Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore

This slow cooker chicken cacciatore is a rich, tomato-based Italian stew made with chicken thighs, kalamata olives, mushrooms and rosemary. It's an easy, dump-and-go dinner that doubles as a seriously good meal prep because the flavours deepen overnight and it reheats well.

If you've been around here lately, you'll know I'm in my slow cooker recipe era. I originally created this as a casserole dish recipe, and it was good - but once I tested it in my slow cooker, I was obsessed. There's something about being able to sear, dump, walk away and come back to a rich, tomatoey, olive-packed chicken cacciatore that just makes sense for a meal prep.

I even made this as a gym meal prep once and so many people told me they'd "never cook something like this at home." Challenge accepted. Because this is stupid easy, wildly flavourful and exactly the kind of winter-inspired meal prep that will change your mind.

Ingredients

Chicken thighs. I've tested this with both bone-in and boneless chicken thighs. The bones add richness and help the meat hold structure during slow cooking, but I personally prefer boneless thighs for meal prep because I don't want to deal with bones when I'm eating with just a fork.

Kalamata olives. Kalamata olives bring a deeper, fruitier flavour than standard black olives. I recommend buying them already pitted for ease - and don't be afraid to add in the brine from the jar directly into the slow cooker.

Tomatoes. You can use fresh tomatoes, or use store-purchased passata and diced tomatoes (depending what is in season and you have access too).

Worcestershire sauce. My secret weapon in dishes like spaghetti bolognese and curried savoury mince. It's not traditional, but it does add acidity (like wine in typical cacciatore dishes) and it takes this chicken cacciatore from good to "what did you put in this?"

Fresh rosemary and bay leaf. Fresh herbs infuse the sauce slowly and deeply. Dried works in a pinch, but fresh gives a cleaner, more aromatic finish.

Please check the recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantity. See below for substitutions and variations.

Substitutions and variations

How to make slow cooker chicken cacciatore

Step 1: If using a searing slow cooker, heat olive oil and sauté onion (and garlic if adding) until softened.

If you don't have a searing slow cooker, you can do this in a large pan over the stove instead.

Step 2: Brown chicken thighs on both sides for added flavour.

How to cook chicken cacciatore in a casserole?

Sear chicken thighs in a Dutch oven, remove and sauté vegetables for 5 minutes.

Add vinegar to deglaze, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom. Then, add tomatoes, olives and herbs.

Return chicken, cover and bake at a low temperature for 1-3 hours between 120-160°C / 250-320°F (the lower you cook it, the longer it'll take and more tender it will be) until chicken reaches 70°C / 165°F and sauce thickens.

Remove herbs before serving and as above, you can cook the rice (or other carby element) in the last 30 minutes.

Meal prepping chicken cacciatore

This slow cooker chicken cacciatore is an ideal meal prep option because it's balanced with protein from chicken thighs, carbs from rice and vegetables from mushrooms, carrots and tomatoes.

If you're after another starchy option, it also pairs well with pasta, mashed potatoes or even slices of bread (like my small batch focaccia).

Storing

Store the chicken cacciatore soup in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days. If storing with rice or pasta, I would recommend storing on opposite sides of the container so the rice or pasta don't continue to soak up the flavour (as it could end up a bit mushy due to the liquid).

This is a slightly runnier dish so there will be some leakage into the rice, but it's not so much that will cause the texture to diminish considerably. However, it will thicken in the fridge!

Reheating

Microwave. Heat on high for 2-3 minutes then stir and reheat for a further 1-2 minutes until fully warmed.

If reheating with the rice, add a tablespoon of water or an ice cube before microwaving to prevent dryness.

Stove-top. Add to the chicken cacciatore (not the rice) to a saucepan over medium heat with a couple of tablespoon extra water or broth to loosen the sauce.

Gently heat for 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally until you see a slight bubble.

Freezing

This dish batch cooks really well and will freeze for up to 6 months because the sauce covers the chicken helping to trap moisture. I don't recommend freezing with the rice as it is a very saucy dish and will impact the texture of the rice.

Let it cool at room temperature for up to 2 hours and transfer to a freezer-safe container, ziplock or souper cubes.

Make sure the containers or storage are just big enough to fit the chicken to prevent freezer burn as much as possible.

Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating, and note that the texture may slightly change, but the flavours will remain delicious.

FAQs

Other slow cooker recipes

Or, you can have a browse through my meal prep slow cooker meals for more delicious eats.