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This Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore is rich, rustic, and packed with bold Italian flavor. Tender chicken thighs slow-simmer with smoky bacon, sweet bell peppers, earthy mushrooms, briny capers, tomatoes, and herbs until everything melts together into a deeply savory, slightly tangy sauce.
Classic chicken cacciatore is known as “hunter-style chicken” — traditionally made with tomatoes, peppers, onions, and herbs. What makes this version shine is the layered flavor build: we crisp bacon for a smoky foundation, brown the mushrooms for depth, cook down tomato paste, and deglaze with red wine before everything goes into the slow cooker. That extra step creates a sauce that tastes like it simmered on the stovetop all day.
It’s cozy, colorful, and exactly what you want spooned over pasta on a chilly night.
If you love saucy chicken dinners like my Chicken Vesuvio or Chicken Francaise, this Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore is the cozy, set-it-and-forget-it version you’ll make on repeat. And if comfort classics like Chicken Paprikash or Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings are already favorites at your house, this bold, Italian-inspired twist is a must-try next.
✨ Before You Begin
✨ Brown the mushrooms properly. Let them release their liquid first — then wait until they begin turning golden. That’s when real flavor develops.
✨ Cook the tomato paste briefly. This removes raw acidity and deepens the sauce.
✨ Deglaze thoroughly. When you add the wine, scrape up every browned bit from the skillet. That’s pure flavor going into your slow cooker.
✨ Salt carefully at the end. Bacon and capers both contain salt, so adjust seasoning after cooking.
Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore Ingredients
- Bacon: Adds a nice smokiness to the dish.
- Mushrooms: I like the extra flavor cremini mushrooms add. You can use white button mushrooms if you’d like.
- Garlic: Adds a lovely sweet, mellow flavor.
- Tomato Paste: Adds great tomato flavor.
- Wine: I love the flavor the red wine adds to the sauce. If you don’t want to add any alcohol, add a little extra balsamic.
- Onion: This recipe calls for red onion.
- Peppers: I add 1 red and 1 orange bell pepper. Use whichever color you’d like.
- Roasted Red Peppers: Yes, I use fresh and jarred peppers.
- Tomatoes: I like to use crushed tomatoes. San Marzano taste best.
- Capers: Add a subtle brininess to the dish.
- Balsamic: Adds a bit of mild acidity.
- Oregano: I crush the oregano in my hands as I add it to the slow cooker.
- Italian Seasoning: My favorite blend is McCormick Perfect Pinch Italian Seasoning.
- Red Pepper Flakes: You can add more or less per your heat tolerance.
- Garlic Powder: Enhances the garlic punch.
- Chicken: This recipe works best with chicken thighs. They stay moist and tender during the long cooking process.
- Salt + Pepper:
- Parsley: This is added at the end of the cooking process and adds a nice herbaceous freshness.
- Cornstarch: I whisk together cornstarch and water to create a slurry to thicken the cooking liquid at the end of the cooking cycle.
🥣 How To Make Crockpot Chicken Cacciatore
Build the base. In a large skillet, cook the bacon until crisp. Transfer to paper towels, then add most of it to the slow cooker. In the same skillet, sauté the mushrooms in the bacon drippings until tender and beginning to brown. Add garlic, tomato paste, and red wine. Let it bubble while scraping up the browned bits, then transfer everything to the slow cooker.
Layer the flavor. Add the onion, bell peppers, roasted red peppers, crushed tomatoes, capers, balsamic vinegar, oregano, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and garlic powder. Stir to combine. Add the chicken thighs, season with salt and pepper, and gently coat in the sauce.
Slow cook and finish. Cook on low about 4 hours, until the chicken is very tender. Whisk together the cornstarch and water, stir into the slow cooker, turn to high, and cook until the sauce thickens. Finish with chopped parsley and adjust seasoning before serving.
***See the full instructions below.
⭐ Pro Tips
⭐ Don’t skip the stovetop step.
Many slow cooker recipes dump everything in raw — but browning bacon and mushrooms first creates dramatically deeper flavor.
⭐ Avoid watery sauce.
Slow cookers trap moisture. The slurry thickens the sauce so it clings beautifully to pasta or rice instead of pooling thinly.
⭐ Want shredded chicken?
You can shred the thighs right in the slow cooker before thickening if you prefer a pulled texture.
⭐ Make it sandwich-style.
Pile onto toasted hoagie rolls and melt provolone or mozzarella on top for an incredible Italian-style sandwich.
🔬 Cooking Science: Why Browning Matters
When bacon and mushrooms brown, they undergo the Maillard reaction — a chemical process that creates complex, savory flavors. Slow cookers don’t get hot enough to create that browning on their own, which is why building flavor first on the stovetop makes such a difference in the final dish.
The cornstarch slurry thickens by gelatinizing as it heats, creating a glossy, smooth sauce instead of a floury or clumpy texture.
Variations & Substitutions
- No wine? Substitute chicken broth.
