Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore
A comforting Italian-inspired dish of tender chicken simmered with fresh vegetables and a rich tomato sauce, perfect for busy weeknights or leisurely weekends.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, sliced
- 1 medium red bell pepper, sliced
- 1 medium green bell pepper, sliced
- 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional) Add for heat.
- to taste Salt
- to taste Pepper
Instructions
Preparation
- Pat dry the chicken thighs or breasts with paper towels and season both sides generously with salt and pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, place chicken in the skillet and brown for about 3 to 5 minutes on each side.
- Move the browned chicken to the slow cooker.
- In the same skillet, add sliced onion and bell peppers. Sauté for about 5 to 7 minutes until softened.
- Add sliced mushrooms and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes until they are slightly browned.
- Stir in minced garlic and cook for one additional minute until aromatic.
- Deglaze the skillet with chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits, then let simmer for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker over the chicken.
- Pour in crushed tomatoes and drained diced tomatoes. Stir in Italian seasoning, dried basil, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes if using.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as necessary.
Cooking
- Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until chicken is tender and easily shredded.
- Remove chicken from the slow cooker and shred if desired. It can also be served whole.
- Serve over pasta, rice, or with crusty bread, and garnish with parsley or cheese if desired.
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Notes
For the best results, use fresh ingredients and don’t skip browning the chicken and vegetables. This dish is highly customizable; feel free to adjust herbs and add additional vegetables or protein according to your preferences.