Crock Pot Chicken Caesar Sandwiches

I apologize for not getting a better finished product picture. I was literally rushing it all to hurry and pack as we where heading out on the boat. I LOVED this recipe. It was great to make ahead of time, I froze the finished chicken, then defrosted it when we got to the lake. Assembled the sandwiches and packed them in the cooler to eat out on the lake. I was amazed that using this pita pocket bread the sandwiches never got soggy. I lined each side with some lettuce just to help create a liner, but either way they held up nicely. I tasted it once it finished cooking and having the sauce on there while it’s warm it became watery. I recommend cooling it all down and serving it cold. The flavor really married well and it tasted more like a Caesar salad.

Crock Pot Chicken Caesar Sandwiches

(Adapted from Two Healthy Kitchens)

 

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Chicken:

1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 tablespoons water

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon garlic powder

⅛ teaspoon black pepper

 

Dressing:

2 5.3-ounce containers nonfat plain Greek yogurt (or about a scant 1¼ cups)

½ cup Parmesan cheese, divided

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1½ tablespoons smooth Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce

½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1/16 teaspoon black pepper

 

For Serving:

⅓ cup chopped parsley

¼ cup Parmesan cheese

Whole wheat buns or whole wheat pita pockets

Romaine lettuce

Additional Parmesan cheese, if desired

 

Place chicken in slow cooker and add water. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, and ⅛ 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.)

 

 

Just before serving, shred chicken (using two forks).

 

 

Meanwhile, stir together Greek yogurt, ½ cup Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, vinegar, soy sauce, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ 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.)

 

 

About 30 minutes before serving, stir Caesar dressing into chicken in crock pot. (See note.)

 

 

Immediately before serving, stir in fresh parsley and remaining ¼ 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.