Open-Faced Pulled Chicken Parmesan Sandwiches
These easy to make sandwiches require very little prep time! The chicken is made in the slow cooker and takes only two ingredients….no browning required. A few minutes of assembly and some time under the broiler make them the best for busy weeknight dinners.
You know those days….the days that go horribly wrong and all you want is something comforting to eat. Those days that you were late to work because you may have overslept but still didn’t get enough sleep because that was the night your baby decided he was going to pull an all-nighter. And then you had to run around in the morning pulling everything together like a lunatic because you didn’t get it all together the night before. And you think you have everything but as soon as you leave the neighborhood you remember….you forgot something! And you have to go home because it was something really important (like, maybe, a breast pump. Yeah.) So, you run into the house really quickly to grab it from the foyer and the cat gets out. And you contemplate letting him roam free for the day but decide you don’t want that kind of drama so you chase the cat for a few minutes, finally getting him back into the house. You get in the car and drive past daycare, turn around and drop off the baby….who is now sound asleep. A jack hammer couldn’t wake him. Get back in the car and the gas light goes on…..proceed to live life on the edge and drive all the way to the office on fumes. You make it to the office and open your email…..BEFORE having coffee. (See, you love danger!) First email sucks donkey butt. Go get coffee and roam the internet for the remainder of the day. Fun stuff. (This story may, or may not, be based on true events.)
Those are the days I regret my poor planning and not having something amazing in the slow cooker for dinner like these easy short ribs or THIS Loaded Baked Potato Soup. Even on the worst, most time pressed day….you could easily dump and go. Two chicken breasts, four chicken thighs and a jar of your favorite pasta sauce. Yep….sooooooo easy. And so good that if you decide to get super lazy, you can skip all the sandwich mumbo jumbo and just dig in with a fork. But really, take a few minutes and forge ahead. It will be worth it and you will forget about your no good, very bad day.
Make sure you buy good quality italian bread…I get mine from the bakery section of my grocery store. And slice it thick before toasting under the broiler. Thicker slices will hold up to the pulled chicken and sauce better than a thin slice of bread. Once it’s toasted….rub it liberally with a raw piece of garlic cut in half. Don’t skip this step, unless you’re allergic to garlic….then just skip this recipe and eat dessert.
If you add a glass (or bottle) of wine to your meal….you will most DEFINITELY forget about your bad day. I promise.
Get the Recipe: Open-Faced Pulled Chicken Parmesan Sandwiches
Ingredients
- 2 bone-in chicken breasts, skinned
- 4 bone-in chicken thighs, skinned
- 1 24 ounce jar of marinara or other pasta sauce
- 1 loaf italian bread
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, cut in half
- 6 slices provolone cheese
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
Instructions
- Place chicken in the bottom of a slow cooker and pour the sauce over top. Cook the chicken on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours. When the chicken is cooked through, transfer to a plate and remove the bones. Shred the chicken using two forks and return to the slow cooker.
- Slice the bread into 1 inch slices and brush both sides with olive oil. Turn the broiler on high. Place the bread slices on a baking sheet and toast under the broiler until crispy and golden. Turn the bread slices over and toast the other side. Remove from the oven and rub both sides of the toast with the garlic half. Return the toast to the baking sheet and top each slice with approximately 1/2 a cup of pulled chicken. Top each sandwich with one slice of provolone cheese and return the baking sheet to the oven.
- Broil the sandwiches until the cheese is golden and bubbling, approximately 2-3 minutes. Transfer the sandwiches to a serving platter or plate and sprinkle with parmesan cheese and basil. Serve immediately.
24 Comments on “Open-Faced Pulled Chicken Parmesan Sandwiches”
Yum! I love cheese and marinara! This looks so delicious! I will definitely love a glass of wine with it!
This is perfect with a glass of wine!
I really like open faced sandwiches because it always feel alike there is more food to eat!!! Nice recipe. thanks!
Thank you!
Give me a knife! Give me a fork! These look GREAT! The cheese on top is my favorite part… mmm…
OMG this is seriously making me hungry past dinner!
I’d love to snack on this right about NOW.
I just ate way too much dinner, but I’m pretty sure I could find a little more room for one of these. WOW!
So clever and so easy. This is the kind of recipe that’s simple to whip up and are impressively creative at the same time. Thanks!