You crave the tangy taste of chicken cacciatore, but weeknights don't afford you the opportunity to make it from start to finish without postponing the family dinner until midnight. Fortunately, your craving doesn't have to go unsatisfied. This wine-spiked, slow-cooked dish lends itself well to Crock-Pot cookery. Making chicken cacciatore involves "hunter-style" cooking, meaning that everything stews together in one pot – in this case, your handy Crock-Pot, so well-suited to weeknight dining. The dish simmers all day so you come home to incredibly tender chicken in a hearty tomato sauce. Serve with cooked pasta or rice and a green salad.

If you prefer, you can use a whole chicken for this dish, remembering to remove most of the skin and excess fat and taking care to butcher the chicken into manageable pieces. This recipe, however, offers an easier option: boneless, skinless thighs, which give the stew a rich taste without creating waste or requiring extra work.

Total Time: 6 hours 15 minutes | Prep Time: 15 minutes | Serves: 6

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  
• 1/4 cup flour
  
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
  
• 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
  
• 1 small white onion, chopped
  
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
  
• 1 cup dry white wine  
  
• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
  
• 2 large portobello mushroom caps, chopped
  
• 3 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning 
  
• Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
  
• 6 to 10 fresh basil leaves
  

Directions:

1. Toss the chicken thighs in the flour until lightly coated. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
   
2. In a large, heavy-bottomed skillet, heat the olive oil over high heat. Add the chicken thighs and brown on both sides. Remove and place them in the Crock-Pot.
   
3. Add the bell pepper, onion and garlic to the pan. Sweat for 1 to 2 minutes, then pour in the white wine. Scrape up the browned bits of chicken using a spoon or spatula as the wine simmers and reduces slightly. Add the canned tomatoes with their juices, along with the mushrooms and Italian seasoning.
   
4. Pour the contents of the pan over the chicken in the Crock-Pot. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. 
   
5. Serve over pasta or rice. Tear the fresh basil leaves over the top of the stew for a fresh flavor addition.