Chicken cacciatore is originally an Italian chicken dish served with tomato sauce. I took it to the slow cooker for an easy version.
Jump to RecipeYears 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 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
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
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
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.
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
I would have never thought to do this in the slow cooker! One of our favorite meals too!
I rarely use my slow cooker. Your delicious recipe just inspires me to do so. This will be at our table on Wednesday.
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
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.
Thanks for sharing. Looks very delicious. We love everything with chicken because we grow our own chicken.
I’m super excited that I have everything I need for this in my house already! Going to make it for dinner.
One of our favorite meals to make and never thought to make it in the slow cooker!
I just gave away my slow cooker because we weren’t using it at all. I wish I had seen this beforehand, because it looks so handy!
It’s a delicious and easy pasta recipe to make for everyone.
My husband will definitely love this!
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.
I love using my slow cooker. This looks like a great recipe to try.
This is simple Italian comfort food at its best! I’d love to try it
This is easy to make and loved by the entire family. I can make this again and again
Cacciatore aromas fill your entire house with comfort and warmth as it cooks itself in the oven. this is easily my favorite meal
Discovering new recipes is one of my resolutions this year and I just found one I love. Thanks for sharing your recipe
Slow cooker recipes are my favorite! I printed this to put on next weeks dinner menu!
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!
I’ve never made chicken cacciotore. It is a nice bonus that it can be made in the slow cooker – so convenient.
This is awesome, I need one of these in my room haha. It will help a lot in my life to cook chicken. Thank you for sharing!
Whenever there’s chicken in a meal, count me in. This look yummy 😋
Unfortunately, i am a vegetarian but my nonvegetarian friends would love this recipe. Thanks for sharing.
i’m so saving this to make later. this looks so good!
Always happy for another delicious slow cooker recipe. I’m sure this dish will be a hit in our household. Can’t wait to try it out next week!