This Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore is one of our all time fan favorite recipes here at Healthy Seasonal Recipes. It is made with chicken thighs slowly simmered with tomatoes, mushrooms, peppers, olives and spices. After cooking in the crockpot on low for six hours, the chicken becomes meltingly tender and the vegetables make a delicious savory sauce to spoon over it. It is naturally gluten-free, paleo and whole30 approved.
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This post was originally published on October 25th, 2016. I have updated it to share it with you again today.
What Is Chicken Cacciatore?
Chicken Cacciatore is an Italian inspired dish that roughly translates to hunter-style chicken. When I was researching how to take-on this classic chicken recipe (and make it healthier and easy enough for a week-night) I discovered that Chicken Cacciatore has so many variations, nobody really agrees what it is exactly.
Apparently it hails from Italy and the original dish was something hunters would have made out in the field (or woods) and therefore would be very simple. The chicken would be cut into parts and cooked with herbs and mushrooms.
But here in the states I know it to have wine, tomatoes and peppers as well. I also looked in the Joy of Cooking, like when I was working on the Chicken a la King, and their version does not have peppers. To make things more confusing, some of the recipes I found online didn’t have tomatoes or peppers at all in them. Eventually I just decided that it was totally fine to take some creative license. As long as the dish tastes delicious, is healthier, and can be made for a weeknight, I’m okay with breaking the rules.
How I Made This Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore More Healthy
- First of all, most Italian hunters probably don’t have slow cookers out in the woods, so right there you know we’re off into new territory. I removed the chicken skin to save on calories from fat. Then I mixed a super flavorful combination of Italian spices, red chili pepper flake, coarse salt and smoked paprika and dusted the thighs with the spices. (All of which is virtually calorie free flavor.) Without the chicken skin these chicken thighs are still very rich and flavorful tasting. The smoked paprika made them so savory tasting.
- Next I layered on chopped olives. The Joy of Cooking calls for olives so I tried that and loved the flavor it gave everything. Next, without stirring, I added on the vegetables. I used a whole onion, a whole pepper and mushrooms to really bulk the serving size up.
- I didn’t stir the mixture because I wanted to make sure that the chicken stayed coated in the smoked paprika combination. I found that the vegetables released just enough juice, and it dripped down and mixed with the tomato, so that the chicken simmers and becomes completely tender.
- At the end I pulled the chicken out, and mixed in some fresh rosemary and mixed the vegetables and tomato all together. The sauce is nice and thick and so delicious! You can serve this with whole grain pasta, mashed potatoes or with polenta. It is naturally gluten-free and paleo, so if you want to keep it low-carb you could serve it with spaghetti squash or zucchini noodles.
- Thanks so much for reading. If you do make this recipe, please come back and let me know by leaving a comment or rate the recipe! I would be so grateful! Also, if you haven’t already please sign-up for my weekly emails. I send out the latest recipes by email every Saturday morning, so you never have to miss a post!
Don’t miss this Ultimate Guide to Tomatoes!
MORE SLOW COOKER RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE
- Slow Cooker Chicken and Okra
- Healthy Slow Cooker Beef Burgundy
- Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Slow Cooker Barley and Ham Soup with Spinach Pesto
Follow my Chicken Board on Pinterest for more healthy chicken recipes!
Thanks so much for reading. If you make this recipe please, come back and let me know by leaving a star rating and review! It helps so much!
Happy Cooking!
~Katie
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PinDescription
This healthier version of Chicken Cacciatore is made in a slow cooker with lots of extra-vegetables. It has plenty of flavor from spices, herbs and olives.
Ingredients
- 1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, preferably fire roasted
- 3 tablespoons pure tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 ½ teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- pinch crushed red pepper
- 2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt, divided
- 6 bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed
- ½ cup chopped olives
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
- 4 ounces crimini mushrooms, sliced
- ½ teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
Instructions
- Stir diced tomatoes and tomato paste together in the bottom of a large slow cooker. Mix smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt and crushed red pepper in a small dish. Lay chicken on a sheet of parchment. Sprinkle all over the chicken turning pieces to coat completely. Arrange chicken in the sauce in the slow cooker. Pour any extra spices from the parchment on top. Layer olives, onion, bell pepper and mushrooms on top. Cover and set slow cooker to low for 6 hours.
