This classic Ohio shredded chicken sandwich recipe is the perfect party food! It’s easy to make in your slow cooker or Instant Pot. Trust me, you’ll love these creamy chicken sandwiches piled high on a soft bun.
As many of you know, I grew up in northwest Ohio, and the food from that region still makes my heart sing. It might not be the fanciest, but it sure is tasty!
This Ohio shredded chicken sandwich is the quintessential Midwest meal. It’s served at every event, from birthday parties to weddings to funerals to graduation parties. There is no party to be had without the deliciousness of a shredded chicken sandwich.
You can easily make this recipe in the slow cooker or the Instant Pot, but don’t worry – I’ll give directions for both. And if you live around Fremont, Ohio, you can stop by Root’s Shredded Chicken and pick up some of their shredded chicken! Some say Root’s invented this sandwich!
Trust me, if you’re new to the coziness of Midwest cooking, you’ll love this dish.
Easy to make, great for parties, freezes beautifully, and is packed with flavor.
What’s not to love?
You might also know this sandwich by the name: sloppy bird, Root’s shredded chicken sandwich, soup can chicken sandwich, or creamy hot chicken sandwiches!
Table of Contents
Ingredients for shredded chicken sandwiches
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts – I’m using 3 pounds of chicken to make this dish.
- Chicken stock – The amount you use will depend on preparation; you can use water in a pinch.
- Condensed cream of chicken soup – You can also use cream of mushroom or celery. Our family likes cream of chicken best.
- Ritz (butter) crackers – These will be crushed and used to help thicken the sandwich mixture.
- Spices – Add a little dried parsley, garlic powder, kosher salt, and black pepper.
- Soft buns – I love to pile my shredded chicken on a soft bakery bun.
Slow cooker shredded chicken sandwich
The slow cooker method is the method used by most shredded chicken enthusiasts.
- Add your uncooked chicken breast to a slow cooker.
- Top with condensed cream of chicken soup.
- Cover and let the cook on low for 4 hours.
- Shred the chicken once fully cooked.
- Add crushed crackers and spices to the mix and let heat for another 20-30 minutes to warm and thicken. You can thin the mixture out with the chicken stock if it is too thick.
Ohio shredded chicken sandwiches in the Instant Pot
While this is not the traditional way my grandmother made this sandwich filling, it is the easiest way! That is how I made it for this post. It was ready in no time!
- Add your uncooked chicken breast to the Instant Pot.
- Top with condensed cream of chicken soup and chicken stock.
- Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes.
- Quick release your IP and remove the chicken from the pot. Leave the juice in the pot.
- Shred your chicken and add it back to the pot.
- Add in your cracker crumbs and spices and stir to combine.
- Place on the “keep warm” setting and let the mixture slowly cook for 20 minutes to help thicken the chicken filling.
Sides for shredded chicken sandwiches
I’m happy to eat this sandwich and nothing else, but let’s get serious – sides are delicious!
Typically, if you’re from northwest Ohio, you would serve this sandwich with Ballreich Potato Chips, but if you’re not in the area, you can replace them with wavy potato chips.
Other delicious side options:
How to serve
Shredded chicken is traditionally served on a soft bun and eaten like a sandwich.
If you’re out of buns, sliced bread can be used instead.
Another great option is spooning the shredded chicken over mashed potatoes or a slice of bread for an open-face sandwich.
Recipe changes and variations
- You can use crushed potato chips or dried stuffing mix to thicken your sandwich mixture instead of crushed Ritz butter crackers. If you use stuffing mix, it tastes like Thanksgiving dinner on a roll.
- Use leftover turkey from Thanksgiving in place of chicken. No one will notice the delicious switch!
- For a quick weekday meal, you can cook drained canned chicken on the stovetop instead of fresh chicken. You can also use rotisserie chicken!
- Top your sandwich with a slice of cheese for an extra gooey sandwich. This is how we had them in high school when we got them from the Old Fort Country Market.
- Add minced onion, garlic, or even celery for a tasty vegetable addition.
- You can use cream of mushroom or cream of celery in place of both or one can of the cream of chicken. My mom likes using one can of chicken and one can of celery!
Storage, Leftovers and Freezing
You can keep any leftover shredded chicken filling in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, you can place in a microwave save dish, and cook until hot. Or reheat it on the stove in a pot or skillet set over medium heat.
To freeze your shredded chicken – add to a freezer safe air-tight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Let the mixture completely thaw before you reheat.
More sandwich recipes
- Instant Pot Italian Beef Sandwich
- Cobb Salad Sandwich
- Summertime Tomato Sandwich
- Pesto Tuna Baguette Sandwich
Ohio Shredded Chicken Sandwich
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast
- 2 (10.5 ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 sleeve crushed Ritz butter crackers about 1-1/4 cup
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- kosher salt to taste
Instructions
For Instant Pot
- Add chicken breast, chicken stock, and condensed soup to the pot of an Instant Pot.
- Place the lid on the Instant Pot, close to lock, and make sure the vent is one the "sealed" position.
- Place on "manual" for 10 minutes of high pressure.
- When fully cooked, manual release the Instant Pot to release the steam and unlock the lid. Leave the Instant Pot on the "warm" setting.
- Remove the chicken from the Instant Pot (leave the juice in the pot) and shred. Add the shredded chicken back to the Instant Pot.
- Stir in your crushed Ritz butter crackers, dried parsley, garlic powder, and black pepper. Taste, and add kosher salt if needed.
- Let the mixture set up for 20 minutes. If it's still thinner than desired you can add more crushed crackers to help thicken the mixture. If it's too thick thin out with chicken stock.
- Scoop onto a bun and enjoy hot and juicy!
For Slow Cooker
- Add chicken breast, 1/4 cup chicken stock, and condensed soup to the slow cooker.
- Cover, place on "low" and let cook for 4 hours.
- After 4 hours, remove the chicken, shred, and add back to the slow cooker.
- Stir in your crushed Ritz butter crackers, dried parsley, garlic powder, and black pepper. Taste, and add kosher salt if needed.
- Cover, and let the mixture cook for another 30 minutes. If it's still thinner than desired you can add more crushed crackers to help thicken the mixture. If it's too thick thin out with chicken stock.
Nutrition
