Leota’s ingenuity is apparent with her favorite recipe — Leota’s Chicken Cacciatore. Her secret makes so much sense; make it in the slow cooker! Of course! Let the slow cooker do all the work, while you reap the benefits of super tender, juicy chicken in an herbaceous, tangy tomato sauce, ready to be piled atop your favorite pasta. Leota’s Chicken Cacciatore proves all play and little work can still result in a fantastic Italian dinner!
Ingredients
- 8 chicken thighs, bone-in and skin-on
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- cooking oil, to taste
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 (8-ounce) container mushrooms, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (14-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup Kalamata olives, pitted, drained, can substitute 1 1/2 tablespoons capers
- spaghetti, optional, to taste, cooked and hot, for serving
Directions
Step 1 –Season the chicken thighs with the salt and the pepper.
Step 2 –In a large skillet over medium heat, add the cooking oil.
Step 3 –Add the chicken thighs to the hot oil, skin-side down, and cook until the skins are browned, about 3-4 minutes.
Step 4 –Transfer the chicken thighs to a slow cooker.
Step 5 –Top the chicken thighs with the green bell peppers, the red bell peppers, the onions, the mushrooms, and the garlic.
Step 6 –In a bowl, add the tomato sauce, the tomatoes and their juices, the chicken stock, the Italian seasoning, and the red pepper flakes and stir to combine.
Step 7 –Add the tomato mixture to the slow cooker.
Step 8 –Cover and cook until the chicken thighs reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 3-4 hours on high, or 7-8 hours on low.
Step 9 –Carefully transfer the chicken thighs to a plate to rest.
Step 10 –Add the olives to the sauce in the slow cooker and stir to combine.
Step 11 –Serve the chicken with the sauce from the slow cooker over the spaghetti.
