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The classic Philly chicken cheesesteak becomes an easy weeknight dinner — thanks to the convenience of a slow cooker! With garlic, peppers, onions, Italian seasoning, and melted provolone cheese, this simple Crock Pot chicken cheesesteak recipe is full of satisfying flavor. Serve the tender, juicy, shredded chicken on toasted hoagie rolls, and pair the sandwiches with a simple green salad, French fries, or crunchy potato chips.
Chicken Philly Cheesesteak
This meal is a loose interpretation of the traditional Philly cheesesteak — made with chicken (instead of beef), and adapted for 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!
Chicken Cheesesteak Ingredients
This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for a chicken cheesesteak recipe. As always, specific measurements and step-by-step cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Chicken: I use boneless skinless chicken thighs, since the dark meat tends to stay juicier in the slow cooker. You can also use boneless, skinless chicken breasts if you prefer.
- Onions: we like sweet onions, but yellow onions or white onions are also good options.
- Bell peppers: any sweet bell peppers will work. I use a combination of green bell pepper and red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips.
- Garlic: for savory flavor.
- Olive oil: adds flavor, keeps the ingredients moist, and helps the seasoning adhere.
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper: to enhance the other flavors in the dish. Don’t be shy with the salt, since you’re seasoning a lot of meat and vegetables.
- Italian seasoning: a convenient blend that typically includes herbs and spices like marjoram, basil, rosemary, thyme, oregano, savory, and sage.
- Provolone cheese: it wouldn’t be a cheesesteak without the cheese! You can use just about any good melting cheese that you like, such as slices of cheddar, mozzarella, cheese whiz, or American cheese.
- Hoagie rolls: split in half lengthwise and toasted before you pile on the meat, veggies, and cheese. I find these soft hoagie rolls in the bakery section at my grocery store.
How to Make a Chicken Cheesesteak in the Crock Pot
This easy Philly chicken cheesesteak recipe takes advantage of the slow cooker for a simple meal that doesn’t require any hands-on effort with a skillet at the stovetop!
- Place the chicken, bell peppers, onion, and garlic in a slow cooker.
- Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat.
- Season liberally with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning. Toss to coat all of the ingredients with the seasoning.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours, or on HIGH for 2-3 hours.
- 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 melts, about 3-5 more minutes.
- Use a spatula to scoop the chicken and cheese mixture onto a toasted sub roll.
What to Serve with a Chicken Cheesesteak
Here are some sides that go well with the easy chicken cheesesteak recipe:
- Classic Pasta Salad, Easy Pasta Salad, and Southern Macaroni Salad
- Easy Baked Beans, Homemade Baked Beans with Bacon, Ranch Style Beans, or Crock Pot Pork and Beans
- Coleslaw or Vinegar Coleslaw
- Baked Potato Wedges (or frozen French fries), Baked Potatoes, or Easy Potato Salad
- Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese, Crock Pot Mac and Cheese, Stovetop Shells and Cheese, or No-Boil Easy Mac and Cheese
- Corn Salad, Jiffy Corn Casserole, or Fried Corn
- Wedge Salad, Classic Caesar Salad, Mixed Greens with Dijon Vinaigrette, House Salad with Candied Pecans, or a Green Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette
- Refrigerator Dill Pickles, Cucumber Salad with Vinegar, Tomato Cucumber Onion Salad, or Cucumber Dill Salad
- Arkansas Green Beans with Bacon or Southern-Style Green Beans
- Broccoli Cauliflower Salad
- Southern Succotash
- Southern Collard Greens
- Fried Okra
- Broccoli and Cheese
- Okra and Tomatoes
- Southern Squash Casserole
Storage
Leftover cooked chicken and vegetables 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 philly cheesesteak sandwich!
Recipe Variations
- Use cheddar cheese, Colby, Monterey Jack, Swiss, mozzarella, cheez whiz, white American cheese, or regular American cheese instead of the provolone.
- Instead of serving the chicken and vegetables in toasted hoagie rolls for a chicken cheesesteak sandwich, put the meat on rice bowls, over salads, in wraps, or in baked potatoes.
- 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.
Tips for the Best Chicken Cheesesteak Recipe
- 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.
- 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.
- Also remember — 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.
More Crock Pot Chicken Recipes to Try
- Crock Pot Chicken Gyros
- Crockpot BBQ Chicken
- Chicken Corn Chowder
- Crock Pot Chicken Stew
- Slow Cooker Garlic Sesame Chicken
- Crock Pot White Chicken Chili
- Slow Cooker Chicken Nachos
- Crock Pot Pulled Pork with Apricot Preserves
- Slow Cooker Chicken and Stuffing Casserole
Crock Pot Chicken Cheesesteak
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs or boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 2 sweet onions, sliced
- 4 sweet bell peppers (any colors), seeded and sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
- 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 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.
- 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.
- Also remember — 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.
- Use cheddar cheese, Colby cheese, Monterey Jack, Swiss, mozzarella, or American cheese instead of the provolone.
- Instead of serving the chicken and vegetables in toasted hoagie rolls for a chicken cheesesteak sandwich, put the meat on rice bowls, over salads, in wraps, or in baked potatoes.
- 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.
