Slow Cooker Pesto Chicken Sandwiches

This easy slow cooker pesto chicken recipe needs just a few ingredients to build a filling and delicious chicken caprese sandwich!

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These pesto slow cooker chicken sandwiches are our summertime secret weapon.

Quick to throw together? Check. Full of summertime flavor? Check. Avoid using the oven in sweltering weather? DOUBLE CHECK.

ORDER OF OPERATIONS FOR THESE PESTO CHICKEN SANDWICHES:

• Put some boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs in the crockpot (we love our 5 qt. Crock-Pot!) with your favorite pesto and a pinch of salt and pepper. Basil, arugula pesto, or garlic scape pesto are all good here! (PS - No pesto? Use your favorite BBQ sauce for an easy barbecue chicken sandwich!)

• At dinnertime, shred the chicken and toast some sandwich rolls. Toast in a toaster oven, cut-side down on a lightly oiled skillet or grill pan over medium heat, or lay sliced rolls cut-side up in a single layer on a sheet pan and bake at 375 for 5-6 minutes.

• Slice up some fresh mozzarella and tomatoes. Fresh mozzarella is our favorite here, but you can definitely use sandwich slices or shredded mozzarella if you like. These chicken sandwiches are also good with goat cheese, gruyere, fontina, or white cheddar.

• Assemble! Stack some shredded chicken and on a slider roll, top with slices of mozzarella and tomato, finish with a pinch of salt and some fresh basil, and enjoy. These sandwiches are also EXCELLENT with a drizzle of balsamic glaze.

TO MAKE THESE SANDWICHES FOR A CROWD:

It’s easy to scale this shredded chicken sandwich recipe up for more servings: just plan to use ½ cup of pesto for every pound of chicken you cook. You can also hit the “1x”, “2x,” or “3x” buttons in our recipe card below to scale it for you!

If you’re feeding a big group, save time by setting out bowls or plates of each ingredient for a build-your-own chicken sandwich bar.

Use smaller slider rolls instead of full-size sandwich rolls for a crowd if you like. You can also stretch the chicken even farther by adding fresh arugula or mixed greens, sprouts, or a simple make-ahead tortellini pasta salad to help fill people up.

Use this pesto chicken while it's still hot from the crock pot, or let it cool and keep it in the fridge for cold chicken sandwiches the next day (hip hooray for make-ahead meals!) Leftover chicken is also great in salads, pastas, or homemade pizza.

Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days or in an airtight container in the freezer for 3-4 months.

PS – Hungry for more? Check out our easy Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Sliders, our Meal Prep Shredded Chicken, or our Crock Pot Salsa Chicken for some extra weeknight dinner inspiration.

VIDEO: Four ways to make slow cooker chicken

📖 Recipe

Slow Cooker Pesto Chicken Sandwiches

★★★★★ 5 from 1 review

• Author: Jessie
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 6 hours
• Total Time: 6 hours 10 minutes
• Yield: Makes 4 Sandwiches 1x
• Category: Slow Cooker
• Cuisine: American

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Description

Easy crockpot pesto chicken sandwiches with a few basic ingredients - full of summer flavor!

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Ingredients

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FOR THE CHICKEN:

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2-3 large breasts)
• ½ cup basil pesto
• salt and pepper to taste

TO ASSEMBLE THE SANDWICHES:

• 4 sandwich rolls, halved (we used crusty dinner rolls)
• 4 Tablespoons mayonnaise or plain Greek yogurt
• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
• 1 large tomato, sliced
• salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh basil, chopped, for garnish (optional)

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Instructions

FOR THE CHICKEN:

1. Add chicken breasts, pesto, salt and pepper to your slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours.
2. When chicken has cooked, turn off the slow cooker and shred chicken. We leave the chicken right in the slow cooker and shred with two large forks - as you shred, the chicken will soak up any extra pesto and moisture still in the slow cooker, so don't worry about draining away any excess liquid.

TO ASSEMBLE THE SANDWICHES:

1. Toast your sandwich rolls. We like to lay rolls cut-side up on a baking sheet and toast at 375 for 5-6 minutes, but you can also use a toaster oven or toast cut-side down on a lightly oiled cast iron pan over medium heat.
2. Spread a light layer of plan Greek Yogurt or mayonnaise across each bottom half of your rolls. Top with a scoop of the pesto chicken, a few slices of fresh mozzarella, and a few tomato slices.
3. Season the tomatoes with a pinch of salt and fresh ground pepper. Top with fresh basil (optional).
4. Place the top halves of your rolls on the sandwiches and serve immediately.

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Notes

Additions and Substitutions. Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs in place of breasts if you like. Keep in mind that you may need to adjust the cooking time for different cuts of chicken. Use pre-sliced or shredded mozzarella in place of fresh, or sub goat cheese, gruyere, white cheddar, or swiss. Add arugula or mixed greens for a larger sandwich. Add a drizzle of balsamic glaze for extra flavor.

In a hurry? Cook chicken on high heat for 3-4 hours.

To store, let shredded chicken cool completely and keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days. This chicken freezes well - store in an airtight container in the freezer for 3-4 months without losing flavor. Defrost frozen chicken overnight in the fridge when you're ready to use it.

Which pesto should I use? A well-balanced, well-seasoned pesto is the key to getting great flavor with this chicken. I use homemade basil pesto, cilantro pesto, pea pesto, garlic scape, or arugula pesto. If the chicken needs a little more flavor than your pesto has on its own, add extra salt, pepper, or a squeeze of lemon juice to brighten it up. For store bought pestos, we tend to like DeLallo or Classico (but most store-bought or generic brands will work just fine!)

To make these chicken sandwiches for a crowd, scale up as needed and use ½ cup of pesto per pound of chicken. Save time by laying out ingredients individually for a make-your-own sandwich bar as opposed to assembling everything yourself.

Equipment. We used a 5 quart Crock Pot Slow Cooker in these photos, but the recipe has been tested with various slow cooker brands and sizes. If you have an especially large slow cooker, you may want to double the recipe to prevent the pesto from burning over a long cook time.

Make-Ahead Tips. These sandwiches are great with hot or cold chicken - use the chicken when it's still hot from the crockpot, or make it in advance and keep it in the fridge to assemble a cold sandwich on the fly!

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 sandwich
• Calories: 567
• Sugar: 4.4 g
• Sodium: 814.9 mg
• Fat: 33.4 g
• Carbohydrates: 19.8 g
• Protein: 45.1 g
• Cholesterol: 131 mg

Keywords: crockpot, slow cooker, summer