This is an old favorite recipe for chicken thighs and drumsticks cooked in a slow-cooker with okra, peppers and rich tomatoes and red wine sauce. We’ve added in bell peppers, olives and parsley to make it full of veggies and flavor! The slow braising makes the chicken ultra-tender.

a white bowl with chicken drumsticks, peppers and tomato sauce from overhead

Table of contents

Why We Love This Chicken and Okra Crockpot Recipe

This recipe has been a favorite since a friend made it for me back in the late nineties. It consists of slowly braised bone-in chicken legs in a rich sauce of tomatoes, peppers, and okra with green olives and parsley. It is sort of a mash-up of Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore and Crockpot Chicken Gumbo!

When I used to work in the test kitchen at EatingWell Magazine, I was lucky enough to contribute this recipe to their Serves Two cookbook. Today I make it when I want a totally healthy yet comforting hands-free meal that can be set up in the crockpot and left to slowly tenderize and cook all day.

I just love the savory tomato sauce with the veggies and olives. We love it with crusty homemade sourdough bread or Whole Wheat Bread. It is also great with rice or egg noodles.

Ingredients For This Slow Cooker Chicken and Okra Recipe

  • 4 bone-in chicken legs
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided
  • 3 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 2 large onions, sliced (French cut)
  • 1 ½ teaspoon dry Italian Seasoning
  • ½ cup dry red wine
  • 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
  • 1/3 cup chopped green olives
  • 2 bell peppers any color, or 4 cubanelle peppers, cored and sliced
  • 3 cups fresh or frozen sliced okra
  • ½ cup chopped flat leaf parsley

Step-By-Step Instructions For Chicken and Okra

Cut The Chicken Pieces

Cut chicken legs into two pieces, along the fat line that runs between the thigh and drumstick.

cutting the chicken thigh from the drumstick along the fat line

Remove skin, trimming at the bottom of the drumstick if necessary. Sprinkle the chicken pieces with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

Brown The Chicken

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the chicken and cook, turning once, until browned, 2 to 4 minutes per side. (Note: The chicken will not be cooked through.) Transfer the chicken to the insert of a slow cooker. Repeat with the remaining chicken, reducing heat to medium as necessary to prevent scorching.

Saute The Veggies

Add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil to the skillet. Add garlic, onion, Italian seasoning, the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and the remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring often until the vegetables are just starting to brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer the onion mixture to the slow cooker.

Add the wine to the skillet and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring and scraping up browned bits, about 1 minute. Stir in tomato and olives, increase heat to high and bring to a simmer. Pour tomato mixture over the onions. Add peppers to the slow cooker and cover.

Cook In The Slow Cooker

Turn slow cooker on low for 8 hours or high for 4. In last half hour of cooking, remove lid and layer okra on top. Cover and let continue to cook the remaining 30 minutes.

Serving Instructions

To serve gently remove chicken pieces to pasta bowls. Stir the vegetables together. Ladle the vegetable mixture around the meat and top with a generous amount of parsley.

FAQs and Epert Tips

Can this be made in an instant pot?

Yes, but only if you have a large Instant Pot. Otherwise, the pressure cooker will be too full. Or you can do a half batch in a regular-sized Instant Pot. Cook on pressure cook for 40 minutes. Natural release for a 20 minutes.

Can I use boneless chicken?

You can use boneless chicken but note that it will fall apart and resemble pulled chicken more than whole pieces.

Can I use boneless skinless chicken breast?

Chicken breast is lean and doesn’t take to braising as well as dark meat chicken does. It can be dry. That said if you do not like chicken leg meat, you can use the breast meat, just note that the texture will seem dry.

More Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes To Try

If you are a fan of your slow cooker and you love chicken as much as we do here are a bunch more recipes to check out!

overhead wooden table with a bowl of chicken and okra

Thanks so much for reading. If you are new here, you may want to sign up for my free weekly email newsletter where I share weeknight meal plans delivered right to your inbox. Or follow me on Instagram. If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review! It is very appreciated. Happy Cooking! ~Katie

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slow-cooker-chicken-okra

Slow Cooker Chicken and Okra

  • Author: Katie Webster
  • Prep Time: 45 minutes
  • Cook Time: 8 hours
  • Total Time: 4 hours 45 minutes
  • Yield: 8 servings 1x
  • Category: Main Course
  • Method: Slow Cooker
  • Cuisine: American
Print Recipe

Description

This is an old favorite recipe for chicken thighs and drumsticks cooked in a slow-cooker with okra, peppers and rich tomatoes and red wine sauce. We’ve added in bell peppers, olives and parsley to make it full of veggies and flavor! The slow braising makes the chicken ultra-tender.

Scale

Ingredients

  • 4 bone-in chicken legs
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided
  • 3 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 2 large onions, sliced (French cut)
  • 1 ½ teaspoon dry Italian Seasoning
  • ½ cup dry red wine
  • 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
  • 1/3 cup chopped green olives
  • 2 bell peppers any color, or 4 cubanelle peppers, cored and sliced
  • 3 cups fresh or frozen sliced okra
  • ½ cup chopped flat leaf parsley

Instructions

  1. Cut chicken legs into two pieces, along the fat line that runs between the thigh and drumstick.
  2. Remove skin, trimming at the bottom of the drumstick if necessary. Sprinkle the chicken pieces with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
  3. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the chicken and cook, turning once, until browned, 2 to 4 minutes per side. (Note: The chicken will not be cooked through.) Transfer the chicken to the insert of a slow cooker. Repeat with the remaining chicken, reducing heat to medium as necessary to prevent scorching.
  4. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil to the skillet. Add garlic, onion, Italian seasoning, the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and the remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring often until the vegetables are just starting to brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer the onion mixture to the slow cooker.
  5. Add the wine to the skillet and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring and scraping up browned bits, about 1 minute. Stir in tomato and olives, increase heat to high and bring to a simmer. Pour tomato mixture over the onions. Add peppers to the slow cooker and cover.
  6. Turn slow cooker on low for 8 hours or high for 4. In last half hour of cooking, remove lid and layer okra on top. Cover and let continue to cook the remaining 30 minutes.
  7. To serve gently remove chicken pieces to pasta bowls. Stir the vegetables together. Ladle the vegetable mixture around the meat and top with a generous amount of parsley.

Notes

To make ahead, prepare through step 5. Cover and refrigerate up to 12 hours ahead. Continue with step 6.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cup vegetable 1 piece of chicken
  • Calories: 368
  • Sugar: 5 g
  • Fat: 19 g
  • Carbohydrates: 12 g
  • Fiber: 3 g
  • Protein: 21 g