Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore

This Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore is rustic, comforting dish that will satisfy your craving for Italian food. Chicken thighs are slow cooked in a tomato-based sauce with garlic, Italian herbs, and mushrooms until super tender.

I’ve been craving Italian comfort food like nobody’s business, and this chicken cacciatore made in the slow cooker definitely hit the spot. If you’re craving Italian, you’re in the right place!

This Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore recipe is one of 75 recipes from my cookbook, The Foolproof Family Slow Cooker and Other One-Pot Solutions. I’ve grown to love the recipes from this book more and more as time passes, having made them over and over again. So many have become regulars on our menu like Chicken Parmesan Meatballs, Veggie-Packed Meatloaf with Barbecue Glaze, and 10-Minute Egg Roll Lettuce Wraps. The Asian Sesame Party Meatballs are outrageously tasty and I can’t wait to make another batch of Slow Cooker Peach Applesauce.

What is Chicken Cacciatore?

“Cacciatore” means hunter in Italian and was used to name this hunter-style stew. It’s an old, classic Italian dish that dates back as far as the 14th century. A variety of different proteins can be used but today you’ll most commonly see the dish made with chicken. The chicken is braised in a tomato-based sauce that includes onion, garlic, and herbs and an assortment of other vegetables. I went with carrots for sweetness and earthy, meaty cremini mushrooms.

To enhance the rustic quality of the dish, I use bone-in chicken thighs. They are super affordable, cook up incredibly tender when cooked low and slow, and have great flavor.

Ingredient Notes

• Chicken: The best cut of chicken for chicken cacciatore is bone-in chicken thighs. They typically have the skin intact but since we won’t be rendering the fat in a skillet, remove it with paper towels before adding the thighs to the slow cooker.
• Veggies: Diced carrot and onion. Minced garlic and quartered cremini mushrooms.
• Dried spices: Oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Dried spices added at the beginning of the cooking time pack more of a punch than fresh herbs and are the best choice for slow cooker recipes.
• Fresh herbs: I like to add a little fresh Italian parsley toward the end of the cooking time to brighten up the sauce.
• Wine: Choose a dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, or Chardonnay.
• Canned tomato products: A little tomato paste and a large can of San Marzano crushed tomatoes. See below for why I strongly suggest choosing authentic San Marzano tomatoes for this recipe.
• For serving: Pasta is a classic choice for serving with chicken cacciatore. Long pasta like spaghetti or linguine or short pasta like penne or rigatoni are delicious smothered in the sauce from the Crock-Pot.

How to Make Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore

This is a quick overview of how to make this recipe. You’ll find detailed instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.

1. Sauté the carrot, onion, and garlic in a little olive oil until softened. Add the tomato paste, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, salt and black pepper, and stir to combine.
2. Allow the mixture to cook briefly to toast the spices, then add the wine and bring the mixture to a simmer.

1. Add the chicken thighs to the slow cooker.
2. Spoon the mixture from the skillet over the chicken and add the crushed tomatoes. Cover and cook on Low for 4 to 5 hours, just until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
3. Stir in the mushrooms and parsley.
4. Cover and continue to cook for an additional 30 to 60 minutes on Low, just until the mushrooms have softened.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the chicken and sauce with the cooked pasta of your choice, a crusty loaf of French bread, and a bottle of wine for Italian night at home. Here are a few more great side dish choices:

• Green Beans: Either simply Sautéed Green Beans or my Pesto Green Beans
• Salad: A tossed green salad with Homemade Italian Dressing. Or, my Simple Italian Salad or Lemon Parmesan Salad would be perfection.
• Rice: Instead of pasta, spoon it over cooked white or brown rice.
• Bread: A pan of easy Cheddar Dinner Rolls, Homemade Cheesy Breadsticks, or Cheater Garlic Bread.

Storage and Reheating Tips

If possible, store the chicken cacciatore sauce and pasta in separate containers. This will help preserve the textures of both, as pasta can absorb sauce and become mushy over time.

Refrigerate: Store the chicken cacciatore and sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days. Store the cooked pasta in a separate airtight container in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.

Freeze: Freezing works well for the chicken cacciatore. Let it cool completely, then place it in a freezer-safe container or resealable freezer bag. It can be stored for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to reheat it, I recommend cooking up a fresh batch of pasta to serve with it.

Reheating Leftovers: Reheat the chicken and sauce in a saucepan over medium heat, adding a splash of water or broth to loosen the sauce if it has thickened. Or, reheat it in the microwave, stirring occasionally. When reheating pasta, you can add a small amount of water or sauce to prevent it from drying out. Reheat it on the stovetop or in the microwave.

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This post was originally published on April 19, 2020. It has been updated with new text and images.