Crock-Pot Chicken Caesar Sandwiches
~ Looking for a quick and easy dinner that’ll have the whole family asking for seconds? These Crock-Pot Chicken Caesar Sandwiches are a snap to make, and the homemade Caesar dressing is packed with protein! Healthy and delicious! ~
Now that the kids are out of school, summer is already in full swing. This pretty much means that we’re on the run from sun-up to sun-down. And I love it! It’s a break from school and our regular schedule … with loads of really fun things to do!!
But all the activities can leave us a little hungry, ya know? Sure, we make Snack Bites like it’s our job. Those totally keep us going during the day.
But mealtime is when we seriously refuel. Healthy, nutritious, filling. Yeah … that’s what we need! Dinner!
“Well, gosh, Gretchen! I’m so busy during the day with trips to the zoo, baseball games, hanging at the pool, day camps, family bike trips … how can I possibly provide a wholesome dinner?” you say in your head (but I can somehow hear you).
You guys!! Remember?? The slow cooker!!
Seriously! Take a look at our little tutorial video for this recipe and see how ridiculously easy these Chicken Caesar Sandwiches are to make … in the slow cooker!
Video Tutorial
Are you feelin’ it now?!? The slow cooker is the answer!
Remember our 3-Ingredient Crock-Pot Chicken Tacos (which you guys loooooved so much they’ve become one of our most popular recipes EVER)?!?! And what about our Crock-Pot Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches and those North Carolina BBQ Chicken Sandwiches everyone keeps raving about? Oh, right … the slow cooker! … and all those possibilities for healthy, easy recipes that’ll totally make your busy life soooooo much easier! After you make these amazing sammies tonight, be sure to check out all Our Best Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes Ever for even more inspiration!
But anyway … back to these fabulous Chicken Caesar Sandwiches …
No, no. I know what time of year it is. And no, I’m not crazy. (Well … I guess that depends on who you ask!)
I know a lot of you hear crock pot and you immediately think of wintertime soups and chilis and stews.
But I’m not gonna stop with the crock pot recipes until every.last.one.of.you realizes how amazing those little electric gems are! Especially in the summer!
Sure, crock pots and stews go together like a stamp on a letter. Totally awesome for those chilly winter nights!
But … crock pots and effortless summer dinners go together like … ummm … pool days and flip-flops! Or sunshine and smiles! Errr … you know what I mean. Go with me.
Before I dash out the door, I can toss some chicken and spices in – and poof! Dinner is ready when we get home! It’s … simply magical!
Oh! And, the kitchen doesn’t get all heated up from the oven being on. Hot kitchen on a hot summer day … ewwww.
And clean up is a breeze. Absolutely simple. I love that. ‘Cause we certainly don’t slow down after dinner!
Ahh … yes … summer crock pot cooking is bliss!! Are you on board now??? It’s the most perfect solution for busy summer days!!
And as if life in the summer wasn’t super fun and exciting enough, I decided it was time to really amp things up around here … and my crock pots (yes, I own multiples) will play a key role in feeding us this summer.
Are you on the edge of your seat? What could it be?? What is this super fun-ness I’m adding??
Well, I’m stoked about my upcoming … total kitchen remodel!! Gahhhh!!!! I can hardly contain myself!!
Our kitchen now, just doesn’t really work for me. Sure there are things about it I like, but there are also things that drive me cuckoo. So we are (ahem, I mean, my trusty contractor will be) totally gutting the kitchen, down to the studs and starting from scratch!
Super exciting! And a teeeeeeensy bit stressful!
Even though I’ve been dreaming about a new kitchen since we moved here five years ago, I’ve been a little, shall we say, overwhelmed with all of the decisions that needed to be made.
Did you know there are approximately 4,823,098,492 shades of white/off white/cream? Good grief! And just as many choices for flooring! It’s definitely been a big project planning everything, but we’re incredibly excited for the outcome!
But … for the five weeks or so that my kitchen will be in various phases of unbuilding and rebuilding, I really won’t be able to use the stove. So we’ll grill a lot … and I’ll be using my slow cookers a TON!!
If one thing is certain, I know my family will request these Chicken Caesar Sandwiches several times over the course of the summer. These are a fave!
My littlest even requested that I serve them at her birthday party a few years ago! That’s huge coming from a kiddo! So I made these tasty sandwiches, as well as sloppy joes. It was a fantastic family party, and everyone loved the food!
