Description
A rustic Italian chicken dish slow-cooked in a rich tomato sauce infused with bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, garlic, and aromatic herbs. Tender chicken thighs cooked low and slow create a hearty, flavorful dinner that’s perfect served over pasta, rice, or polenta.
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 kg boneless or bone-in chicken thighs
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
Vegetables & Sauce
- 1 onion, sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 250 g mushrooms, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 800 g crushed tomatoes
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ½ cup Kalamata olives, optional
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Season the chicken. In a bowl, season the chicken thighs evenly with salt, pepper, paprika, oregano, and basil to infuse the meat with herbaceous and smoky notes.
- Sear the chicken (optional). Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and sear the chicken thighs for 2-3 minutes per side until lightly browned; this step deepens flavor but can be skipped for convenience.
- Prepare vegetables in slow cooker. Place sliced onions, red bell peppers, mushrooms, and minced garlic in the bottom of the slow cooker as a flavorful vegetable base.
- Add the chicken and liquids. Layer the seasoned (and seared) chicken thighs on top of the vegetables, then pour in the crushed tomatoes and chicken broth evenly over everything.
- Add olives (optional). Stir in Kalamata olives if using, to add a briny, tangy dimension to the sauce.
- Slow cook the dish. Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours, until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
- Finish and serve. Gently stir the sauce to combine all flavors, garnish with fresh chopped parsley, and serve hot over your choice of pasta, polenta, rice, or with crusty bread.
Notes
- Bone-in chicken thighs provide the most flavor and remain especially juicy after slow cooking.
- Serve this dish over pasta, creamy polenta, fluffy rice, or with crusty bread to soak up the rich sauce.
- For a thicker sauce, leave the slow cooker lid slightly ajar during the last 20-30 minutes of cooking to allow excess moisture to evaporate.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Category: Main Course, Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian
