Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore With Mushrooms and Bacon
- Total Time
- 4½ hours
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:6 servings
- ½pound bacon, preferably thick-cut, sliced into ½-inch pieces
- 1pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 8garlic cloves, smashed and chopped
- 1tablespoon tomato paste
- ¼cup dry red wine
- ½large red onion, thinly sliced
- 1red, yellow or orange bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 8ounces jarred roasted red peppers, drained (about 1 heaping cup)
- ¾cup crushed or diced canned tomatoes (about half a 14-ounce can)
- 2tablespoons drained capers
- 1tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1teaspoon dried oregano
- 1teaspoon red-pepper flakes
- 1teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 to 2¼pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- ⅓cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- Cooked polenta, pasta or hoagie rolls, for serving (optional)
- Torn fresh basil leaves, for topping
- Grated Parmesan, for topping
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
430 calories; 21 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 9 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 17 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 6 grams sugars; 41 grams protein; 956 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered byPreparation
- Step 1
Fry the bacon in a large (12-inch) skillet over medium-high heat until crisp and the fat is rendered, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a 6- to 8-quart slow cooker, leaving the fat behind in the skillet. Add the mushrooms to the fat in the skillet and let them cook over medium-high, stirring only a few times, until the mushrooms have shrunk, released their liquid and started to lightly brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the chopped garlic and tomato paste. Pour in the wine and let it come to a bubble, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Scrape the mixture into the slow cooker.
- Step 2
Add the onion, bell pepper, roasted peppers, tomatoes, capers, vinegar, oregano, red-pepper flakes and garlic powder to the slow cooker and stir to combine. Add the chicken, season with 1 teaspoon salt and a generous amount of pepper and stir to combine. Cook on low until the chicken is very tender and the flavors are blended, about 4 hours. (At this point, the dish holds well on the warm setting for several hours.)
- Step 3
Using two forks, break the chicken up into large chunks. Stir in the parsley and let it warm through. Taste and add salt and pepper if necessary. Serve over polenta or pasta or in hoagie rolls, if desired, or alone in bowls. Top with basil and Parmesan.
Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
DavidMC
Just put this together in a Dutch oven on the stove top. While the oven is coming to temp at 350, it is simmering on the stovetop. The oven will produce a much more even cooking environment since the liquids amounts are set for a slow cooker. Baking for two hours and may add chicken stock if it appears it needs it at the 1 hour mark. Added a another half can of fire roasted tomatoes to the recipe and 1/2 cup chx stock.
Laura K
Can anyone tell me how long to cook this in an instant pot?
Neal
And if I don't have a slow cooker, at what temperature could I make this in an oven?
Caitlin
I, for one, have a slow cooker. I’m glad to see this recipe! Please make more slow cooker recipes! I will be making this very soon.
Tony
Made it the other night. Used a variety of mushrooms and, please, the whole can of tomatoes (who uses HALF a can of tomatoes? C'mon.). Also, chop the roasted red peppers into ribbons. You can also lose the parsley and the basil -- there are plenty of veggies floating around in this. We had it two nights in a row, the second night over egg noodles. It's tasty.
Eric
Please just buy a slow-cooker! That’s like selecting a grill recipe and then asking how to make it without a grill!
Jane
Made in a le creuset Dutch oven at 325F for an hour then 200 for another couple of hours and it turned out perfect. Very tasty - the chicken tender and the sauce pleasantly spicy. Served with egg noodles, a crusty baguette and green salad. Would definitely make again.
Jo Jo
I did this recipe as written and just want to say, it’s better the next day. The flavors of the peppers and mushrooms have really come through and the dish for me, has advanced from “pretty good” to “really good”
Rick
This was aromatic and extremely tasty! I made a few adjustments based on others’ comments and availability of ingredients: Substituted boneless breasts*, portobello mushrooms, yellow onion, 1/2 jar Trader Joe’s red pepper spread Used the whole 14-oz can of diced tomatoes, skipped the tomato paste Added 1/2 c sliced carrots, 2 stalks of celery (diced) *sear them 3 minutes each side before adding to pot (adds flavor!) and slow cook on HIGH for 3 hours. (On low, they’d come out rubbery.)
Me
Cooked this dish tonight and it was lovely! I used bone-in chicken thighs (very easy to separate the tender chicken from the bone), the whole can of tomatoes, the whole red onion, and I added a can of cannellini beans to help soak of all those wonderful flavors. I will definitely make it again and I may add two cans of cannellini beans !