- When timer goes off, carefully pull chicken out of the cooker, keeping thighs intact if possible. Stir rosemary and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt into the vegetable mixture. Serve the vegetable mixture and sauce with the chicken.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken thigh, and 3/4 cup sauce
- Calories: 206
- Sugar: 5 g
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 16 g
Keywords: slow cooker,chicken,glutenfree,grainfree,cacciatore,healthy,paleo
we’re having a cool and rainy day today, and this sounds like the perfect weeknight fall supper
Its so chilly here in Vermont too. There were flurries earlier! I am with you that this type of chill calls for comfort food! Thanks so much for visiting Heather.
This sounds so good. I love slow cooker recipes. Did you use green or black olives?
I don’t care for thighs, would it be okay to use bone in breasts? Or how about a variety pack?
Hi Suzanne. You certainly can use breast, though I would say buy boneless. Note that chicken won’t be as tender and moist.
Hi Karen, I tested it with both. I think the green was best. Let me know if you try it!
Prepared this last evening and then decided to refrigerate and crock pot it for tonight’s meal! It’s cooking now, surprised it only takes 6 hours on low! I used black olives! It was really pretty easy except for the store trip and had to buy those spices! Thank you for this healthy meal and able to use the chicken thighs my hubby had already gotten!
So glad to hear it Kelly. I didn’t test out refrigerating this. Typically when I do that I add about a half hour of extra cooking time ot the total to account for the time it takes to bring the insert up to temperature. Please let us know how it worked out for you. And about the trip to the store, thank you for the feedback. That’s helpful to know. Now that you have them, I think you’ll be so excited to work with smoked paprika Kelly, and I use a ton of Italian seasoning in my recipes too. Let me know if need help finding more ways to use them! (The smoked paprika is in my turkey chili– link below.) I have a lot of ideas in the archives to share. Happy Cooking! ~Katie
Can I make this in a four quart slow cooker?
Unfortunately I dont think that would work. It would be too full. Generally the rule of thumb to cook safely in a slow cooker is to not fill it much past the half way point. You could try cutting the recipe in half though and try it in the smaller slow cooker.
Made this last night and it was perfection! I cooked it on high for 3 hours (my slow cooker doesn’t do as well on the low setting) and kept the skins on, so at the end I took the thighs out and browned them under the broiler. We all loved it and decided it should go on the “good enough for company” roster.
I am so glad you loved it! Thank you for coming back to review.
This looks so yummy! I am going to try this out this week – but 115oz seems like a lot of diced tomatoes. Just confirming the quantity??
Thanks
Lianne
Glad to hear you’re going to give it a try. Confirming that you should use 1(one) 15-ounce can of diced tomatoes for this recipe. There is a space there between the two one’s, but it is hard to see. I’m lol’ing because you’re right 115 ounces would be a little saucy. Glad you checked 😉 I’d love it if you could come back and report/rate once you try it Lianne. Have a great night.
phew! LOL
Thanks for the quick reply. I will let you know how it turns out for sure!
This recipe was amazing! 1 (15oz) can of diced tomatoes was perfect! LOL And now that I re-read the recipe, I can see that it was only 15 oz…
My boys loved it too, which gives is a 5/5!!
Thanks again!
I’m nervous to make something “bone-in” for company even though it looks amazing! Is it a pain? Anyone else have issues with this? Thanks!!
The bone helps the thighs stay together. As it is, they are nearly falling off the bone when the dish is done, so you have to lift them out of the sauce with a slotted spatula. If there was no bone the texture would be more like pulled chicken. Hope you try it Bre.
If this was made with breasts, what are you time recommendations for both boneless, skinless and bone-in, skinless?
I wouldn’t recommend chicken breast because it is too dry to cook with this cooking technique. Dark meat can be cooked for long periods of time, and will break down and become meltingly tender. White meat on the other hand will be tough and dry. That said if you really do want to try it anyway, I would say use boneless skinless chicken breast and only cook it for 2 hours on high. Since I haven’t tried that myself I can’t guarantee the results.
Your presentation is really interesting, I believe decoration and arranging food on the plate is really an art.
Thank you! Food styling was my first love!
Nice recipe! I’ve noticed that the longer the chicken has been kept coated or marinated the better it tastes when slow cooking. I would also add potatoes and let some flavors infuse into the potatoes as it cooks.
