Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore

This slow cooker chicken cacciatore is tender chicken thighs that are cooked in the crock pot with peppers, mushrooms and olives. An easy Italian dinner that’s perfect served over pasta!

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!

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 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 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 slices of pork tenderloin 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!

MORE ITALIAN DISHES YOU’LL LOVE

• Pesto Pasta Salad
• Shrimp Alfredo
• Sausage and Pepper Pasta
• Bruschetta Chicken
• Spaghetti Salad

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5 from 12 votes

Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore

This slow cooker chicken cacciatore is tender chicken thighs that are cooked in the crock pot with peppers, mushrooms and olives. An easy Italian dinner that's perfect served over pasta!

Course Main

Cuisine Italian

Keyword crock pot chicken cacciatore, slow cooker chicken cacciatore

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 4 hours

Total Time 4 hours 15 minutes

Servings 6

Calories 384kcal

Author Dinner at the Zoo

Ingredients

• 6 bone in skin on chicken thighs
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
• 1 onion thinly sliced
• 1 green bell pepper cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 jar marinara sauce
• 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Instructions

• Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper.
• Cook the chicken for 4-5 minutes per side, or until golden brown.
• Add the chicken to a slow cooker along with the mushrooms, onion and green bell pepper. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper to taste.
• Add the Italian seasoning and marinara sauce to the slow cooker. Gently toss all the ingredients together.
• Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours.
• Remove the cover and stir in the olives. Sprinkle the parsley over the top and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 384kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 141mg | Sodium: 708mg | Potassium: 853mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 13.5% | Vitamin C: 31.6% | Calcium: 3.5% | Iron: 13.8%