Perfect Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore with Baby Potatoes

I really don’t use my slow cooker often enough and every time I do, I promise to use make use of it more often. It’s actually quite the “mom’s miracle” in the kitchen – a huge time saver! Not only that but there are just a myriad of wonderful recipes out there. I personally have pinned about a gazillion slow cooker recipes on Pinterest. Of course I intend to cook them all at some point… because things we pin are always done with the intent of being used, right? 🙂

Slow cooker Sunday

This was one of those busy family Sundays. Two soccer matches scheduled at the most odd times, leaving zero time to cook lunch. Sunday lunch at our house is usually also a big deal. It’s usually the one that you have time to make and is generally something that we wouldn’t have time to cook during the week.

Enter the slow cooker. The perfect solution.

One of my favourite food blogs is CafeDelites. This blog never ever disappoints and there’s such a wonderful collection of recipes that are guaranteed to delight!

Now, there may be quite a long list of ingredients but don’t let that scare you off. The beauty of cooking with a slow cooker is that you simply chuck it all in, switch it on and you’re all set!

Surprisingly delicious

Even though this recipe had me at “Slow cooker”, I was genuinely, pleasantly surprised at how delicious the meal was! Chicken that just melts in your mouth, bursting with Mediterranean flavour. To tell you the truth, I enjoy other people’s cooking WAY more than I enjoy my own, but this was simply delish!

Actually, it’s going on next week’s meal plan because I’m ready to have it again! I’m even brave enough to try it during the week. It’s that easy!

Enough about me though… here’s the recipe!

Print

Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore With Baby Potatoes

Ingredients

• 6 chicken thighs bone-in skin on or off
• Salt and pepper to season
• 2 tablespoons olive oil more if needed
• 1 kg baby potatoes quartered
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic or 8 cloves
• 1 medium onion roughly chopped
• 1 small yellow pepper capsicum, deseeded and diced
• 1 small red pepper capsicum, deseeded and diced
• 2 carrots peeled and sliced
• 1 can crushed tomatoes
• 400 ml bottle tomato passata (tomato sauce or puree)
• 150 ml red wine optional – substitute with beef stock IF DESIRED
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley
• 1 teaspoon each dried basil and oregano
• 1 beef stock cube crushed
• 1 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
• pepper adjust to taste
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• ½ cup pitted black olives

Instructions

1. (OPTIONAL STEP): Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat a small amount of oil in a large pan. Sear skin-side down (if using skin on thigh) for 3 minutes, until deep golden brown. Rotate and sear the other side for a further 3 minutes.

2. Arrange the potatoes in a slow cooker bowl in a single layer. Place the chicken over the potatoes and add the rest of the ingredients over the chicken (except olives and mushrooms).

3. Stir to combine; cover and cook on high for 4 hours, or low for 8 hours, until the chicken is tender and falling off the bone.

4. Add in the mushrooms and olives in the last 30 minutes of cooking. Season with extra salt, to taste and serve.

5. Serve over rice, pasta or vegetable noodles.

Recipe Notes

Substitute crushed/diced tomatoes for the tomato puree if you can’t find it.