- Chicken breasts? Use them, but reduce cooking time and monitor closely to prevent dryness.
- Lower sodium? Use reduced-sodium bacon and rinse capers.
- Extra veggies? Zucchini or spinach can be stirred in during the last 30 minutes.
- Spicier version? Increase red pepper flakes or add a pinch of cayenne.
What to Serve With Slow Cooker Chicken with Peppers
- Over Pasta – Penne or rigatoni catch the sauce perfectly.
- Over Rice – White or buttered rice keeps it classic and cozy.
- Sandwich Style – Hoagie rolls with melted cheese.
Fresh + Crisp Sides
Cozy Breads
Sweet Finishes
Storing + Reheating + Make-Ahead
- Hold It! Once tender, the chicken can remain on the warm setting for several hours without drying out.
- Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze up to 3 months.
- Reheat: Warm gently on the stovetop or microwave. Add a splash of broth if needed to loosen the sauce.
- Food Safety: If you’d like more info on food safety, check out this link.
✦ Frequently Asked Questions
✦ Can I skip thickening the sauce?
You can, but the texture will be thinner. The slurry creates a more polished, restaurant-style finish.
✦ Why is my sauce watery?
Slow cookers don’t allow evaporation. Thickening at the end solves this.
✦ Can I cook it longer than 4 hours?
Yes. It holds well on warm after cooking, but avoid overcooking on high heat.
✦ Can I make this in the Instant Pot?
Yes — sauté the bacon and mushrooms using the sauté function, pressure cook about 10 minutes, then thicken using sauté mode after releasing pressure.
Still have questions? Drop them in the comments — I love helping you bake + cook with confidence! 💗
More Italian Chicken Dinners You’ll Love
- Chicken Saltimbocca
- Italian Dressing Chicken
- Balsamic Chicken
- Chicken Tetrazzini
- Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup
- Tuscan Chicken Soup
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Thanks for stopping by my kitchen today — happy cooking, friends! 💗 Kathleen
Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound bacon, sliced into ½-inch pieces
- 1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 8 garlic cloves, smashed and rough chopped
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1/4 cup dry red wine
- 1/2 large red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 orange bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 8 ounces jarred roasted red peppers drained and roughly chopped(about 1 heaping cup)
- 3/4 cup crushed or diced canned tomatoes about half a 14-ounce can
- 1/4 cup capers, drained
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 - 2 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- salt + black pepper
Cornstarch Slurry:
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 cup tap water
Optional Toppings
- basil, julienned
- parmesan
Instructions
- Cook the chopped bacon (1/2 pound) in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat until crispy, about 8 minutes. Transfer the cooked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. After most of the grease is absorbed from the cooked bacon, add to the slow cooker.
- Cook the mushrooms (1 pound) over medium-high heat in the bacon drippings, stirring occasionally, until they're tender and have released most of their liquid, and are beginning to brown.
- Add the garlic (8), tomato paste (1 tablespoon), and wine (1/4 cup) to the mushrooms and continue to cook until the liquid begins to boil. Stir the mixture, being sure to scrap up any brown bits on the bottom of the skillet. Pour into the slow cooker.
- Add the onion (1/2 large), bell pepper (1 red + 1 orange), roasted peppers (8 ounces), canned tomatoes (3/4 cup), capers (1/4 cup), vinegar (2 tablespoons), oregano (1 teaspoon), Italian seasoning (1 tablespoon), red-pepper flakes (1 teaspoon) and garlic powder (1 teaspoon) to the slow cooker and stir to combine.
- Add the chicken (2 -2 1/2 pounds), season with 1 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon 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 in the warm setting for several hours.)
- Cook on low, about 4 hours, or until the chicken is very tender and the flavors are blended.
Make Slurry:
- In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch (3 tablespoons) with the water (1/2 cup) until smooth. Pour into slow cooker. Turn up the heat to high, cover, and continue to cook until the sauce has thickened,
- Stir in the parsley (1/3 cup) and let it warm through. Adjust seasoning, adding salt and pepper as needed. Serve overcooked pasta, in hoagie rolls, or overcooked rice. Top with basil and Parmesan.
Fans Also Made:
Notes
- Hold It! After the chicken has cooked to tender, it will hold well either on warm in the crockpot or cooled and refrigerated.
Nutrition
On your phone? Check the web story here.
Source: Adapted from Mostly Homemade Mom
This is such an easy and delicious recipe! The flavor of the sauce is perfect! The chicken thighs were so tender and juicy! The cornstarch slurry brought the sauce to a perfect consistency!! This will be my go to recipe for Chicken Cacciatore from now on!! Thanks, Kathleen!
Linda C
I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you so much for the comment and the 5 star rating! I hope you come back and find a lot more recipe you love!
Absolutely perfect.. I did use chicken drumsticks instead of the thighs and also added some black olives. Served over a bed of fettuccine. Delish!
That sounds so delicious, thank you for your positive feedback, Rita! 🙂