Years ago, I’d seen a really simple recipe on Pinterest for Chicken Caesar Sandwiches. There weren’t even any spices! It called for bottled Caesar dressing, but I had trouble finding one that I loved the taste of, and that I felt good serving to my family. I thought my Chicken Caesar Sandwich days were over. Then one day, I was visiting Hidden Fruits and Veggies … and Kelly shared a recipe for homemade Caesar dressing! I coulda reached through my screen and hugged her!
So I knew it could be done! I could make my own dressing for these sandwiches! One that would make Caesar himself proud! I was inspired!
The dressing for these sandwiches is creamy with just a little zing from the Dijon mustard. Best part – this dressing is made with ingredients you’ve already got on hand! So that means no anchovies (even if you’ve got those, we won’t need ’em!). Also, many Caesar dressings contain raw egg – but not mine! Nope! We keep things simple, easy, and not questionable here at THK. 🙂
So even if your kitchen won’t be in a constant state of disarray this summer, I still highly recommend becoming besties with your slow cooker over the next few months. It’s the easiest, fastest, most amazing way to get a home-cooked meal on the table! And … psssst … you just might want to start with these chicken sandwiches!
Crock-Pot Chicken Caesar Sandwiches
These easy Crock-Pot Chicken Caesar Sandwiches feature a much healthier (and super delicious) homemade Caesar dressing!
Ingredients
Chicken:
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Dressing:
- 2 (5.3-ounce) containers nonfat plain Greek yogurt (or about a scant 1 1/4 cups)
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 1/2 tablespoons smooth Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/16 teaspoon black pepper
For Serving:
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh flat leaf (Italian) parsley
- 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- Whole wheat buns or whole wheat pita pockets
- Romaine lettuce
- Additional shredded Parmesan cheese, if desired
Instructions
- Place chicken in slow cooker and add water.
- Sprinkle 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper on chicken.
- Cook for 4-5 hours on high, or 5-6 hours on low, until chicken is thoroughly cooked but still moist and fall-apart tender. (See note.)
- Meanwhile, stir together Greek yogurt, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, vinegar, soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/16 teaspoon pepper. Mix until all ingredients are thoroughly combined. (You can make the dressing ahead of time and cover and refrigerate it until needed.)
- Near the end of cooking (and preferably about 30 minutes before serving), check chicken to be sure it's fully cooked and then shred cooked chicken (using two forks). Stir reserved Caesar dressing into chicken in crock pot, and then continue cooking for about 30 minutes more, to allow flavors to meld. (See note.)
- Immediately before serving, stir in fresh parsley and remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
- Serve on whole wheat buns or in whole wheat pita pockets with Romaine lettuce, and garnish with additional Parmesan cheese, if desired.
Notes
Slow cooker variations: The exact heat and speed of cooking can vary between different slow cookers. Some slow cookers, especially newer models, may cook hotter and faster than others. Our research has also led us to believe that some models allow for imperceptible evaporation of liquid (although you’d expect that no liquid would be lost when using a slow cooker), which can leave your recipes less saucy and moist. Because this particular recipe uses very little liquid, it’s particularly sensitive to these variations. No need to worry – it’s delicious even when cooked until it’s a bit drier, particularly since the creamy Caesar dressing adds moisture. The key is simply to control the cook time and temperature to yield the most juicy, fall-apart-tender result.
Adding Caesar dressing: For best results, leave the Caesar dressing and chicken in the crock pot for 30 minutes before serving. This allows the flavors to develop and meld together. You can eat the sandwiches immediately after stirring in the Caesar dressing, but the flavors may be stronger and more pronounced.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 servings Serving Size: 2/3 cup chickenAmount Per Serving: Calories: 277Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4g
Nutrition information is provided for chicken mixture only, as nutrition can vary for the bread/buns depending on what you choose to use. Nutrition information should be considered an estimate only, and may additionally vary depending on your choice of ingredients or preparation. No guarantees are made regarding allergies or dietary needs. Always consult a physician or dietician for specific advice and questions.
