Crockpot Garlic parmesan chicken and potatoes is a simple, flavorful meal that cooks itself while you go about your day. Tender chicken pieces and chunks of potatoes slowly absorb garlic, Parmesan, and seasoning for a rich, comforting flavor. Perfect for busy weekdays, it’s a hands-off dinner that’s sure to please the whole family.
Love More Dinner Recipes? Try My Hamburger Potato Casserole or this Cheesy Zucchini Casserole next.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This dish fills your home with the irresistible aroma of garlic and Parmesan as it simmers to perfection. The chicken stays tender and juicy, soaking up all the flavors during cooking. Potatoes and seasonings meld together for a comforting, flavorful meal that’s ready to enjoy. You can easily customize it with extra herbs, spices, or vegetables, and the melted cheese topping adds a creamy, golden finish everyone will love.
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Crockpot Garlic Parmesan Chicken and Potatoes
- Total Time: 6 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
Description
A complete one-pot dinner featuring seasoned chicken breasts and tender potatoes slow-cooked in a rich garlic parmesan sauce and topped with melted mozzarella cheese. Perfect for busy weeknights and feeds a family of six with minimal prep work.
Ingredients
For the Potatoes:
- 5 medium potatoes, scrubbed and cut into small, evenly sized cubes
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- Garlic powder, to taste
- Paprika, to taste
For the Chicken:
- 1 lb chicken breasts, cubed
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
For the Magic:
- 2 tbsp minced garlic (fresh is best, but jarred works too!)
- Garlic Parmesan sauce (enough to just cover the chicken – about ¾ to 1 cup)
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
Spray your crockpot with cooking spray first. Don’t skip this step. I learned the hard way when I had to soak my crockpot overnight to get the stuck-on potato bits off.
Toss the potato cubes with olive oil in a bowl. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Put them in the bottom of your crockpot. Make sure they’re spread out evenly so they cook at the same rate.
Add the minced garlic and stir it around with the potatoes. Your kitchen will start smelling good already.
Season the chicken cubes with salt, pepper, paprika, onion powder, and Italian seasoning. Put the chicken on top of the potatoes. Don’t worry if some pieces overlap – it all works out.
Pour garlic parmesan sauce over the chicken until it’s just covered. I usually use about 3/4 cup but depends on how much chicken you have. You want enough to keep it moist but not swimming in sauce.
Cook on low for 6 hours. Check that chicken hits 165°F and potatoes are soft. I set a timer for 5.5 hours so I remember to check it. Sometimes takes a little longer depending on your crockpot.
Stir everything together. Add mozzarella cheese on top. Wait 10-15 minutes for the cheese to melt. This is the hardest part because it smells so good and everyone’s asking when dinner’s ready.
Notes
Don’t use chicken breasts that are too thick or they won’t cook evenly. If yours are really thick, butterfly them or pound them thinner. I just buy the thin-cut ones from the store to save myself the trouble.
Don’t lift the lid too much – every time you do it adds cooking time. I used to check it every hour when I first started making this. Now I trust it and leave it alone. Your crockpot might cook faster or slower than mine. After a few times you’ll figure out the timing for your machine.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
Ingredient List
For the Potatoes:
- 5 medium potatoes, scrubbed and cut into small, evenly sized cubes
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- Garlic powder, to taste
- Paprika, to taste
For the Chicken:
- 1 lb chicken breasts, cubed
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
For the Magic:
- 2 tbsp minced garlic (fresh is best, but jarred works too!)
- Garlic Parmesan sauce (enough to just cover the chicken – about ¾ to 1 cup)
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Substitution Notes: Use chicken thighs if you want. Red potatoes work too. Cheddar cheese instead of mozzarella is fine. I’ve done this with whatever cheese was leftover in my fridge. Sharp cheddar gives it a different taste but still good. Yukon potatoes hold their shape better than russets if you care about that. Sometimes I use the pre-minced garlic from a jar when I’m being lazy – tastes fine to me.
Why These Ingredients Work
Oil stops potatoes from sticking. Garlic smells good. Sauce keeps chicken from drying out. Cheese melts on top. The olive oil also helps the potatoes get a little golden on the bottom where they touch the crockpot. Not crispy like oven-roasted but better than plain boiled. Fresh garlic definitely smells better than powder but powder works if that’s what you have. I buy the big containers of minced garlic and use that most of the time. The sauce is really what makes this dish special – without it you just have bland chicken and potatoes.
Essential Tools and Equipment
- Crockpot
- Cooking spray
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Bowl
- Spoons
- Thermometer
How To Make Crockpot Garlic Parmesan Chicken and Potatoes
Prep Your Crockpot
Spray your crockpot with cooking spray first. Don’t skip this step. I learned the hard way when I had to soak my crockpot overnight to get the stuck-on potato bits off.
Season and Layer the Potatoes
Toss the potato cubes with olive oil in a bowl. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Put them in the bottom of your crockpot. Make sure they’re spread out evenly so they cook at the same rate.
Add the Garlic
Add the minced garlic and stir it around with the potatoes. Your kitchen will start smelling good already.
Season and Add the Chicken
Season the chicken cubes with salt, pepper, paprika, onion powder, and Italian seasoning. Put the chicken on top of the potatoes. Don’t worry if some pieces overlap – it all works out.
