Chicken cacciatore - slow cooker or stove top

Here is another chicken dish that is super easy to throw together in the slow cooker and will be ready at dinner time.  Please don't be deterred by the list of ingredients as you will probably have most of them in your pantry.  It is also a very adaptable meal and you can easily substitute or leave out ingredients all together.  If you don't have wine, leave it out or forget the mushrooms and it will still taste great.

CHICKEN CACCIATORE - slow cooker or stove top

• 3 Tbspn olive oil
• 1kg chicken thigh fillets
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 2 celery sticks, diced
• 2 carrots, peeled & diced
• 150g bacon pieces
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 200g button mushrooms, sliced
• 100ml dry white wine
• 800g tin tomatoes
• 2 Tbspn tomato paste
• ½ tsp sugar (brown preferable)
• 1 Tbspn balsamic vinegar
• 1 Tbspn mixed herbs
• 150ml chicken stock
• 1 cup kalamata olives, pitted

Slow Cooker instructions (preparation time: 10 mins)

Add all ingredients to slow cooker (except the oil).  Cook on high for 4 hrs or low for 6 ½ hrs or until chicken is cooked through. 


Stove top (preparation time: 25 mins)

Heat oil in a large pot over high heat.  Brown chicken.  Remove chicken & set aside.

Add onion, celery, carrot & bacon & cook over medium heat until onion is soft.
  
Add garlic & mushrooms & cook for 2 mins. Return chicken to pot & add wine.  Simmer for a few mins. 

Add tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, vinegar, herbs, stock & olives.  Bring to the boil, reduce to medium heat & cook for 40 mins or until chicken is cooked through.  Stir  occasionally.

Serve with steamed rice.