Slow Cooker Chicken and Stewed Tomatoes

Slow Cooker Chicken and Stewed Tomatoes is a complete meal packed with healthy vegetables and an aroma you'll love to come home to.

Chicken cacciatore is the ultimate comfort meal. And when you make it in a crock-pot, it's even cozier to enjoy. The house smells wonderful and there's minimal work involved at the dinner hour.

Similar to Slow Cooker Beef and Vegetables this recipe gets a flavor boost from stewed tomatoes. But, for this recipe, we added a touch of red wine vinegar instead of wine to the tomato sauce.

Keep this dish low carb and serve it over spiralized zucchini or roasted cauliflower rice.

Or, just dish it out! The end. This Italian-inspired slow cooker recipe is truly a one-pot, family-friendly dinner that everyone will enjoy straight from the crock-pot.

Jump to:

• Ingredients and Variations
• Browning the Chicken
• How to Thicken Sauce
• Freezer Instructions
• Storage
• More Slow Cooker Comfort Meals
• 📋 Recipe

Ingredients and Variations

Cacciatore means hunter in Italian, which is exactly what this recipe is all about. It's easily adjusted based on what you have on hand.

These are the main ingredients we used and some variations to consider:

• Chicken thighs - with the bone in or out. Or, use chicken breasts.
• Stewed tomatoes - contain seasonings and most likely a pinch of sugar that gives the cacciatore sauce a slightly sweet flavor.
• Red wine vinegar
• Oregano
• Vegetables traditionally included
  • Garlic
  • Onions
  • Peppers
• Additional vegetables to add (we added the first two)
  • Mushrooms
  • Carrots
  • Green beans
  • Zucchini
  • Potatoes

Browning the Chicken

Brown it. Or not! Chicken cacciatore is going to taste better if you take this step. I shudder at the thought of messing up a pan first thing in the morning. But I usually do it!

It helps seal in moisture and adds to the appearance. And, after all, we eat with our eyes.

If I'm making this up to freeze uncooked, I don't. It's still very, very, good.

Bottom line: Don't let this step stop you from making this easy crock-pot recipe!

How to Thicken Sauce

Near the end of the cooking time, make a slurry of corn starch and cold water. Mix it into the slow cooker and turn the heat to high. In about 15 minutes the sauce will be smooth and velvety.

Depending upon who you talk to corn starch may or may not be a good choice for low-carb diets. We used a small amount that when spread over many servings results in a low-carb meal overall.

If you want to try a different method, then check out How to Make Gluten-Free Roux by Cotter Crunch.

Another option is to remove the lid from the slow cooker during the last hour of the cooking time to allow some of the liquid to evaporate.

Freezer Instructions

We offered chicken cacciatore with stewed tomatoes at our Make-Ahead Meal Stores. It's a tried and true freezer meal that can be prepared before you cook it. I recommend making one up for the freezer while you have everything out.

Just dump all of the ingredients into a freezer bag that seals (double bag it) or an airtight container with a lid.

When you are ready to enjoy it, simply defrost it in the refrigerator overnight, and cook as you usually would the next day. You can always add additional vegetables you have on hand at this point too!

Storage

• Refrigerator - Store leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
• Freezer - Freeze leftovers in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months.
• Reheat - Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat until heated through.

More Slow Cooker Comfort Meals

Did you make this recipe?
Please leave a rating and tell us how you liked it!

📋 Recipe

This recipe was originally published 1/5/2014. It was updated to improve the reader experience.