Slow cooker chicken cacciatore on a bed of pasta on a round brown plate with a brown and white towel behind all on a dark wooden surface (with logo overlay)

Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore

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Chicken cacciatore is originally an Italian chicken dish served with tomato sauce. I took it to the slow cooker for an easy version.

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Years ago, when I was visiting my parents during the holidays, my dad pulled out this really old slow cooker book that came with the one they got when they were married. Y’all, that was in 1985! But, this book had some delicious recipes in it, including the one he still uses to make spinach artichoke dip every Christmas.

In that handy book was a recipe for chicken cacciatore. Of course, it’s one for the slow cooker since that’s what the entire book was about. I wasn’t so sure at first but finally decided to give it a try.

According to Wikipedia, cacciatore is the Italian word for “hunter”. Thus, chicken cacciatore is prepared “hunter-style” with onions, herbs, tomatoes, and sometimes wine. It can also be made with other meats, which would only change the first word in the name. Src: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cacciatore

Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore

Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore Step by Step

Ingredients

  • 1 onion, thinly sliced
  • 3 lb chicken breast, boneless, skinless, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 12 oz tomato paste
  • 4 oz mushrooms, sliced and drained
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 drops black pepper essential oil
  • 1 drop basil essential oil
  • 1 drop celery seed essential oil
  • 2 drops oregano essential oil
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/2 cup white cooking wine

Preparation

Place the onion in the bottom of the slow cooker and add the chicken on top.

Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine.

Cover and cook on low for 3 hours or high for 6 hours.

Serve over pasta or with a side of bread.

Leftovers

Store any leftover chicken cacciatore separate from the pasta that you may have made to serve with it. If the sauce is stored on the noodles it will make them soggy. To reheat, I suggest putting in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add a bit of water if the sauce is too thick. Stir often so it doesn’t stick to the pan.

Recipe

Originally Published On: November 29, 2021

Slow cooker chicken cacciatore on a bed of pasta on a round brown plate with a brown and white towel behind all on a dark wooden surface

Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore

Chicken cacciatore is originally an Italian chicken dish served with tomato sauce. I took it to the slow cooker for an easy version.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 5 minutes
Course:
Main Dish
Cuisine:
American
|
Italian
Diet
Gluten Free
Keyword:
chicken
|
essential oils
|
mushrooms
|
slow cooker
|
tomato
Dietary Needs:
Dairy-Free
|
Egg-Free
|
Gluten-Free
|
Nut-Free
|
Paleo
Meat:
Chicken/Turkey
Cooking Method:
Slow-Cooker
Servings: 4
5 from 9 votes

Ingredients

  • 1 onion (thinly sliced)
  • 3 lb chicken breast (boneless, skinless, cut into bite-sized pieces)
  • 12 oz tomato paste
  • 4 oz mushrooms (sliced and drained)
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 4 drops black pepper essential oil
  • 1 drop basil essential oil
  • 1 drop celery seed essential oil
  • 2 drops oregano essential oil
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/2 cup white cooking wine

Instructions

  • Place the onion in the bottom of the slow cooker and add the chicken on top
  • Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine
  • Cover and cook on low for 3 hours or high for 6 hours
  • Serve over pasta or with a side of bread

Notes

If you don’t have essential oils, substitute for dried seasonings. 
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Nutrition Facts
Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore
Amount Per Serving (3 oz)
Calories 488 Calories from Fat 81
% Daily Value*
Fat 9g14%
Saturated Fat 2g10%
Trans Fat 1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 3g
Cholesterol 218mg73%
Sodium 1363mg57%
Potassium 2293mg66%
Carbohydrates 21g7%
Fiber 5g20%
Sugar 12g13%
Protein 77g154%
Vitamin A 1429IU29%
Vitamin C 26mg32%
Calcium 77mg8%
Iron 5mg28%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutrition content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.

Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore FAQs

Is there a specific slow cooker I need to use?

No, you can use any slow cooker. Just make sure it’s big enough to hold all of your ingredients. This recipe doesn’t need a lot of space and only filled about 1/3 of my large slow cooker.

What is the difference between a “slow cooker” and a “crockpot”?

There isn’t much of a difference. Crockpot is a brand name, and they cook slightly differently. “As with a lot of cooking appliances, the biggest difference comes from the distribution of heat. The pot of the slow cooker usually sits on a base that houses the heating element on the bottom, while Crockpots have their pots inside of a container (or crock) and get heating from all sides. Therefore, slow cookers heat up slower than crockpots, with the heat level higher on the bottom of the pot. This results in food cooking slightly differently.”
Src: https://www.sfgate.com/shopping/article/Difference-between-Crockpot-and-slow-cooker-16154433.php

23 thoughts on “Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore”

  2. Marjie Mare

    I rarely use my slow cooker. Your delicious recipe just inspires me to do so. This will be at our table on Wednesday.

    Reply
  3. Melanie williams

    This looks fab!!! Slow cooking is such a good idea and a great way to get rid of left overs to make a tasty meal. Your chicken dish, I know my husband will love x

    Reply
  4. Alice Mola

    I don’t know why I assumed slow cookers were a recent invention, but wow a book from 1985 shocked me! I think slow cookers are truly magic for the kitchen, this recipe looks so delicious especially over a plate of fresh pasta.

    Reply
  5. Predrag Kovačević

    Thanks for sharing. Looks very delicious. We love everything with chicken because we grow our own chicken.

    Reply
  10. Ave

    5 stars
    I have never made cacciatore but we do love Italian dishes. I really like easy recipes and better yet if they can be made in a slow cooker or crockpot, so I can take care of other things while the food is cooking.

    Reply
  17. Ebony

    5 stars
    I made this for my family and it was so yummy! I used shallots instead of onions for a hint of sweetness to mix with the tomato base. Other than that, this recipe is perfect!

    Reply

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