Description
Jamie Oliver Chicken cacciatore, meaning hunter-style chicken, is a traditional Italian-inspired dish made with chicken cooked in a savory sauce of tomatoes, onions, garlic, herbs, and vegetables. This slow cooker version adapts the classic idea for convenient, low-effort cooking.
Ingredients
For the Chicken
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- 6 bone-in, skinless chicken thighs, approximately 900g
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- 1 tablespoon olive oil
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- Salt, to taste
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- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
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- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
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- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
For the Sauce
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- 1 large onion, sliced
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- 3 garlic cloves, minced
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- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
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- 1 green bell pepper, sliced
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- 250g mushrooms, sliced
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- 2 tablespoons tomato purée
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- 2 cans chopped tomatoes (400g each)
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- 150ml chicken stock
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- 1 teaspoon dried basil
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- 1 bay leaf
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- 50g pitted black olives, optional
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- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, optional
For Garnishing
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- Fresh basil or parsley
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- Grated Parmesan, optional
Instructions
Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Season them with salt, black pepper, oregano, and rosemary.
For extra flavor, heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat and brown the chicken for 3–4 minutes on each side. This step is optional but adds a deeper roasted flavor.
Slice the onion and bell peppers, chop the garlic, and slice the mushrooms. Spread the vegetables evenly across the bottom of the slow cooker.
Add the tomato purée, chopped tomatoes, chicken stock, dried basil, and bay leaf to the slow cooker. Stir gently to combine the ingredients.
Place the seasoned chicken thighs on top of the vegetable and tomato mixture. Spoon a little sauce over the chicken so the flavors can combine during cooking.
Cover the slow cooker with its lid and cook on LOW for 6–7 hours or HIGH for 3–4 hours, depending on your appliance and the size of the chicken pieces.
The chicken should be thoroughly cooked and tender. Check that the thickest part reaches at least 74°C (165°F), away from the bone.
If using olives, stir them into the sauce during the final 30 minutes of cooking. Add the optional balsamic vinegar and taste the sauce, adjusting the seasoning as needed.
If the sauce is thinner than you prefer, remove the chicken and simmer the sauce uncovered in a saucepan until reduced. Alternatively, if your slow cooker manufacturer permits it, remove the lid for the final 20–30 minutes of cooking.
Remove the bay leaf. Sprinkle fresh basil or parsley over the chicken and serve with the rich tomato sauce spooned generously over each portion.