Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore

Chicken cacciatore is one of my go-to dinner recipes. My kids happily eat it, it’s got a ton of flavor and it’s so easy to make. This slow cooker version takes just minutes to put together and you’ll come home at the end of the day to a restaurant quality meal.

I just love a good meal I can throw in the crock pot. Especially when it’s like this slow cooker chicken cacciatore which my entire family loves. It’s not always easy to find one meal that everyone is head over heels for, but this crockpot chicken cacciatore really hits the spot.

HOW DO YOU MAKE SLOW COOKER CHICKEN CACCIATORE?

This dish contains a delicious mixture of bone-in chicken thighs cooked to perfection amid the aromatic flavors of peppers, mushrooms, and olives in the crock pot. Italian chicken cacciatore is the perfect hearty dinner that’s both easy and satisfying. Serve it over pasta to round out your meal and up the kid friendly factor!

Tips for crock pot chicken cacciatore

I prefer using bone-in and skin-on chicken thighs when making crock pot chicken cacciatore. This type of chicken holds a ton of flavor and doesn’t dry out or lose its shape after a long cooking time. You can substitute boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs – your meat may fall apart a bit when you go to serve it, but it will still be delicious. I highly recommend browning your chicken before it goes into the slow cooker, but if you’re in a big hurry, you can skip that step and it will still be great. If you have a favorite brand of marinara sauce, definitely use that in your dish. I use Newman’s or Classico brand. The chicken will release liquid as it cooks, which will thin out the sauce. If you feel like your sauce is too thin, you can thicken it up by uncovering the slow cooker and running it for 20 minutes on high heat. The bell peppers and mushrooms will get quite soft from being in the slow cooker all day. If you prefer firmer veggies, add them about 2 hours before the chicken cacciatore is done. I stir in the olives at the very end right before serving.

WHAT DOES THE WORD CACCIATORE MEAN?

This word means “hunter” in Italian. In the culinary world, this usually means that a meal is prepared “hunter-style.” Hunter-style means prepared with onions, bell peppers and herbs. This word also means a dish that is typically cooked in a spicy tomato sauce.

CAN SLOW COOKER CHICKEN CACCIATORE BE MADE WITH OTHER MEATS?

As with most meals of this nature, just about any meat can be substituted in place of the chicken. The flavors and cooking times will definitely adjust so be aware of this when making your substitutions. A great substitution would be beef stew meat, or other cuts of chicken such as chicken drumsticks.

I typically serve slow cooker chicken cacciatore over pasta, but it’s also delicious over rice or mashed potatoes. I will definitely be making this again in the near future!