That would be a great way to make it a one pot meal with the starch cooked right in there with it.
What do you serve as a side? My husband will need the additional calories to be content.
You can serve with whole-wheat spaghetti! Enjoy!
This is my favourite slow cooker recipe and I often double the recipe, strip off the chicken and freeze the leftovers.
Thank you so much for coming back to let me know. I really appreciate your taking the time to do so.
The photos are incredible, I have to say you’ve got an eye for food photography 😀
Thank you so much!
I’m confused about the parchment paper. Never used in the crockpot.
Thanks for asking for clarification: It’s just to catch the spices while you are dusting the chicken. Here are more detailed instructions. Lay parchment on work surface. Arrange chicken on it. Sprinkle with seasoning. Transfer the chicken to the crockpot. Pick up parchment, and tilt it into the crockpot allowing the spices to fall into the crockpot. Discard parchment. Then proceed on with layering with the olives etc.
Fantastic recipe! I made it for company and everyone enjoyed it. Made extra and having it for dinner tonight.
I’m thrilled to hear you liked the recipe and thank you very much for coming back to say so. That’s really helpful.
I LOVE the Chicken Cacciatore recipe. I double/triple it. I take the meat off the bone and then freeze smaller batches for later.
Family ask for this when visiting.
Thanks so much for posting.
That’s so great to hear! Thank you for coming back to let me know that you like it. I appreciate it!
Very lovely photos amazinf recipie.i tried it at home and ma couldn’t stop licking.
I love a good slow cooker meal- so easy, and it looks like you worked all day on supper. This one is on my regular list!
That’s so great Laura! I am honored you have it on regular rotation. Enjoy!
This is the ultimate comfort dish!!
Hi Gerry! I have to agree with you about that. Anything that starts with me searching Joy of Cooking means a comfort food meal is in the works!
I just made this tonight for supper and it was a great success. I used a can of chopped tomatoes with mild chiles in it, which gave it a nice kick, since I needed to omit the salt for my husband. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Pat, thanks so much for coming bakc to leave a review. I really appreciate it. And I am thrilled you loved it. Have a great weekend.
These photos are ah-maz-ing! Love how hearty yet classic this recipe is.
★★★★★
Hey Jennifer. Thank you so much! I appreciate it!
Amazing and delicious flavors going on! I would love this for dinner with zucchini noodles!
★★★★★
I am all about the veggie noodles right now too! Will have to try that combo!
Oh boy does this sound delicious! I’m all about classic recipes like this. I’m pinning this to make this week, thanks!
★★★★★
Thank you Kristine, and thanks too for pinning. I appreciate it!
This looks so delicious Katie! Always in for a mixture of healthy and flavourful food.
★★★★★
Thanks Lola. I hope you enjoy it!
This looks delicious and super healthy! Can’t wait to give this comfort food a try.
★★★★★
That’s so nice of you Farwin! Thank you.
I love using a slow cooker and this is one of our all time favorite meals I
will be dusting mine off to try this out! its been awhile!
I’d love to hear what you think Claudia!
Outstanding recipe! Great flavor. I made this with the fire roasted tomatoes and some extra olives. I love olives. YUM!
★★★★★
You can’t go wrong with extra olives! I am so thrilled you loved it and I really appreciate your having come back to review and leave a star rating. Thanks Mike!
This looks and sounds so delicious and so easy! Love all the beautiful colors too. Thanks for sharing, Katie! 🙂
Thanks so much Nicole. Glad you like the pics. I took them years ago, and I am glad they still resonate.
Hey Nicole. How are you? Nice of you to come by today. Thanks so much for the compliment. I hope you enjoy the recipe.
What kind of olives do you recommend?
This was just as easy as advertised, and marvelously flavorful. My sauce ended up a bit watery, but we sopped it up with sourdough. I will definitely be making this again!
★★★★★
Julie. I am so glad you loved this recipe. It really makes a huge difference when readers come back to review and leave star ratings, so I am beyond thrilled you took the time to do so. Thank you!
I can’t wait to try this tonight!! I have my list ready for the grocery store and can’t wait for my boyfriend to try!! Thanks so much for sharing. I’ll keep you updated on how it tastes!
Hi Kelly! I hope you both enjoyed it!
This chicken cacciatore was amazing! So easy to make and everyone loved it. I only wish I had leftovers for my lunch today!
★★★★★