Chicken Cacciatore- Slow Cooker style

I can remember when my Mother first bought a Crock Pot in the early 1970's. It was in just one piece, the crock was not removable, so it was difficult to clean. But it was so nice to come home to a pot of soup or stew that had been quickly put together in the morning and then it spent the day slowly cooking until we returned home from work. Wonderful aromas met us at the door in the evening! Well, it can be the same today, only easier because they now come with the wonderful removable inserts, and there are so many styles and price ranges to choose from. Luckily for us there are also many more recipes available to use with the slow cooker. I found this recipe for Chicken Cacciatore in a Betty Crocker recipe booklet and adapted it slightly to use less onion, but more tomato. It call for a whole chicken, cut up, but you may sub chicken pieces that you prefer, such as all thighs, etc.

Chicken Cacciatore - Slow Cooker style

3- 3 1/2 lb. chicken, cut up and skin removed

1/2 cup flour

2 T. vegetable oil

1 medium green bell pepper, cut in strips

1 medium onion, chopped

1 large can diced tomatoes, about 28 ounces, undrained

1 can, 4 ounces, sliced mushrooms, drained

1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano, or 1/2 tea. dried

1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil, or 1/2 tea. dried

1/2 tea. salt

1/4 tea. pepper

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

grated Parmesan cheese, if desired

8 ounces cooked pasta ( I used a whole grain thin spaghetti that had 6 grams of fiber)

Be sure to remove skin from chicken pieces. Coat chicken with flour; heat oil in 12 in. skillet over med.- high heat. Brown chicken in oil for 15- 20 min.until brown on all sides; drain on paper towels. Place chicken in slow cooker. Mix together onions, bell pepper, mushrooms, garlic, tomatoes and seasonings and pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low for 4 - 6 hours or until juice of chicken is no longer pink. Serve over pasta with cheese, if desired. It needed a little more seasoning but other wise it is a very tasty and budget friendly meal. My husband really liked it and said it was a "keeper"!
NOTE: Some slow cookers cook faster than others, so this dish could be done in 3 1/2 hours, depending on individual cookers.