This post may contain affiliate links. See my privacy policy for details.
Chicken Cacciatore is a wonderful rustic Italian chicken dish chock full of vegetables, a thick, rich tomato based sauce and pieces of chicken all simmered together. The end result is a deliciously healthy yet decadent dish that the entire family will love. You can serve this slow cooker chicken cacciatore over rice or your favourite pasta, the choice is up to you.
Chicken Cacciatore in the Slow Cooker
Chicken cacciatore is usually make in a skillet or braising pan on top of the stove, frying the chicken up first, removing it and cooking the vegetables in the fat. Following that, a can of tomatoes is added, along with red wine and the chicken is returned to the pan for a long, low simmer of around an hour. While it certainly is the traditional way of making chicken cacciatore, I wanted to make a slow cooker version that can low and slow cook all day and doesn’t have to be babysat on the stovetop.
This worked like a charm and it’s because I use chicken thighs and not chicken breasts. I know everyone is always alll the rage about chicken breasts – and I do like them too! – but chicken thighs are where it’s at for slow cooking.
What is in Cacciatore?
Traditionally cacciatore can be made with chicken or rabbit as the word “cacciatore” literally means “hunter-style” in Italian. Thus cacciatore is supposed to be simple : onions, herbs, occasionally bell peppers, tomatoes, wine and the meat. However as I wanted to make a vegetable and protein loaded meal this chicken cacciatore has:
- chicken thighs
- onion
- red/green peppers
- carrots
- tomato paste
- stewed tomatoes
- oregano
- mushrooms
- zucchini
- garlic
- red wine
- chicken stock
Karlynn’s Tips & Tricks for Making Chicken Cacciatore
- I use tomato paste because the vegetables are going to release water, especially the mushrooms, It gets too soupy using another can of juicy tomatoes. I like a little bit of a thicker sauce. I have been known to use ketchup to thicken it up when I don’t have tomato paste and it works like a charm!
- Chicken cacciatore is usually made with SKIN ON chicken, so I usually leave the skin on and cook it that way. I am sure that the reason is the fat from the skin cooks into the dish, which makes it even richer. The choice is up to you, you can use skinless and boneless chicken thighs as well.
- You can play around with the types of vegetables and the amounts. My family doesn’t like too many peppers in it, so I use red peppers minimally in mine.
- Use chicken thighs. It’s just not as rich and rustic with chicken breast and chicken breasts really do dry out.
The lovely thing about chicken thighs is they just fall apart instead of dry out when cooked like this, I would never use chicken breast in this recipe.Chicken thighs just get better and better the longer they cook, while chicken breasts dry out, even when they are cooking in a liquid.
Now, this is not a true traditional chicken cacciatore and nor am I claiming it is, there are far more vegetables in my version than there is in the original. I love to use carrots in mine and to be honest you guys, the point of a good chicken cacciatore is to use up what you have on hand. Don’t be afraid to throw in what’s in your vegetable drawer in your fridge, it’s far better to not waste food than it is to be “original”! This dish has so many possibilities and that’s why it’s so popular, a true hunters dish, you use what you have on hand. I also LOVE zucchini in this dish, it holds up so well in the slow cooker!
Happy cooking!
Love,
Karlynn
Chicken Cacciatore
Ingredients
- 6-8 chicken thighs
- 1 onion, roughly chopped
- 1/2 red or green pepper
- 2 cups mushrooms
- 1 cup sliced carrots
- 2 cups chopped zucchini
- 6 ounces tomato paste
- 28 ounces stewed tomatoes ( I use diced, you can use whole)
- 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons red wine (optional)
- 1 tablespoon chicken stock granules
Instructions
- Combine everything but the chicken pieces in the slow cooker.
- Give it a taste. Want more red wine? Add more now. More stock for a salty taste? Go right ahead. Sample it now before you contaminate it with chicken.
- Place the chicken thighs on top, then press them into the middle of the sauce, making sure they are covered, but it’s better that they don’t touch the bottom and cook right in the middle. Then cover and cook!
- This took 4 hours in the slow cooker on high and will take all day (7-8 hours) in the slow cooker on low. This is the perfect meal to start in the morning when you head to work.
- Serve over rice or pasta.
Notes
Nutrition
Don’t forget to PIN THIS RECIPE TO YOUR DINNERS BOARD and remember to FOLLOW ME ON PINTEREST!
Michelle G. says
I really liked this recipe. It’s a keeper!
Joni says
I also added halved cavelstrano olives about a cup for the last 30 min.
