I’m a lover of all foods Italian….unless they include fish. Or cabbage. Or bleu cheese. So, let’s just say I love all Italian foods except Italian Fish Bleu Cheese Cabbage Casserole. Moving on! Chicken Cacciatore is a delicious dish. Putting it in the crock pot can only make it better….and easier. It’s a win-win. That’s Amore!
You’ll need chicken thighs (boneless), green pepper, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, onion, chicken broth, salt, pepper, arrowroot powder, water, and garlic. Put your chicken in the bottom of your crock pot. You will want to butter it first – the crock, not the chicken…..although, adding butter can only make it better. I forgot to grease my crock and it was rather difficult to clean. Uh, oops? I’m always doing stuff like that. I should just tape butter to my head so I won’t forget. Adding butter can only make me better. Right?
I pulled out some frozen pepper for this dish. I buy a ton during pepper season and then chop them up to have whenever I need them. They come in handy often…..especially since I tend to buy peppers, put them in the veggie drawer and then let them grow mold. Uh, oops?
In order to make the paste mix up a bit better, go ahead and whisk it together with your chicken broth. Otherwise you’ll have a huge clump of tomato paste in your crock that you can’t get stirred in. No good.
For this to be an Italian dish of course we need garlic and Italian seasoning. You also need salt and pepper. I won’t tell you that I took this photo three times because first I forgot the garlic, second I forgot the pepper, and third, the lid of the garlic powder was dirty so I had to wash it off and re-take it. But, I’m not going to tell you that part.
On top of the chicken, put the pepper and onion. Then, pour your tomato chicken broth over top of that. Sprinkle the seasonings next and finally top it all off with your diced tomatoes, juice included.
The sun was weird the day I took these photos, so I just went with it. Cover and cook on low for about 8 hours.
About 7 hours into this business, make a paste from your arrowroot powder and water. I like arrowroot powder better than cornstarch as a thickener. Plus, those with corn allergies can use it happily. And yes, I do regularly use Annie’s utensils to cook with. Stir the mixture into your Cacciatore and let it continue to cook the last hour. It’ll get nice and thick. It’s a beautiful thing.
After 8 hours, you’ll have a nice thick sauce and very tender chicken. See! It was superb! (I just wanted a reason to say superb). And the house smelled like Italy – or what I think Italy would smell like. I probably won’t ever see (or smell) Italy unless I can figure out a way to get there that doesn’t involve a plane or boat.
I served ours over a bed of whole wheat penne pasta. Even Annie ate it – and that’s a thumbs up for me! Crock on!
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Crock Pot Chicken Cacciatore
- 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- ½ cup green pepper, chopped
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
- 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
- ½ cup onion, chopped
- 1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ¾ cup chicken broth
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder
- 2 tablespoons water
- Place chicken in the bottom of your greased crock pot.
- Combine the tomato paste and chicken broth in a small bowl.
- Next layer the onion, green pepper, tomato paste mixture, and seasonings over your chicken.
- Top with the diced tomatoes.
- Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.
- After 7 hours, combine the arrowroot and water. Stir into chicken mixture and cover. Finish the last hour of cooking.
- Serve over rice or pasta.
Just found you on Pinterest tonight. Looking forward to trying out your yummy-looking, frugal recipes. Now that it’s cooler out, I like to cook more-esp. in the crockpot 🙂
What is arrowroot? What would be a good substitute for it?
It’s a thickening agent. You could sub cornstarch in equal amounts. 🙂
I was wondering how many chicken breasts I should use in the recipe? I can’t wait to try this !
It calls for 1 1/2 pounds of chicken thighs…but any cut of chicken would work.
I am a homeschooling dad and just happened to stumble across your site. I will be trying several of your crock pot recipes through the rest of this week. Do these recipes use fresh chicken (vs. frozen)? Some of the photos show fresh pieces but I want to make sure. Thanks!!
I always thaw meat before I cook it. 🙂 But frozen chicken is fine.
Hi everyone. This sounds so yummy! I just got a crock pot for Christmas! I want to try it, but dumb questions: what is THM compliant and S meal and E meal, & what is and where is glucomannan and xanthan gum found? What are their purposes for this recipe or any recipe? Thanks y’all!
Those are updates for some of my friends who are on the Trim Healthy Mama diet. Those ingredients are not needed. You can stick with original recipe and forget all the special coding. 🙂
How many breasts should I use for this recipe?
You would still use 1 1/2 pounds of breast instead of thighs.
Hi Stacy – would chicken thighs with bone and skin work? That’s what I have on hand. Thanks!
Sure!
Stacy, do you think gluccie would work in place of arrowroot? I am out of arrowroot and have tons of gluccomannan.
Sure – arrowroot isn’t on plan anyway. 🙂 And if you’ll look at the very bottom of the recipe, you can always read my THM tweaks.
This may sound weird, but could I do this on the stove top? My crockpot is occupied making bone broth right now …
Sure! I even have a post about that. 🙂
I have made this in the electric frying pan which works very well and still makes it tender and yummy
Great tip – thanks Diane!
Julie, HH Team
Thanks for posting, This was super easy to whip up and smells wonderful!
I hope you just love it!
This is in my crock pot now…will letcha know!
🙂 Mine is working too….but on a new recipe. Does your house smell as good as mine??
This looks delicious! I’ve been using another crock pot cacciatore recipe, but this one looks…ahem…better! We love some peppers at this house! Good thing, too–b/c it seems to be the only veggie we can successfully grow a lot of! Oh–and I let them get moldy, too. Getting better at it, though! So glad they freeze so well!
Well, my mold grows better than YOUR mold. HA! 🙂
Yep…I’ll be making this in my menu plan for this coming week. If I can’t eat your bread at least I can eat your cacciatore. I am starting to feel as though I am stalking you around the internet…You are all over the place!
🙂 Love you Nikki! You’re going to do so well on this new diet! I have faith in you. 🙂
Ok, made this, LOVED this…ate it with Spaghetti Squash. Ahhhh mazing 🙂
Great!!!