Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore With Mushrooms And Bacon Food

SLOW COOKER CHICKEN CACCIATORE

Steps:

• Season chicken with salt and black pepper. Heat olive oil in a large non-tick skillet over medium high heat. Sear chicken until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to slow cooker. Alternatively, if pressed for time, skip browning and add chicken straight to a 6 quart slow cooker.
• Add the garlic, onion, bell peppers, carrots, mushrooms, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, dried basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme and salt and black pepper to taste. Stir to combine. **(Do not worry if the mixture looks dry, the tomatoes will release more liquid as this cooks - if you like this dish more saucy or soup-y - you can add 1/2 cup chicken broth or water)
• Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 4-6 hours.
• minutes prior to serving, stir in the olives, kale and corn starch / water slurry into the slow cooker and cook for an additional 20-30 minutes on HIGH, or until sauce thickens up slightly and kale is wilted.
• Sprinkle with chopped parsley, basil leaves and taste and season with additional salt or black pepper, as needed.
• Serve hot over pasta, zucchini noodles, rice or your favorite sides and top with grated parmesan, if desired.

SLOW COOKER CHICKEN CACCIATORE

Steps:

• Lightly coat a large slow cooker with nonstick spray. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium high. Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper. Once the oil is hot and shimmering, add the chicken in a single layer. Cook on the first side for 3 to 4 minutes, until browned, moving the chicken as little as possible so that it gets a nice sear. Flip and brown on the other side, about 2 additional minutes. Transfer the chicken to the slow cooker.
• Reduce the skillet heat to medium. With a paper towel, carefully wipe out the skillet. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil. One the oil is hot, add the onion and cook until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar. Cook for 1 minute, or until the garlic is fragrant and the vinegar has reduced. Transfer to the slow cooker, along with any pan drippings.
• Top the chicken with the tomatoes, green bell pepper, mushrooms, and Italian seasoning. If using chicken breasts: cover and cook on HIGH for 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours or LOW for 4 to 5 hours, until the chicken is cooked through. If using chicken thighs: cover and cook for 3 to 4 hours on HIGH or 5 to 6 hours on LOW. Remove the chicken from the slow cooker as soon as it reaches 165 degrees F. If desired, chop or shred the chicken (or you can serve the pieces whole).
• At this point, you can serve the sauce right away if you are in a hurry, BUT, if time allows, this is what I like to do for the best-ever sauce: Uncover the slow cooker and let cook on HIGH for 1 hour to allow the sauce to thicken and the flavor to further develop. Just before serving, stir in the remaining 1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar. Taste and season the sauce with additional salt/pepper as desired. If you've chopped or shredded the chicken, return it to the sauce and toss to combine and warm through. Otherwise, serve the chicken pieces whole with a generous amount of the sauce on top. Serve hot over pasta, rice, polenta, or veggie noodles, with a big extra spoonful of sauce and a sprinkle of parsley and Parmesan.

SLOW COOKER CHICKEN CACCIATORE

Steps:

• Put the chicken in the slow cooker. Top with the spaghetti sauce, green bell peppers, mushrooms, onion, and garlic.
• Cover, and cook on Low for 7 to 9 hours.

CHICKEN & BACON CACCIATORE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large casserole dish. Brown the chicken, a few pieces at a time, until skin is golden on all sides. As each piece is done, lift out onto a plate. Turn the heat down and add the bacon. Cook gently so some of the fat melts into the pan and keep going until the bacon crisps. Lift out with a slotted spoon and put with the chicken pieces, then add the onions and rosemary to the casserole. Fry for 5-10 mins until the onions have softened, then return the chicken and bacon, along with the tomatoes, vinegar, sugar, stock and seasoning.
• Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 40-50 mins until the chicken is tender - check one of the thigh or leg joints as they will take longer to cook. Stir in the parsley, if using, check the seasoning again and serve with mash, pasta or rice if eating straight away. Otherwise, cool and chill for up to 24 hrs. Or freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge, then bring out to room temperature the next day if not fully defrosted. Tip back into a saucepan, bring to a gentle simmer, then cover and gently cook until chicken is piping hot. Don't boil or the chicken may toughen up.

CHICKEN CACCIATORE IN A SLOW COOKER

Steps:

• Place chicken in a slow cooker; stir in spaghetti sauce, tomato paste, mushrooms, onion, bell pepper, garlic, oregano, basil, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cover.
• Cook on Low until chicken is tender, 6 to 8 hours.