This slow cooker chicken cacciatore is healthy version of a classic dish. Chicken thighs cook with tomatoes, Italian seasonings, and vegetables in this flavorful chicken recipe. Low-carb, paleo, and Whole30 compliant, you can also make this tasty meal in the Instant Pot.
Updated 2019 with Instant Pot instructions
There are many different versions of chicken cacciatore both in Italy & America. This is my healthy, slow cooker version.
Ingredients For Chicken Cacciatore
Chicken cacciatore is a dish where every recipe is different. What I love about it is that it can be tailored to your liking. Below are the ingredients used for this particular slow cooker chicken cacciatore.
- Chicken thighs: bone-in or boneless, skin-on or skinless
- Tomatoes: combination of crush tomatoes and tomato sauce
- Seasonings: oregano, basil, salt, and pepper
- Veggies: onion, bell pepper, mushrooms, olives, garlic
How To Make Chicken Cacciatore In The Slow Cooker
This cacciatore recipe a true set-it-and-forget-it slow cooker recipe. If you’re using your Instant Pot, there’s a few minutes of work but it is still easy.
- Add all ingredients to the slow cooker. Stir to mix well.
- Cook HIGH 2-3 hours or LOW 4-6.
- Turn on the Instant Pot and select sauté. Once hot add oil to the pot. Add onions, bell peppers, and mushrooms. Cook for a 5-7 minutes or until the vegetables are soft. Add the garlic and cook an additional minute. Turn off Instant Pot.
- Add the tomato sauce & diced tomatoes and deglaze the bottom of the pressure cooker by scraping all the bits off with a wooden spoon. Stir in olives, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper.
- Season the chicken with salt & pepper. Add the chicken to the Instant Pot. Stir to mix well.
- Close lid and seal valve. Set high pressure for 11 minutes. When cooking time is complete, let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes then manually release the remaining pressure.
What Is Chicken Cacciatore?
Cacciatore means hunter in Italian. To make something cacciatore means to make it hunter style. A poultry like chicken or rabbit is usually used in a cacciatore. Other common ingredients include tomatoes, onions, and simple vegetables like bell peppers.
What Cut Of Chicken To Use
Chicken cacciatore is best made with chicken thighs. For this recipe, you can use boneless or bone-in, skinless or skin-on thighs. White meat is easy to overcook, particularly in the slow cooker. If you use chicken breasts, lower the cook time by at least an hour for the slow cooker and 2 minutes for the Instant Pot. I like to use boneless, skinless thighs so that’s what you see in the pics.
How To Serve The Chicken Cacciatore
How to serve chicken cacciatore will depends on your dietary needs. Suggestions include over mashed potatoes, mashed cauliflower, riced cauliflower, pasta, etc. There will be a lot of tomato sauce in the appliance when this is done cooking. Be sure to pour some on top of the chicken before serving.
Storing Leftovers
Leftover slow cooker or Instant Pot chicken cacciatore will keep for up to 4 days when store properly. Place leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator. You can also freeze leftovers for up to 3 months.
FAQs & Tips
- It might not look like there’s enough sauce when the food starts cooking in the slow cooker but trust me, there is. The 1 cup of broth is only for the Instant Pot, it is not needed for the slow cooker.
- Add or remove your favorite vegetables. For example, if you don’t like mushrooms, simply omit them.
- I used a combination of crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce. You can double up on crushed tomatoes or even used diced tomatoes. I encourage you to use the ingredients that you like or have in your pantry.
- To make this recipe I use a large 6-quart slow cooker or Instant Pot.
Italian Inspired Recipes
PrintSlow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore
- Total Time: 3 hours 10 mins
- Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients
- 3 pounds chicken thighs
- 15 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 15 ounces tomato sauce
- 2 bell peppers, sliced
- 1 onion, sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 ounces mushrooms, sliced
- 4 ounces olives
- 1 1/2 teaspoons oregano
- 1 1/2 teaspoons basil
- 1 teaspoon salt (or more)
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- Salt & pepper to season the chicken
- 1 cup chicken broth or water (for Instant Pot only)
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to the slow cooker. Stir to mix well.
- Cook HIGH 2-3 hours or LOW 4-6.
- Turn on the Instant Pot and select sauté. Once hot add oil to the pot. Add onions, bell peppers, and mushrooms and cook for a 5-7 minutes or until vegetables are soft. Add garlic and cook an additional minute. Turn off pressure cooker.
- Add the broth, tomato sauce, and crushed tomatoes. Deglaze the bottom of the Instant Pot by scraping all the bits off with a wooden spoon. Stir in olives, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper.
- Season the chicken with salt & pepper. Add the chicken to the Instant Pot. Stir to mix well.
- Close lid and seal valve. Set high pressure for 11 minutes. When cooking time is complete, let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes then manually release the remaining pressure.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 3 hours
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 330
- Sugar: 5.1 g
- Sodium: 343.6 mg
- Fat: 6.3 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 11.5 g
- Fiber: 2.5 g
- Protein: 53.1 g
- Cholesterol: 165.5 mg
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[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”9iOxqc5e” upload-date=”2019-12-09T23:48:21.000Z” name=”Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore” description=”Chicken cacciatore is a classic Italian dish. Make this easy chicken dish in your slow cooker or electric pressure cooker (Instant Pot).” ]
CindyK
Sunday 8th of November 2020
This is the best chicken cacciatore! I am making it again this week and trying it over zoodles this time instead of pasta.
Brandi
Saturday 11th of April 2020
I made this for my meal prep and it was fantastic! It reheats so well and I even froze some for rainy day leftovers! Such a great recipe.
Fran
Friday 13th of December 2019
I am using pressure cooker version but do not see how much water is to be added nor when the olives are put in.
Fit SlowCooker Queen
Friday 13th of December 2019
There's no water just the ingredients listed. The olives are added with the seasonings.
Catherine Childress
Wednesday 11th of December 2019
At first this looks really intimidating but watching the video I see that its not too hard. Cant wait to try this- thank you!
Stacy A
Thursday 16th of August 2018
Yum! I can't wait to try this version.