Description
A comforting and flavorful Crockpot Chicken Cacciatore featuring tender chicken simmered in a rich tomato sauce with bell peppers, mushrooms, and Italian herbs. This slow-cooked dish offers a hearty Italian classic that’s easy to prepare and perfect served over pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 2 pounds boneless & skinless chicken thighs or breasts
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Vegetables
- 1 small yellow onion, sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 1 green bell pepper, sliced
- 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
Tomato Sauce
- 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)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Finishing Touches
- 2 tablespoons capers
- Fresh parsley and basil for garnish
Instructions
- Sear the Chicken: Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken thighs or breasts with salt and pepper, then sear each side for 2–3 minutes until golden brown. This step is optional but enhances flavor by adding delicious browning.
- Prepare Vegetables in Slow Cooker: Place the sliced onion, red and green bell peppers, mushrooms, and minced garlic at the bottom of your slow cooker, creating a flavorful base for the chicken.
- Layer the Chicken: Arrange the seared chicken pieces on top of the vegetables inside the slow cooker.
- Mix Tomato Sauce: In a large bowl, combine the crushed tomatoes, drained diced tomatoes, chicken broth, Italian seasoning, dried basil, dried oregano, red pepper flakes (if using), salt, and pepper. Stir well to blend all the seasonings evenly.
- Cook the Cacciatore: Pour the tomato mixture over the chicken and vegetables in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6–7 hours or on high for 3–4 hours, until the chicken is tender and easily shredded with a fork.
- Finish with Capers and Seasoning: Stir in the capers, then taste and adjust the seasonings if necessary to your preference.
- Serve and Garnish: Serve the chicken and sauce over your choice of pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes. Garnish with fresh parsley and basil for a bright, herbal finish before serving.
Notes
- Searing the chicken is optional but adds extra depth of flavor to the dish.
- Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs for more tender and juicy results; breasts work well too but may be slightly leaner.
- If you prefer a thicker sauce, you can remove the lid during the last 30 minutes of cooking to let some liquid evaporate.
- Adjust red pepper flakes according to your preferred spice level or omit if you want it mild.
- This dish freezes well; store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
- Serve with pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes to soak up the delicious sauce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 1/6 of recipe)
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
