Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore Recipe
Servings: 4 to 6 servings
Calories: 575kcal
This slow cooker chicken cacciatore recipe takes the classic Italian classic recipe made with tomatoes, mushrooms, garlic, and rosemary, and makes it easy to cook in a crock pot.
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Ingredients
- 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoon olive oil divided
- 1 onion
- 1 pound cremini (baby bella) mushrooms or button mushrooms
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1½ teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ cup low sodium chicken broth
- ½ cup white or red wine or sub same amount of broth + 1 teaspoon vinegar
- 28 ounces canned tomatoes preferably San Marzano
- 2 tablespoon capers, drained optional
- 1½ teaspoon kosher salt plus more for the chicken
- chopped fresh parsley for serving
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Season the chicken thighs on both sides with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place a large skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil until shimmering. Working in batches, add the chicken thighs and cook on each side for about 3 - 4 minutes, until it's just beginning to get golden brown. Transfer chicken to the slow cooker, and cook the next batch.
- While the chicken is browning, use a good chef's knife to slice the mushrooms, dice the onions, finely dice the garlic, and finely chop the rosemary.
- Add another tablespoon of olive oil to the same skillet used for the chicken. Add the mushrooms and onions, cook until the onions are translucent and the mushrooms are cooked through and beginning to brown on the edges, 5 - 8 minutes. You may need to add another drizzle or two of olive oil as they cook. Then add the garlic, oregano, and rosemary and stir continuously for about 1 minute until fragrant. Season with a pinch of salt.
- Add the wine and chicken broth to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits off the bottom. Let the broth simmer for about 3 minutes. Letting the mushrooms infuse this liquid will add so much depth and flavor to the final sauce!
- While that simmers, pour the tomatoes into a large bowl and crush them by hand. Swirl some water around in the can (about ⅓ full) and add that liquid to the bowl. Transfer the tomatoes to the skillet, add capers if using and stir to combine. Simmer for about 10 minutes until reduced slightly. Add 1½ teaspoons of salt.
- Pour all the cacciatore sauce in the skillet over the chicken in the slow cooker. Cook on high for 4 hours, or low for 6 hours.
- Serve the chicken cacciatore straight from the slow cooker. Serve as a stew with crusty bread or ladle over the accompaniments of your choice, such as polenta, rice, pasta, or potatoes. Top with chopped parsley for a fresh, bright flavor.
Notes
- San Marzano tomatoes make all the difference in the chicken cacciatore sauce, so seek them out. They have a brighter flavor, which means you don't need any tomato paste, they are more tender, so they break down easily in the slow cooker and you'll get a much smoother, silkier sauce.
- Yes, you need to brown the chicken and sauté the vegetables before you add them to the slow cooker for a couple of reasons. First: FLAVOR! You need that bit of browning on the chicken to add some caramelization and depth. Cooking the onions, mushrooms, garlic, and herbs first will get rid of the raw taste (no one wants to taste raw onion in chicken cacciatore), concentrates their flavors, and ensures that the aromatics are evenly distributed. Second: Consistency! We need the vegetables to give up their water so the chicken cacciatore sauce is the right consistency when it comes out of the slow cooker. We want it thick and hearty, not thin and runny.
Nutrition
Calories: 575kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 73g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 323mg | Sodium: 1453mg | Potassium: 1852mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 512IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 116mg | Iron: 6mg
