner).  Simmer for about 5 minutes. Shred the beef and serve with the thickened chile-tomato sauce and condiments.

Notes

Tips and Stuff:

Mine took about 8 hrs on low as I got a pretty large roast.  You may think it's not getting tender, but to test after about 7 hours, take two forks and lightly shred the top of the roast.  I think you'll find it shreds easily and is done.

I turned my roast over half-way through because I have one of those old 80's tall crockpots.

I added an extra fresh deveined jalapeno as we like them spicier!

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1 serving
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 708Total Fat: 45gSaturated Fat: 19gTrans Fat: 3gUnsaturated Fat: 23gCholesterol: 238mgSodium: 546mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 71g

Nutrition Values are Approximate

© Susan Blades
Cuisine: Mexican / Category: Beef

Filed Under: All Recipes, Beef, Throw and Go! (Crockpot Recipes) Tagged With: Beef Carnitas, crockpot, crockpot carnitas, flour tortillas, mexican food, roast, slow cooker, tex-mex

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Welcome!  I’m Susan and I love finding wonderful new recipes.  I hope you’ll find a few new ones here that you and your family will love. Browse around and stay a while!Save

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