Also known as Chicken Cacciatore (in Italian, cacciatore means “hunter”), traditional Hunter’s Chicken is a braised chicken with tomatoes, onions, and herbs. Thanks to modern-day slow cookers, you don’t have to tend to your chicken all day—yay! I like to use a whole bird for this recipe, but you can use a cut-up chicken if you prefer. Either way, I like to transfer it to a sheet pan after it cooks, cut it into pieces, and broil it in the oven to brown the skin. It’s an extra step, but well worth the amazing flavor it provides. Also, on those nights you’re feeling Martha-y (or Emeril-y, as the case may be), you can transfer some of the liquid from the slow cooker to a pan, add arrowroot starch to thicken it, and simmer. Delicioso!
4-5 pounds (2268 g) chicken, whole or cut up
Sea salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 cups (480 ml) cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced (about an 8-ounce package)
1 shallot, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup white wine
2 cups (480 ml) chicken broth
2 cups (480 ml) chopped tomatoes (about 6 romas)
1 tsp (5 ml) chopped fresh tarragon (or ½ tsp dried)
1 TBSP (15 ml) chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
Serves 4
Season the chicken with sea salt and pepper, and place it in a slow cooker.
Add the mushrooms, shallot, garlic, white wine, chicken broth, tomatoes, tarragon, and parsley to the slow cooker.
Cook the chicken on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 5-6 hours.
You can also cut the chicken into manageable pieces, and place it on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Broil it for 5-6 minutes or until the skin has browned.
Serve with additional chopped parsley.
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Slow Cooker Hunter's Chicken is rustic French comfort with zero fuss. Chicken braises with cremini mushrooms, shallot, garlic, white wine, tomatoes, and fresh tarragon until the meat is tender and the broth tastes like it simmered all day — which, thanks to the slow cooker, it did.
Pro Tips
- Thinly sliced cremini mushrooms release their earthy flavour into the broth as they braise — they're what gives the sauce its hunter-style depth.
- Use fresh tarragon if you can find it; its gentle anise note is the signature of this dish. Dried works at half the quantity.
- For crisp skin at the end, cut the chicken into pieces and broil on a parchment-lined sheet for 5–6 minutes until browned — slow-cooker chicken skin stays soft otherwise.
- Chopped fresh tomatoes (about 6 romas) give a brighter sauce than canned; add a little extra salt to help them break down into the broth.
- Serve with plenty of the braising broth spooned over — it's essentially an instant hunter's sauce, needing no finishing beyond fresh parsley.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use chicken pieces instead of a whole chicken?
Yes, a cut-up chicken works perfectly and even cooks a little more evenly. Keep the same vegetables, wine, and broth proportions.
What wine works for Hunter's Chicken?
A dry white wine like sauvignon blanc or pinot gris — something you'd drink. It brightens the mushroom broth beautifully as the chicken braises.
Is this recipe paleo?
Completely: chicken, mushrooms, shallot, garlic, white wine, broth, tomatoes, and fresh herbs. No flour, dairy, or refined ingredients.
How do I make the skin crispy?
The optional broil at the end is the only way — 5–6 minutes on a parchment-lined sheet pan until the skin browns and crisps right up.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Method
- Serves 4 Season the chicken with sea salt and pepper, and place it in a slow cooker.
- Add the mushrooms, shallot, garlic, white wine, chicken broth, tomatoes, tarragon, and parsley to the slow cooker.
- Cook the chicken on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 5-6 hours. You can also cut the chicken into manageable pieces, and place it on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Broil it for 5-6 minutes or until the skin has browned.
- Serve with additional chopped parsley.
