Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore

One of my clearest memories from elementary school was the old Italian lunch lady’s chicken cacciatore. This recipe doesn’t quite match what I remember but it’s a good start.

Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore

Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time3 hours 10 minutes
Total Time3 hours 30 minutes
Course: Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 6 chicken thighs boneless, skinless
  • 2 tbsp chopped garlic
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 1 small yellow pepper chopped
  • 1 small red pepper chopped
  • 1 large carrot peeled, sliced
  • 2 cups mushroom sliced
  • 8 sprigs thyme
  • 1 tsp oregano dried
  • 2 tbsp basil chopped
  • 28oz crushed tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 large roma tomato halved
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 cup kalamata olives pitted, halved
  • 150 ml red wine
  • 500-600 g egg noodles or other short, broad pasta

Instructions

  • Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper on both sides. Sear in an oiled hot pan on both sides til browned.
  • Remove the thighs and place them in a slow cooker
  • Add the garlic and onions to the pan and saute til fragrant
  • Add the remaining vegetables and spices and saute on medium high for 5-8 minutes.
  • Add the vegetables to the slow cooker and top with the crushed tomatoes and tomato paste.
  • Add the wine to the pan and bring to a rolling boil on high heat. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon til smooth. Add the wine and all scraped bits to the slow cooker
  • Cook on low for 5 - 6 hours or on high 3 - 3.5 hours
  • Remove the thighs from the sauce, remove their bones and chop the thighs roughly. Return the meat back to the sauce and stir to fold it in.