Description
A hearty and flavorful Crockpot Chicken Cacciatore made with tender chicken thighs or breasts simmered in a rich tomato sauce with bell peppers, mushrooms, and aromatic Italian herbs. Perfect for an easy, comforting meal that requires minimal hands-on 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
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 with salt and pepper. Sear the chicken for 2–3 minutes per side until golden brown for extra flavor (this step is optional but recommended).
- Prepare the vegetables: Place the sliced onion, red and green bell peppers, mushrooms, and minced garlic at the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Layer the chicken: Arrange the seared (or raw if skipping searing) chicken thighs or breasts over the vegetables in the slow cooker.
- Mix the 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 combine.
- Pour the sauce: 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 easily pulls apart.
- Add capers and season: Stir in the capers. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve and garnish: Serve the chicken and sauce over pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes. Garnish with fresh parsley and basil before serving.
Notes
- For deeper flavor, searing the chicken before slow cooking is recommended but not required.
- Add red pepper flakes for a mild spicy kick, or omit if you prefer no heat.
- This dish pairs well with pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes as a base to soak up the sauce.
- Leftovers keep well and can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
- You can substitute chicken thighs with breasts if preferred, though thighs remain more tender after slow cooking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 1 cup with sauce and chicken)
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 85mg
