I’m a big fan of fast and easy meal ideas, especially ones made from all natural ingredients. My husband is a fan of pastas and Italian food, and this recipe is a winner with both of us! The main part of this recipe can be prepared in a slow cooker early in the day and the cabbage “pasta” can be made in minutes for a fast dinner on busy nights.
What’s in Chicken Cacciatore?
Chicken cacciatore is an Italian chicken dish that is served in a tomato sauce with Italian herbs, garlic, onions, mushrooms, and bell pepper. It is usually served over pasta, but since we don’t really eat pasta, shredded and sautéed cabbage makes an excellent (and more nutritious) substitute.
It may sound strange to use cabbage for noodles, but it is great, especially in this recipe. I love that the kids get extra vegetables, and they enjoy the “pasta” without the need for grain-based noodles. If you aren’t a cabbage fan, you can use a spiralizer to make noodles out of zucchini or another vegetable.
Stovetop, Slow Cooker, or Instant Pot Options
There are a variety of cooking options available for cooking this dish, and the one I choose mostly depends on our schedule for the day.
To cook chicken cacciatore on the stove, simply brown the chicken, sauté the vegetables, and let it all simmer in the tomato sauce for about 30 minutes until it is cooked through.
For the slow cooker, toss everything in except the mushrooms and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 2-4 hours. Toss the mushrooms in for the last 30 minutes of cooking.
In the Instant Pot, use the Sauté function to sauté the vegetables and chicken, add the tomatoes, tomato sauce and paste, and spices and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes before a 10 minute natural pressure release. (Here’s why I love this option so much.)
Bulk/Freezer Meal Tip
This recipe is a great option for batch cooking. You can easily double the recipe and put half of it, uncooked, in a freezer container for an easy meal another day. Just thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then cook in the slow cooker or Instant Pot the next day. If you choose to do this in the Instant Pot, just skip the sauté step and go directly to pressure cooking.
Chicken Cacciatore Recipe (Over Cabbage Noodles)
Servings
Ingredients
- 2 onions
- 2 bell peppers
- 3 cloves garlic
- 4 boneless chicken breasts
- 32 oz diced tomatoes
- 8 oz tomato sauce
- 6 oz tomato paste
- 1 tsp basil,
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1 tsp rosemary
- 1 tsp oregano
- 2 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 8 oz fresh mushrooms
- ¼ cup coconut oil
- 1 head cabbage
Instructions
- Slice the onions and bell peppers and mince the garlic.
- If using a slow cooker or Instant Pot, add the vegetables to it.
- Dice the chicken and add it to the vegetables.
- If using a slow cooker, skip to the next step. If using an Instant Pot or the stove top, add 1 tablespoon of coconut or olive oil and saute until the chicken is browned.
- In a medium size bowl, mix together the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, spices, salt, and pepper and pour over the chicken and vegetables.
- Cook on low for 6-8 hours in the slow cooker, simmer over medium low heat on the stove for 30 minutes, or cook on high pressure for 10 minutes in the Instant Pot, with a 10 minute natural pressure release.
- Toss the mushrooms in for the last 30 minutes of slow cooker cooking, or a few minutes on the stove or saute setting of the Instant Pot.
- 10 minutes before the chicken is done, heat the coconut oil or butter in a skillet.
- Very thinly slice the cabbage and saute until soft.
- Serve the chicken mixture on top of the cabbage “noodles.”
Nutrition
Notes
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What is your go-to easy meal idea for busy nights? Share below!
Would browning the chicken and cooking for 10 minutes in the instantpot over cook the chicken?
Great recipe! Try it with spaghetti squash!
My whole family ate this! That almost never happens 😀
What can i use in place of the cabbage for noodles (besides pasta & rice too)? I tried this & the cabbage caused my stomache bloating & lots of noise. I have hashimotos so my stomache is a bit sensitive.
I am interested in the menus for leaky gut.
I am sauteeing the cabbage right now, and the chicken cacciatore is ready in the crockpot. Thank you for posting this. It smells delicious and I”m sure it will be great!
I don’t know if you are aware of this but alot of your recipes are Ketogenic approved! and for that I thank you!!!!!!! 🙂 I found your site by chance and I am so glad I did!!
Heidi
I baked this today in the oven; and sauteed the cabbage noodles in coconut oil — what a great idea! — Excellent!
How long did you bake and at what temp? I would like to make and freeze before cooking so baking would be perfect.
Thanks
What temp do you use if cooking in the oven?
I’ve tried spaghetti squash noodles which were pretty good but I’ve never even heard of using cabbage as noodles. Pretty cool idea… I’ll definitely have to check it out soon 🙂
AWESOME!!! Even the kids loved it!!
Have you ever tried Shirataki noodles?
what do you do with the coconut oil
Sorry… it is used to cook the cabbage in and added to the crock pot as well…
Growing up we always made this with bell peppers and diced tomatoes only and did it all in a large frying pan so it only took an hour or so. As an adult I’ve also added in carrots, black olives, chick peas, and summer squash.
sounds yummy, I can’t wait to try…..
I love using Cauliflower for mashed potatoes or fried rice, and zucchini for “noodles” what other tricks do you have to subsitute starches?
YUM! I pinned for later! 🙂