Pour the Sauce
Pour garlic parmesan sauce over the chicken until it’s just covered. I usually use about 3/4 cup but depends on how much chicken you have. You want enough to keep it moist but not swimming in sauce.
Cook Low and Slow
Cook on low for 6 hours. Check that chicken hits 165°F and potatoes are soft. I set a timer for 5.5 hours so I remember to check it. Sometimes takes a little longer depending on your crockpot.
Add Cheese and Rest
Stir everything together. Add mozzarella cheese on top. Wait 10-15 minutes for the cheese to melt. This is the hardest part because it smells so good and everyone’s asking when dinner’s ready.
You Must Know
Chicken needs to be 165°F. Cut everything the same size. I learned this after making it with huge potato chunks that were still hard while the chicken was done. Now I cut everything about the same size as my thumb.
I stir it once halfway through. Helps it cook better. Also lets me check if I need more sauce. Sometimes the chicken soaks it all up and looks dry. Just add a little more if that happens.
Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks
Same size pieces cook at same time. Spray so nothing sticks. Fresh garlic is better. Put cheese in at the end.
Don’t lift the lid too much – every time you do it adds cooking time. I used to check it every hour when I first started making this. Now I trust it and leave it alone. Your crockpot might cook faster or slower than mine. After a few times you’ll figure out the timing for your machine.
Flavor Variations
Try these if you want something different:
- Add sun-dried tomatoes and olives for Mediterranean flavor. My sister does this and it’s really good.
- Throw in red pepper flakes for heat. Start with just a pinch – it adds up fast.
- Use fresh rosemary and thyme. Strip the leaves off the stems first.
- Put cooked bacon on top with the cheese. Everything’s better with bacon.
- Italian sausage instead of chicken. Cut it up and cook the same way.
- Add mushrooms with the potatoes if your family likes them. Mine picks them out.
Make-Ahead Options
Sometimes I do this the night before. Put everything in the crockpot, stick it in the fridge, add sauce in the morning. Makes mornings easier when I remember to do it. The flavors get better overnight too. Just take the crockpot insert out of the fridge 30 minutes before you start cooking so it’s not ice cold going into the heat.
Recipe Notes & Baker’s Tips
Sauce looks weird at first but gets normal. Thaw chicken before using. Frozen chicken makes everything watery and takes forever to cook. I put frozen chicken in the fridge the night before or run it under cold water in the morning if I forgot.
Don’t use chicken breasts that are too thick or they won’t cook evenly. If yours are really thick, butterfly them or pound them thinner. I just buy the thin-cut ones from the store to save myself the trouble.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this with:
- Salad – keeps it from being too heavy
- Bread for soaking up the sauce
- Green vegetables because we should probably eat some
- Wine if you’ve had that kind of day
I usually just make a bag salad and call it good. Sometimes garlic bread if I’m feeling ambitious. The kids are happy with just the chicken and potatoes anyway.
Easy dinner when I’m tired. Smells good cooking all day. House feels more like home when something’s simmering away in the kitchen. My kids know it’s chicken and potato night when they smell it walking in from school.
How to Store Your Crockpot Garlic Parmesan Chicken and Potatoes
Fridge for 4 days. Microwave 1-2 minutes. Oven 15 minutes at 350°F. Freezer 3 months.
Leftovers are good for lunch the next day. I pack it in containers for work. Reheats better than most crockpot meals because the potatoes don’t get mushy. Sometimes I use leftovers to make a quick soup by adding chicken broth.
Allergy Information
Has dairy. Use nutritional yeast instead of cheese if needed. Check sauce ingredients. Most store-bought garlic parmesan sauces have dairy and gluten. Make your own if you need to avoid those things. Recipe above for homemade sauce works fine.
Questions I Get Asked A Lot
What type of potatoes to use?
Red potatoes or Yukon Gold work best. They hold their shape and don’t get mushy. Russets work too but they break apart more. I usually just buy whatever’s on sale. Baby potatoes are great if you want to leave them whole – just cut them in half.
What cut of chicken to use?
Chicken breasts cut into cubes work fine. Thighs are better if you want more flavor and they don’t dry out as much. I buy the thin-cut breasts to save time. Drumsticks work too but take longer to cook and harder to eat.
What type of parmesan cheese to use?
Fresh grated parmesan tastes better but the pre-grated stuff from a bag works fine for this recipe. Don’t use the powdered stuff in the green can – it doesn’t melt right. Block parmesan you grate yourself has the best flavor if you want to be fancy about it.
Chicken thighs work?
Yes. Take longer to cook. Maybe 7 hours instead of 6. They stay more tender than breasts though.
No sauce?
Mix butter, garlic, parmesan, broth. Heat it up first so it mixes better. Or use Alfredo sauce if you have it.
Other vegetables?
Bell peppers, onions, carrots. Add with potatoes. Mushrooms work too but my kids hate them.
Crispy potatoes?
Broil 2-3 minutes after cheese. Watch it or the cheese burns. Some people transfer everything to a baking dish first.
When is it done?
Chicken 165°F, potatoes soft. Stick a fork in the biggest potato piece to check.
What size crockpot?
6-quart works. 4-quart is too small. 8-quart works but everything spreads out more.
💬 Try it? Leave a comment and rating below! I’d love to hear how it turned out and any creative variations you tried.
