Crock Pot Italian Chicken

Crock Pot Italian chicken is an easy slow-cooker meal with tender chicken thighs simmered in a rich tomato herb sauce with olives and capers. Cook low for 5–6 hours for fall-apart texture, then finish with briny olives and capers in the last 30 minutes.

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 5

Total Time 5 10

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: Italian-American

Calories: 520

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

Chicken

4 bone-in chicken thighs Use 4–6 thighs; adjust to fit your slow cooker.

Sauce base

1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
0.5 cup Italian dressing
0.25 cup chicken broth
1 onion, diced
4 garlic, minced

Flavor & toppings

0.5 cup kalamata olives
2 tbsp capers (optional)
2 tsp Italian seasoning
0.5 tsp red pepper flakes
1 salt and pepper to taste Add to taste for seasoning the chicken and sauce.
1 fresh basil For serving.
1 parmesan For serving.
1 pasta or polenta For serving.

Equipment

1 slow cooker

Method

Season and layer

Season the bone-in chicken thighs with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
Add the diced onion and minced garlic to the bottom of the slow cooker.
Nestle the seasoned chicken on top.
Pour the diced tomatoes, Italian dressing, and chicken broth over the chicken to coat.
Sprinkle in the red pepper flakes evenly over the top.

Slow cook

Cook on Low for 5–6 hours or High for 2.5–3 hours, until the chicken is tender and cooked through.

Finish and serve

Scatter the kalamata olives and capers over the chicken in the last 30 minutes of cooking.
Serve the Crock Pot Italian chicken over pasta or polenta, topped with fresh basil and parmesan.

Notes

For best flavor, keep the slow cooker lid closed during cooking so the temperature stays steady. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container up to 3–4 days; reheat gently until hot. Freezing is yes—freeze sauce and chicken separately if possible for best texture. Dietary swap: use low-sodium Italian dressing and broth if you need to reduce sodium.