The classic Philly chicken cheesesteak with peppers, onions, and melted provolone cheese becomes an easy weeknight dinner — thanks to the slow cooker!
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If you love Crock Pot chicken recipes as much as we do, be sure to try this fiesta crockpot chicken, this Ranch Crock Pot chicken recipe, a pot of Crock Pot chicken stew, this green chicken chili, and this chicken enchilada soup, too!
Simple and so delicious.
– Jill
The Easiest Chicken Philly Recipe
This meal is a loose interpretation of the traditional Philly cheesesteak. Our version features chicken (instead of beef) and cooks in the Crock Pot! A slow cooker chicken cheesesteak is healthier and easier than the original (no need to sauté meat and veggies at the stovetop), but it still maintains the delicious flavors that make the classic sandwich so darn good.
A traditional cheesesteak (also called a Philadelphia cheesesteak, Philly cheesesteak, cheesesteak sandwich, cheese steak, or steak and cheese) is a sandwich made from thinly sliced pieces of beef (or in this case, shredded chicken) and melted cheese in a long hoagie roll. This popular fast food has its roots in early 20th century Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Common additions to the classic philly cheesesteak include onions, bell peppers, mushrooms, thin slices of iceberg lettuce, ketchup, hot sauce, salt, and pepper. It’s an easy dinner that the whole family will love!
Ingredient Notes and Tips for Success
- Season the meat, onions, and sliced peppers liberally with salt and pepper. Taste and add more when it’s done. That’s a lot of meat and veggies, so it requires a good amount of seasoning so that it doesn’t taste bland.
- Italian seasoning is a convenient blend that typically includes herbs and spices like marjoram, basil, rosemary, thyme, oregano, savory, and sage. It’s such an easy way to add great savory flavor to the meat.
- It wouldn’t be a cheesesteak without the cheese! You can use just about any good melting cheese that you like. I’ve shown provolone here, but slices of cheddar, mozzarella, Cheese Whiz, or American cheese are all great.
- Every slow cooker runs at a slightly different temperature (which is why the recipe gives you general time ranges, rather than exact times). Since my slow cooker tends to cook at a relatively high temperature, I find that the meal is best when cooked on HIGH for about 2 hours or on LOW for about 4 hours. Just get familiar with your pot and adjust accordingly.
How to Make Chicken Cheesesteak in the Slow Cooker
This easy Philly cheese chicken takes advantage of the Crock Pot for a simple meal that doesn’t require any hands-on effort with a skillet at the stovetop! You’ll find detailed directions in the recipe card below, but here’s the overview:
- Place the chicken, bell peppers, onion, and garlic in a slow cooker.
- Drizzle with olive oil and toss with plenty of seasoning.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours, or on HIGH for 2-3 hours, until the chicken is done and the vegetables are tender. Be careful not to overcook your chicken. I find that the chicken breast or thighs have the best texture when cooked in my slow cooker on HIGH for about 2-3 hours (at the most — sometimes they’re done in just 90 minutes). That keeps them moist and juicy, and prevents them from drying out. The meat is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Remove the chicken to a cutting board or rimmed baking sheet. Shred the meat with two forks.
- Return the chicken to the slow cooker and give everything a good stir.
- Arrange the cheese slices on top of the chicken mixture.
- Cover with the lid and continue cooking until the cheese is nice and melty, about 3-5 more minutes.
- Use a spatula to scoop the chicken and cheese mixture onto a toasted sub roll. Serve the chicken cheesesteak sandwiches warm!
Serving Suggestions
Serve this chicken Philly cheesesteak sandwich alongside pickles, a classic pasta salad, a traditional coleslaw recipe, baked potato wedges (or frozen French fries), easy potato salad, seasoned potatoes, creamy baked mac and cheese, Crock Pot mac and cheese, tomato cucumber onion salad, or a house salad with candied pecans.
Storage Tips
Leftovers will keep in an airtight container for 3-4 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Place the cooked chicken mixture in a saucepan on the stovetop. Cover with a lid and warm over low heat, just until the meat reaches the desired temperature (stirring regularly). You can also reheat individual servings of the chicken in the microwave for about 60 seconds. You might need to add some more cheese on top when assembling a new chicken Philly sandwich.
YUM! I was expecting it to be on the bland side, but I did season generously with salt and pepper. The chicken and cheese melted together for a delicious delight! I used fresh bakery hoagie rolls and toasted them in the oven before serving. I’ll definitely be making this again…
– Laura
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Crock Pot Chicken Cheesesteak
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs or boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 2 medium sweet onions, sliced
- 4 medium sweet bell peppers (any colors), seeded and sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
- 8 slices provolone cheese
- 8 hoagie rolls, split lengthwise and toasted
Instructions
- Place the chicken, onions, bell peppers, and garlic in the bottom of a slow cooker. Drizzle with olive oil; toss to coat. Season the chicken and veggies liberally with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning. Toss to coat everything in the seasoning.
- Cover and cook on LOW for about 4-6 hours, or on HIGH for about 2-3 hours. Remove the chicken to a cutting board. Slice the meat or shred with two forks. Return the chicken to the slow cooker and stir it into the vegetables.
- Arrange the cheese slices on top of the chicken mixture. Cover with the lid and continue cooking just until the cheese melts, about 3-5 minutes.
- Serve the chicken, peppers, onions, and cheese on the toasted hoagie rolls.
Notes
- Season the meat and vegetables liberally with salt and pepper. Taste and add more when it’s done. That’s a lot of meat and veggies, so it requires a good amount of seasoning so that it doesn’t taste bland.
- Use either boneless, skinless chicken breasts or boneless, skinless chicken thighs for this recipe. We find that the dark meat thighs stay a bit juicier during the slow cooking process, but they are both great.
Nutrition
Chicken Cheese Steak Recipe Variations
- Use cheddar cheese, Colby, Monterey Jack, Swiss, mozzarella, Cheez Whiz, white American cheese, or regular American cheese instead of the provolone.
- Put the meat on rice bowls, over salads, in wraps, or in baked potatoes instead of sandwich rolls.
- Use either boneless, skinless chicken breasts or boneless, skinless chicken thighs for this recipe. We find that the dark meat thighs stay a bit juicier during the slow cooking process, but they are both great.
More Crock Pot Chicken Recipes
Crock Pot Chicken Gyros
3 hours hrs 10 minutes mins
Crockpot Mexican Chicken (Crockpot Chicken Tacos)
3 hours hrs 5 minutes mins
Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken
3 hours hrs 5 minutes mins
Originally published in June 2022, this post was updated in March 2025.
Simple and so delicious.
Thanks, Jill! 🙂
Maybe I missed it but do you suggest feeling before cooking or after if this is intended to be a freezer meal.
We recommend freezing after the dish has been cooked!
YUM! I was expecting it to be on the bland side, but I did season generously with salt and pepper. The chicken and cheese melted together for a delicious delight! I used fresh bakery hoagie rolls and toasted them in the oven before serving. I’ll definitely be making this again. Thank you for sharing!
Thanks, Laura! I’m so glad that it was a hit!
Blair!I subscribe to your newsletter. My hubby first discovered your stuff when looking for meatball stroganoff! So when I was searching for a crockpot chicken philly l was not at all surprised when yours popped up!
Thank you, Trish! We’re so happy we found us and hope you continue to enjoy our recipes.