Slow-Cooker Chicken Cacciatore

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The other day, I stumbled across a recipe for chicken cacciatore. My mom used to make it for dinner regularly when I was growing up, + even though I hadn’t eaten it in years, I remembered loving the rich, veggie-packed, tomato-based sauce, served with tender chicken + lots of pasta.

So, I decided to introduce my husband to it (he’d never tried it before) + make a version of my own at home.

Chicken cacciatore is traditionally made by slow-simmering or braising, either on the stovetop or in the oven, but after reading through some recipe ideas, I realized it would be a great meal to adapt for the slow-cooker. Y’all know I can’t resist a good slow-cooker recipe!

So, I combined a couple different recipes, got out my crock-pot, + got cookin’! And the result?

Juicy, tender pieces of chicken, rich, flavorful peppers + onions in a tangy, well-seasoned marinara-based sauce.

Serve it with one of my all-time favorite foods, pasta, + I’m pretty much in comfort food heaven. If you’re a slow-cooker lover like I am, you have to try this fantastic recipe!

SAVE FOR LATER

Slow-Cooker Chicken Cacciatore

Juicy chicken, peppers, and onions in a tangy marinara sauce, cooked low and slow in the slow cooker. Serve with pasta for comfort food heaven.

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Servings: 4 servings

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 4 skinless boneless chicken breasts, trimmed and diced
• 1 tablespoon dried italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 tablespoons olive oil separated
• 1 yellow bell pepper seeded + sliced into strips
• 1 orange bell pepper seeded + sliced into strips
• 1 onion diced
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 28 ounce jar pasta sauce – (use a good-quality sauce, as this will be the base for your cacciatore sauce.)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 pound pasta cooked according to package directions
• optional: freshly-chopped parsley + parmesan cheese for serving

Method

 

1. Toss the chicken pieces with the italian seasoning, paprika, salt, pepper, + red pepper. set aside while you prep/chop the rest of the ingredients.
2. Note: you can certainly skip the next step of searing the chicken + partially cooking the vegetables, to save time. it *will* add lots of additional flavor to the dish, so if you have the extra time, it’s worth it!
3. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. add the seasoned chicken, + cook until chicken has seared slightly on all sides. transfer chicken to the slow-cooker.
4. In the same pan, add 1 more tablespoon of olive oil. add the peppers, onion, + garlic to the pan + cook for about 5 minutes, until the vegetables have softened slightly. transfer the mixture to the slow-cooker.
5. Add the pasta sauce + bay leaf to the slow-cooker. (note: if you skipped the previous step of pre-searing/cooking the chicken + veggies, add the chicken, onions, peppers, garlic to the slow-cooker at this point, too) stir everything to combine.
6. Cover, + cook on low for 4-5 hours, until chicken is fall-apart tender.
7. When ready to serve, toss the prepared pasta with a bit of the cacciatore sauce first, then top with the chicken, peppers + onion mixture. top with freshly-chopped parsley + parmesan cheese, if desired.