Slow Cooked Chicken Italian aka Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore, is a fabulously delicious recipe which is perfect for days when you don’t have time to cook. You just dump the ingredients and go!
Today I’m sharing my updated and improved Slow Cooked Chicken Italian that I first shared back in July 2014.
Having made this so often since I posted it, I thought I’d take some better photographs and add the olives I mentioned before but weren’t officially part of the recipe!
Not only is this recipe so easy, just dump and go but it’s also low in fat so great for those following a Weight Watchers or Slimming World diet.
So back to the original post and note that where I say my daughter’s view of chicken thighs is a work in progress, she’s now a vegetarian (the writing was on the wall really)!
The longer you own a piece of equipment the better your understanding of it grows and that is very true of my slow cooker.
For a long time, I took it as gospel that I had to follow the manufacturer’s instructions about only ever putting hot liquids and foods in my slow cooker. Then, as I started to read other blogs on the internet I realised that this was not a fact set in stone!
Indeed all the preparation I was doing heating everything up beforehand was really taking away the whole idea of it being a labour-saving gadget.
So last week I threw away my slow cooker instruction manual and decided to go cold turkey, well cold chicken to be precise!
I had to seriously stop myself from browning the chicken thighs and the thought of the added washing up was enough to stop me in my tracks.
“It’ll be fine” I told myself, “everyone else is doing this, you’re just a bit slow to realise”, And with that thought I merrily chucked, I mean placed carefully, all my ingredients in the slow cooker and switched it on.
Six hours later my family asked what the lovely smell was, to which I replied “Slow Cooked Chicken Italian”!
I would say that if you don’t have any of the particular vegetables that I used improvise with a suitable alternative eg courgettes, aubergine, green olives etc you could even add a different coloured bell pepper.
I have to say that we all really enjoyed this dump-and-go meal (with the exception of my daughter who doesn’t do chicken thighs – a work in progress) and I think it’s one you can play around with to ring the changes (thinking chillies now)!
Everyone reading this is probably having a good old laugh that I’ve been such a stickler for my instruction manual.
However, I realised that the manufacturers probably didn’t want to be responsible for giving anyone food poisoning so played it ultra-safe; so safe that it was taking the fun out of slow cooking if you ask me!
Dump-and-go recipes are the way to go!
More Dump and Go Slow Cooker Recipes
Here are some more easy dump and go recipes:
- Easy Slow Cooker Beef Curry
- 2 Ingredient Slow Cooker Roast Lamb
- 2 Ingredient Slow Cooker Pulled Gammon (Shredded Ham)
- Easy Slow Cooker Beef Stew
- Poor Man’s Crispy Duck
- Slow Cooker Chicken Pasanda
- Slow Cooker Fiesta Chicken
- Slow Cooker Chicken Tagine
- Crock-pot Honey Garlic Pork Freezer Meal
- Ultra Easy Honey Garlic Chicken & Veggies
- 3 Ingredient Crock-pot Italian Beef – Weightwatchers Friendly
If you’re looking for a really simple chicken thigh dish for the oven then do try my Easy Greek Chicken and Potatoes recipe!
Leave a comment and rating below when you’ve made this recipe; I love getting your feedback! You can also share your pictures by tagging @FabFood4All over on Instagram.
Pin Slow Cooked Chicken Italian aka Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore for later!
Slow Cooked Chicken Italian
Equipment
- 1 cook’s knife
- 1 Chopping Board
- 1 Measuring jug
- 1 Long metal spoon
- 1 Slow Cooker 3.5 litre
Ingredients
- 600 g skinless & boneless chicken thighs 750g with skin & bone, but remove skin
- 5 Chestnut mushrooms sliced
- 2 red onions cut into 6 segments each
- 1 yellow or red bell pepper chopped
- 16 Kalamata olives, pitted
- 1 x 400 g tin good quality Italian chopped tomatoes
- 150 ml chicken stock made up with 1 stock cube
- 4 tbsp tomato paste
- 5 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 heaped tsp dried Italian mixed herbs
- freshly ground salt & pepper
Instructions
- Place the skinned chicken thighs (bone in or out) in the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Scatter the chopped vegetables and olives over the top.
- Mix the chicken stock, chopped tomatoes, garlic, herbs and seasoning together in a measuring bowl/jug.
- Then pour over the chicken.
- Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours or until meat is falling off the bone.
- Serve as whole chicken thighs or remove and de-bone (if using bone in thighs) then break up thigh meat in the sauce with a spoon.
- Serve on a bed of rice/spaghetti or alternatively serve in a bowl along with crusty bread to mop up the juices!
David Clarke
Oh I must try this one, I need to consider about get slow cooker soon
Beverley Cousins
OMG! This is going to be my saturday nights meal, it looks absolutely stunning!
Camilla
Thanks Beverly:-)
Louise Smith
This looks delicious
Martina Evans
This recipe sounds and looks absolutely delicious! x
Camilla
Thank you Martina:-)
Alison
This sounds lovely, will have to try it
Heather Haigh
I love meals that I can bung in the slow cooker and this one sounds lovely and tasty. Just right for the nippy weather that’s coming for a few days.
Kirsty Fox
I am always looking for recipes for my slow cooker and this sounds delicious.
Joanna M-B
I have a real aversion to chicken on the bone. Would the de-boned chicken thighs work just as well? Obviously wouldn’t be as cost effective but would lessen the risk of ending up with a random nobbly bit of gristle in the mouth!
Other than that, this ticks all our recipe fave boxes. I do something similar in the oven with pork chops but the slow cooker is an inspired idea!
Camilla
Of course they would, I’ve never had a problem with leaving knobbly bit in though as I pull the thighs apart on a board leaving all the bone there and popping back the meat:-)
Ursula Hunt
great chicken recipe, i love italian styled foof
Karen Adlam
Hi Camilla, this looks delicious. I’m keen to dig out my slow cooker from the back of the cupboard – you have inspired me to do it this weekend. Only just discovered your blog and have had a good old nosey around – will definitely be trying out lots of the recipes. Keep up the good work! Karen
Camilla
Aah, thank you Karen. Glad you’ve found me – how did you find me out of interest?