This slow cooker chicken cacciatore recipe is an easy and delicious version of an amazing classic. Just add all the yummy ingredients to your slow cooker and relax while it makes the perfect, easy, weeknight dinner!
If you love this classic Italian dish you have come to the right place. This slow cooker meal is simple to assemble and so yummy even your picky eaters will devour it. Can you ask for anything more than that?
📝Shopping list
To make this easy chicken cacciatore recipe you will need these common ingredients:
- chicken thighs*
- diced tomatoes* - Italian flavored is great if you can find it
- green bell pepper - chopped
- red or yellow bell peppers - chopped
- baby bella mushrooms - sliced
- capers - drained
- fresh garlic* - finely diced or pressed
- fresh basil - finely chopped.
- tomato paste
- Italian seasoning
- salt and pepper - to taste
- red pepper flakes- optional - to taste
- non stick cooking spray
Exact quantities and detailed instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
🔪Instructions
Spray your slow cooker with a nonstick cooking spray. Add all the ingredients directly into your crock pot and stir to combine. Cover, set your slow cooker to low and walk away (don't you just LOVE slow cooking??).
Your slow cooker recipe will be ready to serve with the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165℉.
🍽Serving suggestions
This amazing dish is delicious served a ton of different ways. The yummy tomato-based sauce is great on white rice, cauliflower rice, spaghetti noodles, zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash.
You can top it with parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes or just some freshly ground black pepper and, of course, some freshly chopped cilantro.
A crisp side salad and crusty bread make great pairings. As does a glass of red wine (or white wine - or any wine!!!).
🔁Substitutions
- While I prefer to slow cook thighs, boneless chicken breast can also be used for this recipe. Just be careful not to overcook them as they can become dry and rubbery. I find dark meat to be more forgiving in slow cooker chicken recipes.
- Boneless thighs may be used in place of bone-in.
- I use fresh minced or crushed garlic cloves. If you prefer, you can substitute with 1 tablespoon jarred minced garlic or about 1 teaspoon of garlic powder.
- A can of crushed tomatoes (with all juices) can be used in place of diced tomatoes if that is what you have on hand.
- I love using fresh herbs when possible but dried may be substituted to keep things as lazy as can be!
Storing
Store leftovers of this amazing chicken cacciatore crockpot recipe in an airtight container or bag. They will last 3-4 days in the refrigerator or 3-4 months if frozen.
If you love this recipe, please let me know in the comment section below!
😉Hints & hacks
- All slow cookers are different and may have slightly different cook times. The first time you make this use a meat thermometer to see how long the chicken takes to reach 165℉. This will make your timing easier to gauge the next time you make it.
- Store leftovers of your healthy chicken cacciatore in individual serving-sized containers for easy grab-and-go future meals.
- Do you like it hot? Feel free to top off your dish with extra red chili pepper flakes or sriracha.
- This is one of the best slow cooker recipes to use with a slow cooker liner. If you use a liner, you can skip spraying your slow cooker with non-stick spray.
- In the market for a slow cooker? I love mine!
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📖 Recipe
Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore
Equipment
- Knife and cutting board
Ingredients
- 4 - 6 skinless, bone-in chicken thighs breasts can be used as well
- 28 oz can(s) diced tomatoes Italian flavored is great
- 1 green pepper large chopped
- 1 red or yellow pepper large chopped
- 8 oz baby bella mushrooms sliced
- 3.5 oz jar capers drained
- 4 cloves garlic finely diced or pressed
- 2 tablespoon fresh basil finely chopped
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- salt and pepper to taste
- red pepper flakes optional - to taste
- non stick cooking spray
Instructions
- spray slow cooker with non-stick cooking spraynon stick cooking spray
- add chicken and all remaining ingredients to slow cooker4 - 6 skinless, bone-in chicken thighs, 28 oz can(s) diced tomatoes, 1 green pepper, 1 red or yellow pepper, 8 oz baby bella mushrooms, 3.5 oz jar capers, 4 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoon fresh basil, 2 tablespoon tomato paste, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, salt and pepper, red pepper flakes
- Stir to combine, cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165℉
- Serve or rice or pasta and enjoy!!
Notes
Nutrition
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ELAINE FALZON says
Made this and cooked it for 4 hours on Medium not low as it said on recipe. Still looked like it needed to cook for longer and had to put th chicken in the convection oven to cook it fast since it was time to eat!
Are we sure it's on low that it should be cooked?
The Lazy Slow Cooker says
Hi Elaine, thanks for asking. Each slow cooker is a little different. My slow cooker thoroughly cooks chicken on the low setting in 3-4 hours (mine doesn't even have a medium setting). I always recommend using a meat thermometer to confirm when your chicken is safe to eat. Chicken is considered safe to eat when it reaches 165℉. It may be that your slow cooker takes a bit longer. Hopefully you were able to enjoy the dish regardless!