Description
A comforting and flavorful Crockpot Chicken Cacciatore recipe that features tender chicken thighs simmered with fresh vegetables, tomatoes, and Italian herbs. This easy slow cooker dish is perfect for a hands-off dinner, delivering rich, savory flavors with minimal prep time.
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
- 2 tablespoons capers
Garnish
- Fresh parsley and basil for garnish
Instructions
- Sear the Chicken: Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then sear it for 2–3 minutes per side until golden brown. This step is optional but adds extra flavor.
- Prepare Vegetables in Slow Cooker: Add sliced onion, bell peppers, mushrooms, and minced garlic to the bottom of your slow cooker.
- Layer the Chicken: Place the seared (or raw if skipped searing) chicken on top of the vegetables in the slow cooker.
- Mix Tomato Sauce: In a large bowl, combine crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, Italian seasoning, dried basil, dried oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Stir well to blend the flavors.
- Pour Sauce Over Chicken: Pour the tomato mixture evenly over the chicken and vegetables in the slow cooker.
- Slow Cook: Cover and cook on low for 6–7 hours or on high for 3–4 hours, until the chicken is tender and easy to pull apart.
- Add Capers and Season: Stir in the capers, then taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve: Serve the chicken and sauce over pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes. Garnish with fresh parsley and basil before serving.
Notes
- Searing the chicken is optional but highly recommended for added depth of flavor.
- Use chicken thighs for juicier, more flavorful results; chicken breasts work well too for a leaner dish.
- Adjust red pepper flakes according to your preferred spice level or omit for mild flavor.
- Leftovers store well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and freeze nicely for up to 2 months.
- For a thicker sauce, remove the lid of the slow cooker during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 1/6 of the recipe)
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 9 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: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg
