Spicy Chicken Cacciatore...A Slow Cooker Recipe From Sweet Basil

This recipe takes the traditional Italian Chicken Cacciatore, and kicks it up a bit adding fun and spice. The prep can be done the night before, and refrigerated in your crock pot. Just add the chicken the next morning, and start cooking. Since school will be starting again soon, and this dish freezes so well, it may be a good idea to make extra to have for a busy weekday dinner. 

INGREDIENTS

6 garlic cloves, minced
4 bell peppers, chopped (mixed colors if available)
1 Vidalia (or other sweet) onion, chopped
1 jalepeno, chopped finely
1 1/2 cups pitted olives, halved
Pinch of Sage (about 1/2 tsp.)
Basil and Thyme (about 1 tsp.)
1 crushed bay leaf
1 (8-oz.) package sliced cremini mushrooms

1 tablespoon salt (sea salt is preferred)
1 teaspoon dried and crushed chili pepper
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup white wine (Cooking wine works well)
2 1/2 lbs. diced tomatoes, drained
3 lbs. skinless bone-in chicken breasts

1 (16-oz.) box spaghetti or linguini

Garnishes: fresh basil, fresh parsley, shaved fresh Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Place first set of ingredients in a 6-qt. slow cooker; stir in salt, crushed chili pepper, and black pepper. Whisk together tomato paste and wine, and add to slow cooker. Add drained tomatoes and chicken. Cover and cook on LOW 8 hours.

2. Uncover and carefully remove chicken from slow cooker, using tongs. Increase slow cooker temperature to HIGH. Cover and cook tomato mixture 30 more minutes or until sauce thickens to desired consistency.

3. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Remove chicken meat from bones; discard bones. Shred meat. Stir chicken back into sauce. Garnish with Parmesan Cheese and fresh herbs. Serve immediately over spaghetti.

Follow us, like us, share us. We are Sweet Basil Farm & Gardens on Facebook. We are a local Middle Georgia producer of farm fresh fruits and vegetables and members of the American Poultry Association, licensed by the Georgia Dept. of Agriculture as Poultry Dealers and Brokers, and a proud member of the Georgia Grown program, a division of the Georgia Dept. of Agriculture. We also breed, sell and ship poultry, pet pigs, bearded irises and much more. We have an 80 acre working farm, with great emphasis on all natural gardening and livestock management practices. An 1840's general store is situated on our property, and serves as our on-site farmer’s market. We have a large vegetable and herb garden, fruit orchards and more. Conveniently located off of Interstate 75 near the Johnstonville Rd exit (#193). We are six miles west, located in Barnesville, Lamar County, Georgia.

Recipe courtesy of Tisha Johnson Matthews of Sweet Basil Farms, adapted from a Southern Living recipe and photo courtesy of cooktj.com, and J. David Matthews, of Barnesville, Georgia for support and patience with all that I try and test.