Caroline228
I made this in the oven today. Cooked at 200 degrees for about 5 hours, but it was ready sooner, maybe around 3 1/2. I didn’t have bacon, so used some reserved bacon grease from the fridge. I also used the entire can of tomatoes. Served over egg noodles. Delicious! Will definitely make again.
kren
Soooo good! Didn’t put as much bacon in as the recipe suggested, which kept it from being too overpowering. Didn’t have oregano so I put in some Herbes de Provence. Adjusted salt to taste at the end, and added a splash of red wine vinegar to freshen up the final flavor. Had it over creamy Parmesan polenta. Will make again!
Julia
I cooked this in an Instant Pot for 30 min (and added a cup of chicken stock to make sure I had enough liquid). I had started with frozen bone-in chicken thighs and it came out fine. It was a little soupier than version in the photo, but was good with the polenta. I would make this again.
heather
Fantastic recipe. The smoky flavor of the roasted peppers with the salty brine of the capers is an amazing combo. Also, bacon!
Sarah
I made this with a Dutch oven at 250 F in my oven. Cooked for a little over 3 hours and it came out perfectly. I recommend cooking it in the oven rather than the stovetop, so you braise the meat. This method helps the chicken turn out really tender and juicy!
Kimberly
I cooked this in my possible-cooker which has a sauté mode as well as slow cooker mode. I skipped the bacon and just sautéed all of the veggies together, added the spices and tomato paste, deglazed with the wine, and dumped in the rest for the slow cook. It was really easy - the biggest pain IMO is always the garlic my new gracula garlic crusher has made 'chopping garlic' so much easier. The dish was a big hit - so much flavor and a bit spicy!
kimg
Worked well, sautéed veggies etc and then combined with chicken thighs plus one breast. Ok to cook on low for 8 hours, it was fine.
ZDiggs
Omitted the bell pepper and used entire can of diced tomatoes; otherwise made as directed. Really, really delicious.
Hope
Used two 15-ounce cans of diced tomatoes and 3-plus pounds of chicken thighs. A couple of them were bone in, skin on. Served with instant polenta. Excellent. 2/2024
Gevah
This was delicious! I made it in my Instant Pot using the sauce & slow cooker settings and it came out perfect!
Cristen
Enjoyed this but a lot of prep work for a slow cooker recipe. Not as much flavor as I would have thought, and I even added too much bacon.
Margot
Totally delicious. I made this low FODMAP by sautéing three whole garlic cloves with the mushrooms, tomato paste and wine, and then removing the garlic cloves. I omitted the garlic powder and yellow or orange pepper, added a full can (28 oz) of diced tomatoes, substituted red wine vinegar for balsamic and added another quarter cup of wine to the crockpot. Also I added four chopped carrots. Served with bread and butter. Raves.
Margot
I forgot to note that to keep this low FODMAP, I put three big pieces of red onion into the crockpot, so people could easily pick the pieces out. So delicious!
shauna
If you do the sauce steps in an instant pot, you can then use the slow cooker function without dirtying any other pans. Delicious recipe. I sometimes skip the bacon and just use olive oil to be heart healthy
Dutch oven approved!
I don’t have a slow cooker, so I made this in my Dutch oven. It was so good! Did the first hour on 350, second on 300, and the last two on 170. Turned out perfect and the chicken was falling off the bone (I used bone in, as it was less expensive). Definitely will make again! The perfect winter meal.
JBrianH
Thanks to all who had ideas about not using a slow cooker. I have one, and have used it occasionally, but I find that everything comes out tasting the same. Plus I don’t really need any “time-saving” recipes anymore. Got plenty of time. At the moment.
Jasmine W.
Made it to recipe and used cherrywood smoked bacon and served the final product over Parpadelle pasta. Huge hit among the household. Would definitely add this to my arsenal of winter meals
T. Baks
Smelled great even before I turned on the slow cooker!
Karen
I used portabello mushrooms instead of cremini. We enjoyed this recipe very much but next time I would cut back on the red pepper flakes.
laura
Too liquidy, like soup. And has a harsh flavor. Perhaps two much vinegar with the other ingredients. Not sure, but definitely won’t be making it again
El
“Mom, this tastes like restaurant food.” #WinningDinner
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