Fall came early to the Pacific NW this year. With that quick transition I was inspired to start cooking up my favorite fall recipes a little sooner than usual.
Each new season brings so many delicious foods to enjoy. Pumpkins, apples, squash, and sweet potatoes are just a few of the fall staples that I cook with in my kitchen.
One of my favorite tools to use when the weather turns cooler is a slow cooker. Meals take on a whole new host of flavors when they are allowed to simmer slowly throughout the day. Cooking with a slow cooker also allows me to spend less time in the kitchen and more time with my family. With school and activities in full swing, I will take any extra time with them that I can!
These Apple Cider Chicken Sandwiches are one of my favorite dinners to assemble on busy weekdays. Using a pre-shredded bag of cabbage and carrots makes it even quicker! With minimal ingredients and prep work, you are just a few steps away from a delicious and healthy meal.
Slow Cooker Tips
- Before throwing all of the ingredients into the slow cooker, sauté the onions with olive oil and salt for approximately 10 minutes. As the onion sautés and browns it develops a sweeter flavor. Sautéing also reduces the moisture in the onions and softens the texture.
- Meat and vegetables release a lot of liquid while cooking in a slow cooker. If there is too much liquid, remove the lid at the end of the cooking time and allow the liquid to evaporate on high for up to an hour.
Slow Cooker Apple Chicken Sandwiches Recipe
The super simple ingredients in this recipe makes these sandwiches so easy to throw together. Once the onions are sauteed and the apples are chopped, you pretty much throw it into the slow cooker and forget about it until dinner.
One of my least favorite things about cooking is handling raw meat. Not. A. Fan. But it is sometimes necessary to feed my always hungry family.
Apple Coleslaw Mix
Our local New Seasons grocery store has these small bags of fresh coleslaw in the salad section, which makes dinner prep even easier.
Once your chicken is cooked and shredded and your coleslaw is prepped, assembly is a breeze. I like to serve these apple cider chicken sandwiches with roasted sweet potato chunks/fries and a tossed green salad. The bonus is that my kids have three different vegetable choices, so I can rest assured that they will eat at least one of them! 😉
Enjoy!
Looking for more easy weeknight meals? Try my quick and easy ground turkey tacos, sheet pan maple glazed chicken and sweet potatoes or this simple and healthier version of tomato soup!
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 medium apples cored and chopped into bite sized pieces (honeycrisp and pink lady are our favorites)
- 3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup apple cider
- salt to taste
- crusty rolls such as ciabatta or small baguettes
- 4 cups pre-shredded mix of red/green cabbage and carrots
- 1 large apple, cored and grated
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp honey
- salt to taste
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Turn on the slow cooker to low while you are preparing the ingredients and let it warm up for about 20 minutes.
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Place a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the extra virgin olive oil until it shimmers and covers the pan easily. Add the thinly sliced onions, sprinkle with the ½ teaspoon of salt, and stir to coat the onions with the olive oil. Stir occasionally for about 10-12 minutes, watching carefully so that the onions do not burn.
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Once the onions are finished sautéing, add them along with the chopped apples to the bottom of the pre-heated slow cooker. Salt both sides of the chicken and layer them on top of the onions and apples.
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Sprinkle the chicken with the garlic powder. Add the dijon mustard, apple cider, and place on the slow cooker lid. Cook for 4-5 hours on low.
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When the chicken is fully cooked, remove it from the slow cooker and shred it with two forks. It should shred easily. Place the shredded chicken back in the crockpot and mix with the juices before serving.
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Tip: If there is too much liquid, remove the lid at the end of the cooking time and allow the liquid to evaporate on high for up to an hour.
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Core and grate the apple then gently use a clean kitchen or paper towel to remove excess water. Use a medium sized bowl to toss together the four cups of shredded cabbage/carrot mix and grated apples. In a separate small bowl whisk the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, and salt to taste.
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Pour the dressing over the coleslaw mix and toss until well combined.
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Serve the shredded apple cider chicken on buns topped with the apple coleslaw mix.
YUMMY! This recipe looks delicious and super simple! I can’t wait to try out such a simple recipe that will make my family think I’m a top star chef!!! Haha! And that addition of the Apple Cider makes in so festive and warm during this season! Thanks for helping out a momma who is always looking for the next best/easy recipe!
You are very welcome Suzannah! I am always on the lookout for new easy meals too! Hope your family loves it!
This looks really good and I love apple cider, so I’ll be trying this out soon!
My kids love that they get to drink the leftover apple cider! Enjoy!
This looks so delicious, I’ll would definitely try this!
It is such an easy meal to make, and so yummy! Hope you love it!
This looks so good!
Thank you Sue! One of our new favorite meals!
Omg these look so amazing! My husband would love these. He loves a good sandwich!
I hope he likes them and you can add it into your meal rotation Amber!
This sounds really good. A complete meal without much prep time!
My favorite meals to make! I will have to make it for you soon!
Delicious!
Thanks so, so much for sharing.
You are very welcome!
This looks awesome! I would never think to use Apple cider in a chicken recipe, but my mouth is watering looking at those pictures! I’ll have to try this soon!
Thank you Dawn! Another bonus is leftover apple cider. I don’t buy juice/cider very often for my kids, so it is a treat for them too!
Looks amazing! My husband would definitely be a fan of this. Something to try during the holidays!
Thank you Beth! Happy Holidays, and hope your hubby enjoys this recipe!
I’ve never tried anything like this! Sounds absolutely delicious!
It is so yummy! I also happen to be a sucker for a good roll or baguette, so that is a winner for me too! 😉
Anything with apple cider vinegar is a winner in my book! I’ve been wanting to cook more in my slow cooker. Can’t wait to try this for fall lunches 🙂
I love using my slow cooker and probably don’t utilize it enough! Would be great for lunch too!
This looks delicious! I’m always looking for new slow cooker recipes. And I think my kids would enjoy it too.
The slow cooker is such a lifesaver on busy nights! Hope your kids like it. I know those little ones can be tricky – I know mine are! 😉
This looks so good! It would be a great weeknight dinner.
It is so yummy and super easy to make on a weeknight! Hope you enjoy!