Crock Pot Chicken Cacciatore

Drain one can of tomatoes. Keep the liquid from the other can. Hold the can of tomato paste to the end.

1. In a bowl, combine the tomatoes, tomato sauce, onion, garlic, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Stir until well blended. Set aside.

2. Turn on your crock pot to low (don’t worry that it’s empty still). Heat a saute pan to medium high. Add the olive oil. Season one side of the chicken with Poultry Magic or salt/pepper and place seasoned side down into the pan. Sprinkle the seasoning on the top side. Allow the chicken to sear for several minutes before turning the pieces to sear the other side as well.

3. Add the chicken to the crock pot to form one layer on the bottom. Pour half of the sauce mixture over the chicken. Add the rest of the chicken and cover with the rest of the sauce. Cover the crock pot and let cook on Low for 4-5 hours.

Note: I started with mostly frozen chicken. Thawed chicken will not take as long to cook , maybe only 3 hours. The size of your chicken breasts will determine cooking time as well. At the 3-hour mark, start to check for doneness. You don’t want the chicken to overcook.

4. Prior to serving, make sure to cook your pasta of choice. Once pasta is ready, remove the chicken from the crock pot. Add the tomato paste to the crock pot and stir briskly with a wire whisk to smooth it out. The sauce will thicken and darken slightly.

Now you’re ready to serve. Put a pile of pasta on your plate, add a piece of chicken next to it, then spoon sauce over both. Crusty garlic bread and a green salad will go well on the side.

There is a slight kick of heat from the red pepper flakes. Reduce the amount used if you’re sensitive to spicy food.