Slow Cooker Chicken Philly Sandwiches

I did my first spring field assessment in Jasper County this week — the county where Dad's farm used to be, where the Weber family put down roots in 1908 and pulled them up in 2015. Driving through Jasper County in May is a special kind of torture for me right now. Every field is a memory. Every gravel road is a road I drove on a tractor before I could see over the steering wheel. The corn is planted already, rows emerging, and none of it is ours anymore.

The farmer I was assessing sat across from me at his kitchen table while his wife made coffee and his dog slept under the chair. The numbers were bad. Commodity prices, input costs, the same grinding math that killed Dad's operation. I delivered the assessment. He nodded. His wife set down the coffee and her hands were shaking. He thanked me, which is the worst part — when they thank you for telling them their livelihood is dying.

I sat in my car afterward for ten minutes. Then I drove home and made dinner.

That's what you do. You do the hard thing and then you feed people. I made chicken and dumplings — a whole chicken simmered until it falls apart, the broth thick with carrots and celery, and those drop dumplings that Marlene makes from flour, baking powder, milk, and a little butter. You drop spoonfuls of batter into the simmering broth and cover the pot and don't peek for fifteen minutes. The dumplings steam into pillowy clouds that soak up the broth and fill you in a way that has nothing to do with calories and everything to do with comfort.

Kevin could tell I'd had a bad day. He didn't ask about it. He just did the dishes without being asked, which is his version of saying I love you. After twelve years of marriage, you learn each other's language, and Kevin's language is acts of service performed silently and without expectation of acknowledgment. He's a good man. Not a flashy man, not a grand-gesture man, but a dishes-without-asking man, and I will take that over roses every single time.

Jack ate two bowls of chicken and dumplings. Noah ate three. Emma picked out the carrots. The dog debate continued at dinner — Emma invoked "a family member we haven't met yet." Kevin said no. The campaign marches on.

I didn’t have it in me to stand over the stove that night — not after Jasper County, not after watching a man’s wife set down a coffee cup with shaking hands. Some nights call for chicken and dumplings, and some nights call for something you can set and walk away from, something that will just quietly do its job while you sit on the couch and let the weight settle. These slow cooker chicken Philly sandwiches are that kind of recipe: the slow cooker carries it, the peppers and onions go sweet and soft over hours, and by the time Kevin was doing the dishes without being asked, the whole kitchen smelled like something good was still possible.

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 6 hours | Total Time: 6 hours 15 minutes | Servings: 6

Ingredients

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
8 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
6 hoagie rolls, split
6 slices provolone cheese

Instructions

Layer the slow cooker. Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. Layer the sliced bell peppers, onion, mushrooms, and garlic on top of the chicken.
Add the liquid and seasonings. Pour the chicken broth and Worcestershire sauce over the vegetables. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper.
Cook low and slow. Cover and cook on LOW for 5–6 hours or on HIGH for 3–4 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and very tender.
Shred the chicken. Using two forks, shred the chicken directly in the slow cooker and stir it into the juices and vegetables. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Toast the rolls. Arrange the split hoagie rolls on a baking sheet and broil for 2–3 minutes until lightly golden.
Assemble and melt. Using a slotted spoon, pile the chicken and vegetable mixture onto the bottom halves of the toasted rolls. Lay a slice of provolone over each and return to the broiler for 1–2 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
Serve immediately. Close the sandwiches and serve hot. Set out extra juices from the slow cooker for dipping if desired.

Nutrition (per serving)

Slow Cooker Chicken Philly Sandwiches — Because You Do the Hard Thing and Then You Feed People