Easy Crockpot Chicken Cacciatore

I’ve made chicken cacciatore before, but Thursday night I took a lot of short cuts and it was still a hit. If authenticity isn't top priority for you but taste, speed and frugality are, keep reading.

Easy Crockpot Chicken Cacciatore

3 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 bell peppers
1 ½ onions
2 cans diced tomatoes (14 ½ oz. each)
¾ cup white wine
1 Tbs. chopped garlic
1 Tbs. dried Italian seasoning
1 tsp. dried oregano
¼ tsp. dried red pepper flakes
1 can tomato paste (optional)

Slice chicken breasts, bell peppers, and onions. Dump into Crockpot with all other ingredients except tomato paste, but including the juice from the diced tomatoes. Cover and cook on high for four hours.

Because the sauce tends to be too thin for my taste, after it has cooked, I spoon out a couple of ladlefuls of the liquid into a bowl and mix it with a can of tomato paste, then pour in back into the Crockpot and mix it all together. Serve over spaghetti or any long noodle. My husband garnishes with parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes; I don’t think it needs it. Serves 6-8.

This was a pantry/fridge cleanout meal for me, that’s why I used 1 ½ onions and 3 chicken breasts. I already had half an onion in the fridge. If you don’t, I would just use two whole onions. One of my chicken breasts was pretty small. I think you could get away with two whole (not split) chicken breasts if they’re larger in size or you’re trying to save a little money. I also think you could also use three or four chicken breasts if you’re trying to stretch the meal to feed more people or if you’re feeding meat-lovers.

What’s nice about this recipe, besides its adaptability, see above, is that the hands-on time is really very minimal. I think it was less than 10 minutes of prep time for me since I didn’t bother browning the chicken ahead of time. It’s also very healthy. I used “No Salt Added” diced tomatoes and didn’t add any salt, so it’s very low sodium, but still full of flavor. It’s low in fat and full of veggies too. (Though I still serve it with a veggie side.)

Linked to Fat-Free Fridays at Domestic Godliness.