This Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore is simple comfort food at its best. The key is to use bone-in chicken thighs in addition to breasts for extra flavor, and to use great quality tomatoes. The flavors really concentrate when it cooks all day, and the leftovers are even better! I love serving it over pasta or zucchini noodles!
Chicken cacciatore will always be one of those super nostalgic meals for me. This is actually my spin on my grandma’s recipe, and my mom made it for us all the time growing up. She made it in the oven, which is how my grandma made it, and to this day, I can still smell the aromas in my memory. There’s really nothing like food memories!
This recipe is so incredibly delicious and so EASY. You just sear the chicken before adding it to the slow cooker (trust me on this one), sauté the peppers, onions, and garlic in the same pan (hello flavor), and then throw everything into the crockpot with the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and herbs.
It cooks in the slow cooker for hours and you’re left with the most insane, fall-off-the-bone chicken and super concentrated tomato sauce.
Pure heaven.
I know that searing the chicken and pre-sautéeing the peppers and onions for a slow cooker recipe might seem kind of annoying, but trust me when I say it’s worth the extra step. It adds a ton of flavor. Don’t skip it!
Just look at the sear on that chicken!
I know a traditional cacciatore often has wine, mushrooms, and capers, and sometimes other add-ins, but this is the way my family always made it, and the simple flavors really shine this way.
I can’t even begin to tell you how good it is!
And the longer it cooks, the better. Obviously.
I love finishing it with extra grated parm and fresh oregano, and I always add a handful of fresh basil to the sauce at the very end. It just brightens it up. And what sauce isn’t better without a handful of basil?!
This meal is actually perfect to make this month, when things are crazy between work, Christmas shopping, holiday parties, and managing to keep up with life stuff, because it just sits in the slow cooker all day, and you’ll have dinner waiting for you when you want it! And it’s SO cozy.
And it would actually be the perfect thing to make for guests, too!
This is what I want to eat in December.
In addition to all the Christmas cookies of course!
Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore
This Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore is simple comfort food at its best. The key is to use bone-in chicken thighs in addition to breasts for extra flavor, and to use great quality tomatoes. The flavors really concentrate when it cooks all day, and the leftovers are even better! I love serving it over pasta or zucchini noodles!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 pound bone-in, skinless chicken thighs*
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes*
- 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- handful of fresh basil leaves, torn
- chopped fresh oregano for serving
- freshly grated parmesan cheese for serving
- pasta or zucchini noodles for serving
Instructions
Season both sides of the chicken thighs and breasts generously with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sear for 4-5 minutes per side, until golden. You will likely have to do this in batches depending on the size of your pan. Add to the slow cooker.
Using the same pan, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, and add the peppers, onion, and garlic. Season with a couple pinches of salt and pepper. Sauté for 5-7 minutes or until softened. Add to the slow cooker.
Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, bay leaves, dried oregano, dried basil, salt, and pepper to the slow cooker. Stir to combine. Cook for 4-5 hours on high or for 7-8 on low.
Once finished, stir the handful of basil into the sauce and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve over pasta and garnish with fresh oregano and freshly grated parmesan.
Recipe Notes
*I used bone-in, skinless thighs, but you can use the thighs with the skin on for even more flavor. Same goes for breasts - if you use bone-in, skin on, your sauce will have even more flavor!
*Try to get really good quality Italian crushed tomatoes - it will make all the difference in your sauce. It's worth the few extra dollars!
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