Joni says
I read the comments on the dish being watery. My husband likes the protein to be browned first. ( I have a slow cooker that sears) I dredged the thighs in flour to brown. Sautéed the garlic and onions, then put in the veggies and brought them to a boil. I didn’t have stewed tomatoes so I just put lemon herb seasoning in with the tomatoes. This turned out nice and thick – my husband said it’s a keeper!
Dawn H says
Could i use chicken bullion cubes instead? If so, how many? Thanks
Michelle Hughes says
Was a great recipe! I changed it a bit. I took out the celery and carrots and replaced them with green olives. Also, instead of a green pepper I added a variety of sweet peppers instead. My family loved it! I will make this recipe over and over!
gypsy18 says
Love this recipe. Pure comfort food. Lots of typos. 😱
Joe Hoagland says
It doesn’t say how much liquid to put in. Looks really dry im making right now
Karlynn Johnston says
Hey Joe, all of the vegetables are going to release their juices,. And this is going to turn out just perfectly! Trust me between the canned tomatoes and the mushrooms you’re going to get a couple cups of liquid!. This has been tested many times you don’t want to add any liquid to it!.
Joe E says
Cooked on high as per your recipe. Took the chicken thighs out at 3.5 hour and reduced the sauce. Best recipe and it was so delicious.
Bette says
How long would you cook this meal in a Dutch oven? My crockpot meals never taste good. I love my Dutch oven. Love all of your recipes. Thank you!!!
Lindsay Skinner says
Hello MS. Wendy . I was wondering if you ever cooked Curry Goat or Curry Chicken ??? I could use some tips and hints . Or the recipe that you used to make it please. Thank you very much .
Esther says
Can it be made with KFC chicken already coated with the herbs just need rest of ingredients.
Lindsay Skinner says
Hello MS. Wendy . I was wondering if you ever cooked Curry Goat or Curry Chicken ??? I could use some tips and hints . Or the recipe that you used to make it please. Thank you very much .
Wendy Maillet says
Very good! For those wondering how to thicken…cook your vegetables first. Fry them up or roast them to release some of the water. The diced tomatoes, onion, bell pepper and especially the mushrooms release water while cooking. So I cook them first so my sauce isn’t watery. I know it’s a pain because we only want to clean one pot but…that’s how you make it not watery or runny ? Also add grated Parmesan cheese at the end and stir it in to thicken. Otherwise follow the recipe!
cbrierley@bell.net says
Made this recipe yesterday and served it over rice. What a hit it was with the family!!
The only thing I needed to do was thicken it a bit as it was a little too runny. Will definitely be making this again.
Kate says
Hi! If anything you make is too thin and you wouldn’t use a thickening agent like flour or arch, remove the liquid to a pot and simmer it to reduce the liquid, then add it back into the crockpot
Rhonda Notschaele says
I have this on the crockpot now and it has been cooking on low all day but seems to need thickening. Did you thicken yours and if so how? Tastes amazing
Jennie says
Karlynn, this looks so comfort food-a-licious. Sadly, my Crock-Pot gave up the ghost a while back. Do you think this recipe might work in my Instant Pot on the slow cook setting?
Carol says
Last night I looked in my freezer and spotted 2 packs of frozen chicken thighs(4-5 in pack). I do not recall what it was that I intended to use these in but there they are. I just noticed this recipe come in on my email and looked at the ingredients. Now what are the chances that I have everything listed? Shopping the other day I bought zucchini, mushrooms, peppers- the rest I usually have in house. So it looks like this delicious recipe will be made in the next day or two?YAY!!
kim says
This recipes is wonderful. Very flavorful. Veggie are an extra bonus.
Joe Yablonski says
Enjoyed your chicken cacc recipe. When I saw Magpie in your heading, I knew you were Canadian.
I’m enjoying your recipes, unfortunately I’m trying a low carb, sugar free diet. I dont think your receipe book pierogis etc would fit
Thought I love them.
Joe
Lisa Harvey says
Thanks for the inspiration, Karlynn. The stew was very good. You are right about the plentiful juices the meat & vegetables produce. I used chicken thighs & legs, omitted the sweet peppers & tomato paste, but glad I had zucchini & carrots on hand. Like you, I like browning meat & then sauteing vegetables with herbs & spices to get flavoring blooming before adding everything to the crock pot. As usual, I use high setting for 1 hour then turned down to low. It took only 3 hrs. total before meat was tender. I removed the solids to a casserole dish & added about a tsp. balsamic vinegar to the sauce. Served over egg noodles it made a wonderfully hearty dinner. Thank you for the recipe.