Slow-Cooked Chicken Cacciatore

Slow-Cooked Chicken Cacciatore Recipe: Bariatric-Friendly!

January 16, 2020

In Italian, cacciatore means hunter. Chicken Cacciatore is a rustic "hunter-style" stew that has many renditions based on the region, the hunter's catch and gatherings of the day, and available ingredients. This Slow-Cooked Chicken Cacciatore recipe is a delicious dish that is bariatric surgery friendly and for anyone health-minded!

This recipe is delicious and also versatile. It can be made with white and dark meat chicken or other cuts of meat; and an array of vegetables. Experiment with different proteins and vegetables for a different dish!

Slow-Cooked Chicken Cacciatore Recipe

Recipe by: Jason Holden
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast in chunks
  • ½ bell pepper, sliced (75g)
  • ½ medium onion, sliced (75g)
  • ¼ cup marinara sauce (6g sugar or less per serving)
  • ¼ cup tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons capers
  • ¼ teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)

Directions

  1. Turn on the crockpot
  2. Slice onions and place at the bottom of the crockpot
  3. Slice the pepper and place on top of the onions
  4. Add tomato paste on top of the peppers
  5. Add the chicken
  6. Add the capers and the tomato sauce
  7. Cook for about 3-4 hours on low until the chicken reaches 165 degrees
  8. Transfer the chicken to a plate or serving container. Allow it to rest for a couple of minutes
  9. Stir the sauce in the crockpot, so the tomato paste is fully mixed into the chicken juices.

Switch It Up!

There are many changes you can make! Just remember to adjust the calories, macros, and cooking times for the ingredients that you end up using. Check out these alternatives to switch up the recipe.

  • Cooking Methods: The traditional way to make chicken cacciatore is by braising, but you can also use a slow-cooker or pressure cooker.
  • Chicken:  There are many variations that you can do depending on your dietary plan and taste preferences. You can use a different cut of chicken, dark or white meat, and you can do boneless or bone-in. The chicken can be cut into chunks, shredded, or left whole. You can the fully cooked meat whole and on the bone with a generous amount of sauce, or you can shred them and let them soak in the sauce for a couple of minutes to get extra tender.
  • Vegetables: You can also experiment with vegetables. This is a great dish to add to your favorite vegetables. Any color(s)  of bell pepper can be used. It is very common to see cacciatore recipes that have onions, peppers (any color), tomatoes, and mushrooms.
  • Additional Flavors:  Other flavor additions you can experiment with are garlic, black olives or capers, and herbs such as oregano and basil.

Nutritional Info Per Serving

Using chicken breast meat:
Calories 135; Carbohydrates 5 grams; Fat 3 grams; Protein 23 grams

Using chicken thigh meat:
Calories 177; Carbohydrates 5 grams; Fat 8 grams; Protein 21 grams

slow cooked chicken cacciatore

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jason Holden has been a registered dietitian at Loma Linda University Health since 2009. He completed his bachelor’s degree in clinical nutrition at University of California, Davis in 2008 and his dietetic internship at Brigham & Women’s Hospital in 2009. After working at Loma Linda University Medical Center for several years, he went on to earn a master’s degree in nutrition education from Framingham State University in 2015.

Read more articles from Jason!
Recipe Disclaimer: If you have specific dietary restrictions, allergies or a nutrition plan that you are following, make sure to read the ingredient list prior to consumption. All information on ObesityHelp.com is intended for informational purposes only. The information is not intended to be a replacement or substitute for consultation with a qualified medical professional. Please contact a medical professional with any questions and concerns.