Crock Pot Chicken Cacciatore is a healthy, hardy recipe with tender chicken, vegetables, and rich tomato sauce—an easy dump-and-go weeknight dinner recipe.
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An easy chicken cacciatore recipe full of great Italian flavors, a great easy family dinner recipe, but special enough for a dinner party. Your home will have a wonderful aroma of tomatoes and peppers all day with this classic Italian dish.
It's easy and economical to make with wonderful homemade sauce and tender chicken and vegetables. With under 200 calories and 3 grams of fat, it will fit a healthy diet like a low-calorie or low-fat diet.
This is an ultra-simple recipe with easy step-by-step photo instructions. Only 10 minutes of prep and let your crock pot do the work.
Serve with pasta and some homemade bread like Julia Child's French Bread or Quick and Easy Yeast Dinner Rolls.
Check out these other recipes you may like, Italian Sausage Marinara Sauce, Baked Meatballs, Crock Pot Chicken Baked Ziti, Crock Pot Pizza Casserole, or my personal favorite Crock Pot Baked Ziti.
🐓Ingredients
- Chicken—Skinless boneless chicken breasts or chicken thighs
- Aromatics—onion and garlic
- Vegetables—bell pepper, mushrooms optional
- Tomatoes—crushed and paste
- Pantry ingredients—dry basil, optional red pepper, salt, and black pepper
👨🍳How to Make Chicken Cacciatore in a Crock Pot
- Prep onion, garlic, and bell pepper.
- Trim the chicken and cut it into chunks.
- Add all ingredients to a 3 ½ quart or larger crock pot.
- Cook for 6 hours on low. If you want shredded chicken, remove the cooked chicken near the end of cooking, shred it, and replace it in the sauce.
↕️How to make this a "for two" or "family size" recipe
This recipe will fit as written in a 3-quart crock pot. Using a large one may cook a bit faster, so check at 4-5 hours.
This recipe can be cut in half easily and then fit in a 2-quart crock pot. You won't be able to find 14 oz cans of crushed tomatoes, so use diced tomatoes and freeze the half can of tomato paste.
- Use the recipe card and adjust the number of servings to half or double.
- Use the amount of ingredients in the ingredient list, not the instructions—those do not adjust.
- The half recipe will fit in a 2-quart mini crock pot
- A double recipe fits in a 6-quart or larger crock pot.
- Cook for the same amount of time.
👨🍳What is Chicken Cacciatore?
It’s an old Italian dish. Cacciatore means “hunter” in Italian, and to prepare something cacciatora style refers to preparing a meal “hunter-style” or sometimes called "hunters stew."
The meat is generally braised chicken, but rabbit is also acceptable. While I suggest skinless chicken, chicken with skin and bone is commonly used.
The sauce is generally onions, spices, tomatoes, bell peppers, and sometimes wine or mushrooms.
❓FAQ
Server over spaghetti or other pasta. It is also delicious over white or brown rice or mashed potatoes. Usually, add a good sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.
Add in a green garden salad and some crusty bread for a complete meal
Yes, but only a tablespoon or two. It will not cook off in a crock pot like on the stovetop.
Good refrigerated for 3-4 days. It will do well frozen for 3-4 months.
This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.
Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
Start by chopping 1 medium onion and 1 green pepper—crush 3 cloves garlic.
Trim about 2 pounds of chicken. Use skinless boneless chicken breasts or thighs. Cut into 3-4 pieces each for better serving.
In a 3 quart or larger crock pot, combine the chicken and vegetables with one 6 oz can tomato paste, one 28 oz can crushed tomatoes, 2 teaspoons dry basil, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, and ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional).
Cook for 6 hours on low. If you want shredded chicken, remove the cooked chicken shortly before finished, shred it, and return it to the crock pot.
📖 Recipe
Crock Pot Chicken Cacciatore
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken - skinless boneless breasts or thighs
- 1 onion - medium chopped
- 3 cloves garlic - minced or crushed
- 1 green pepper - chopped
- 6 oz tomato paste
- 28 oz crushed tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons dry basil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoons crushed red pepper - optional
- 2 cups slices mushrooms - optional
Instructions
- Start by chopping 1 medium onion and 1 green pepper—crush 3 cloves garlic.
- Trim about 2 pounds of chicken. Use skinless boneless chicken breasts or thighs. Cut into 3-4 pieces each for better serving.
- In a 3 quart or larger crock pot, combine the chicken and vegetables with one 6 oz can tomato paste, one 28 oz can crushed tomatoes, 2 teaspoons dry basil, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, and ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional).
- Cook for 6 hours on low. If you want shredded chicken, remove the cooked chicken shortly before finished, shred it, and return it to the crock pot.
Your Own Private Notes
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
- This fits in a 3-quart crock pot. Cut it in half, and it will fit in a 2-quart crock pot. You can use a larger crock pot but it will cook faster. Details are in the post above.
- Use chicken breast or thighs.
- Add mushrooms if you wish.
- Good in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or frozen for 3-4 months.
To adjust the recipe size:
You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.
Nutrition Estimate
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Editor's Note: Originally published February 2, 2013. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Gail
I just love your recipes. I've been looking for a site for 2 people. It has every thing I want in recipes and so much more. My first dish will be the crockpot chicken cacciatore. I haven't used my crockpot in years and hubby loves this dish with tons of peppers So grateful to have to have you. I'm going to be trying mostly all of the recipe. Maybe everyday. ha ha
Rose Dasta
I am very interested in crockpot recipes for me and my husband. I see that there is an option to change the serving size, but I'm not sure how that works. Can you please advise and thanks.
DrDan
The number of servings can be adjusted in the recipe card area. Where it says servings: you can highlight the number and replace it with what your want or use the up and down arrows to the right of the number.
Dan
Carrie
Wonderful! I think 5 hours on low was perfect. Added 1 tsp of oregano. Hubby loved it. My picky 3-year old loved it even with the 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper. Thank you for this healthy, well-engineered recipe!
DrDan
Thanks so much for the note. This should remind people than all crock pots are a little different.
DrDan
Desirae
Found you on Pinterest. I tweaked one bit by using a pinch or ground red pepper instead of flakes only because of the three littles in the house. I have it on high as I need it in a bit less time than available cooked at low. Very much looking forward to our lunch.
DrDan
Hope it works out well for you. The red pepper is always to taste anyways
DrDan
Laura
It was eaten in its entirety all the same ! I did adds lots of sugar to lessen the blow though and it helped a little. Everyone liked it but the next time I'll try to make it so that I can enjoy it as well - everyone else can always add more heat if they want ! Thanks so much.
Dr Dan
That would be to much. I'm so sorry... It was correct in the ingredients but not in the instructions in the post, the recipe at the bottom of the post nor the printout. All are fixed now. A typo multiplied by cut and paste.
Unknown
I just recently started following your blog and have already made a few things, which have all turned out great!
This looks very tasty and easy. I love that you cook with normal, minimally processed ingredients, and lay everything out for a good look. Thanks!