Excited to make this! Just a quick question though: maybe I’m reading too much into this, but I am trying to figure out the order of doing things. In step 4 you say “just before serving” to shred the chicken. And in Step 6 you say “about 30 minutes before serving” to stir in the dressing. So should the dressing be added 30 min before serving while chicken is whole and then just before serving you shred the chicken? Or do you add the dressing once the chicken has already been shredded? Did that make any sense? 🙂
Hi there, Alyssa! First of all, (as I also mentioned to Sherrie in the comment below) I have to apologize for the delay in responding to your question. I was out of the country for a week and am still catching up! I hope I’m not too tardy to be of help to you! I’m reading how we originally wrote Gretchen’s recipe, and you know what … you’re exactly right that the wording could be a bit confusing. I’m actually going to go back in and clarify the wording on the recipe card now – thank you so much! And to answer your question – you shred the chicken once it’s fully cooked, then add the dressing and let it all cook together for that last half-hour or so, allowing the flavors to meld. Great question – I really appreciate seeing the recipe through your eyes and finding a way to make it better and more clear for other readers, too! Hope you enjoy the recipe, and have a fabulous weekend! 😀 ~Shelley
Could this dish be kept warm in the crock pot for several hours? I was hoping to serve this at an “open house” sort of event. Thanks for your help and awesome recipes.
Sherrie
Hi Sherrie! I think it will work just fine to be kept warm for awhile, but do be sure to check your slow cooker’s recommendations for how long food can safely be kept at your brand’s “keep warm” setting. And apologies for being so late getting back to you with this answer – I was out of the country for several days and am just getting caught up. I do apologize and hope I’m not too late to help! Thanks so much for the compliment, too – truly appreciated! Have a wonderful weekend! 😀 ~Shelley
Yikes! I just tossed the combined chicken and dressing into the crockpot. It seems like the recipe makes way too much dressing for the amount of chicken. Does it thicken up as it cooks, or did I make a measuring mistake? I’m thinking about running out to grab a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store to beef it up a little.
Oh no, Carlene! I hope this worked out ok for you, even though you added the dressing at the beginning! I’m not sure how that would go, but I hope it was ok! To answer your question about the dressing – the amount of dressing really should be appropriate to the amount of chicken (if you measured everything correctly 🙂 ). Once the chicken is cooked and shredded, the dressing mixes and absorbs into the chicken perfectly! I can imagine, though, that if you just added the dressing to the chicken, all together in the slow cooker at the very beginning, that it might look like too much dressing. Oh my, I hope you were able to salvage it! And if not, I hope you’ll give this another try, with the caesar dressing added at the end of cooking instead of the beginning – it really is a yummy recipe! Fingers crossed that it worked out for you, though!!! ~Shelley
Hi Shelley! I’m in college and sometimes it’s hard to cook every day so I like to make meals in advance. How long do you think I could safely store this chicken salad for in the fridge? (Granted it’s already been mixed in witb dressing) any other recommendations? Thank you so much
Hi Dani! It’s fantastic that you look for ways to make meals in advance, so you can still eat well when you’re busy! That’s a goal with a lot of our recipes here at THK, too! Let me see how I can help make these Chicken Caesar Sandwiches work for you …
So, first off, I’ll tell you that standard advice for how long you can safely store cooked chicken in the fridge is about 3-4 days (you can check out the details on this chart at Foodsafety.gov: https://www.foodsafety.gov/keep/charts/storagetimes.html).
I thought of another work-around you could try, but I’ve never done this myself, so I can’t 100% vouch for its success. But, I think it SHOULD work … what you could try is cooking the chicken and shredding it, through step 4. Cool it down and freeze all or part of it (say, maybe eat half now and freeze half for later). You could then proceed with step 5, adjusting the amount of dressing, fresh parsley and parmesan for however much chicken you didn’t freeze and are eating now. (I hope this make sense???) Then, when you are ready a couple of weeks later to prepare the chicken you froze, thaw it safely and completely overnight in the fridge. Then, proceed with step 5, again adjusting the dressing and finishing ingredient amounts accordingly. As an alternative to proceeding with step 5 in the slow cooker, I think you could also try doing that final cooking step with the leftover chicken on the stovetop.
I hope this all helps you! And if you do give it a try, I’d love to know if our little work-around scheme was successful for you! Good luck – both with cooking and with your studies! 😀 ~Shelley
How do you think it would taste is I used lactose free plain yogurt instead of Greek yogurt?
Hi, Kelly! Great question! I’ve never tried that, but I suspect that it would work just fine. The only difference could be in the consistency of the yogurt – Greek yogurt is quite thick, and if your yogurt has a thinner consistency, that could yield a slightly looser final product. Other than that, I can’t think why it wouldn’t work – and I’d love to hear how it goes if you give it a try! Thanks so much for the terrific question! 😀 ~Shelley