Chicken Cacciatori became popular in the 1970s and took off with the rise of the crockpot. Today, with the instant pot, you can do this in one pot rather than browning and transferring. Some people say to use chicken breast but I believe that if you do that, you need to cook it a little less time and make sure the pieces are cut down to a reasonable size. Serve it over fettucini or rice if you please. Or just have it as a stew.
- 3 lbs. skinless, bone-in chicken thighs and legs
- 1 tsp. olive oil
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
- 8 oz. brown cremini, roughly chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 (14-oz.) can of tomatoes, chopped
- 2/3 cup dry wine (white or red)
- 1 tbsp. Italian seasoning mixture
- 1 tsp. each salt and pepper, or to taste
- 1/3 cup tomato paste [use low-sodium or no salt added]
- Put chicken in a slow cooker, set to high, and cover.
- Alternatively, you can brown the chicken in a skillet with a bit of oil and then transfer it to the crock pot. You can use the same skillet for cooking the vegetables.
- Heat olive oil over high heat in a large skillet.
- Cook the onion and green pepper for 2 to 3 minutes, then add the mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes; add the garlic and cook for another minute.
- Add the chopped tomatoes, wine, herbs, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, until the liquid is almost entirely boiled away.
- Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary.
- If it tastes harsh or acidic, add a sweetener (a pinch of sugar or a natural sugar substitute can do the trick).
- Add the tomato paste and Parmesan cheese rind, if using, and stir to combine.
- Place chicken in the slow cooker and spoon the tomato mixture on top of the chicken.
- Cook for 3 hours on high or 6 to 8 hours on low.
- About 30 minutes before you are ready to eat, check and adjust the seasonings one more time.
