This website may contain affiliate links and advertising so that we can provide recipes to you. Read my disclosure policy.
Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore – an easy crockpot meal loaded with tender chicken, tomatoes, bell peppers, kale, carrots and sliced mushrooms. Hearty, comforting and bursting with flavor.
Hey everyone! Kelly here from Life Made Sweeter back again to share another slow cooker dinner recipe! With the cooler evenings we are starting to see, we’ve been craving all kinds of comfort food.
Chicken Cacciatore is a classic Italian dish that is just perfect for this time of year. Ever since visiting Italy a few years ago, we love trying to recreate the delicious flavors of the meals we had while we were there.
I love making this hearty and rustic dish in the slow cooker on busy school nights. You just toss everything into the pot and set and forget it. Cooking it low and slow helps to create that amazing rich and flavorful broth.
But if you have some extra time, sear the chicken in a large skillet before placing in the slow cooker. Itโs an extra step but it gives the chicken that extra layer of flavor.
This slow cooker chicken cacciatore is also loaded with a ton of healthy vegetables like bell peppers, carrots, diced tomatoes, kale, mushrooms, onions and Kalamata olives.
Serve this with your favorite sides or over some thick noodles, zoodles, or rice to soak up that amazing sauce.
Pin this now to find it later
Pin ItSlow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore
Ingredients
- 1 ยฝ pounds skinless chicken thighs I used bone-in
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 teaspoons minced garlic about 4 cloves
- ยฝ cup chopped white onion
- ยฝ cup diced red bell peppers
- ยฝ cup sliced carrots about 1 large carrot
- ยฝ cup sliced mushrooms
- 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chilis drained
- 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ยฝ teaspoon dried oregano
- ยผ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ยผ teaspoon dried thyme
- ยผ cup Kalamata olives optional
- ยฝ cup chopped kale stems removed
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
- fresh basil leaves optional, for garnish
- grated Parmesan cheese optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Season 1 ยฝ pounds skinless chicken thighs with salt and black pepper. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to slow cooker. Alternatively, skip browning and add chicken straight to a 6-quart slow cooker if pressed for time.
- Add 4 teaspoons minced garlic, ยฝ cup chopped white onion, ยฝ cup diced red bell peppers, ยฝ cup sliced carrots, ยฝ cup sliced mushrooms, 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chilis, 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste, 1 teaspoon dried basil, ยฝ teaspoon dried oregano, ยผ teaspoon dried rosemary, ยผ teaspoon dried thymeand salt and black pepper to taste. Stir to combine. Do not worry if the mixture looks dry, the tomatoes will release more liquid as this cooks - if you like this dish more saucy, add ยฝ cup chicken broth or water.
- Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 4-6 hours.
- In a small bowl, stir together 1 tablespoon water and 2 teaspoons cornstarch. Add to the crockpot along with ยผ cup Kalamata olives, and ยฝ cup chopped kale. Cook for an additional 20-30 minutes on HIGH, or until the sauce thickens slightly and the kale is wilted.
- Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley, and fresh basil leaves. Taste and season with additional salt or black pepper, as needed.
- Serve hot over pasta, zucchini noodles, rice, or your favorite sides, and top with grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More slow cooker favorites: