Slow Cooker Chicken Provençal

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Slow Cooker Chicken Provençal is an easy Mediterranean inspired chicken dish. It brings together tender chicken breasts, peppers, cherry tomatoes and olives in a rich tomato and herb sauce.

It’s full of the flavours I love in Provençal cooking – garlic, tomatoes, peppers, olives and Herbes de Provence. It is a lovely make ahead dinner for busy weekdays or a relaxed weekend meal.

I used to make this recipe with rice cooked in the slow cooker, but I much prefer this simpler version. Passata makes a lovely rich sauce, while fresh cherry tomatoes add sweetness and texture. A little white wine vinegar adds just enough acidity to balance the tomatoes without needing to open a bottle of wine.

Serve with green beans and my Garlic and Herb Twist Bread for mopping up all that delicious tomato sauce.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Easy to prepare – just a little chopping and browning, then let the slow cooker do the work.
• Chicken breasts stay tender as they cook gently in the tomato sauce.
• Packed with sunny Mediterranean flavour from garlic, tomatoes, olives and herbs.
• No wine is needed – just a little white wine vinegar to balance the sauce.
• Perfect for family dinners but good enough for guests too.

Equipment

• A 4 to 6 person slow cooker – I used my 4.7 litre slow cooker.
• A frying pan.

Ingredients

You’ll find the full quantities in the recipe card below, but here’s what you’ll need:

• Onion – red onion for extra sweetness.
  
• Garlic – finely sliced cloves for a mild, sweeter flavour instead of a more pungent taste from crushing.
  
• Tomato purée – for a richer, deeper flavour.
  
• Chicken – I used whole chicken breasts, but you can use chicken thighs if you prefer.
• Dried herbs – Herbes de Provence and bay leaves.
  spice – fennel seeds to add a warm, aromatic flavour that balances the salty olives, acidic tomatoes and garlic.
  
• Anchovies – add a deep, savoury umami flavour that enhances the richness of the sauce without making it taste fishy. They melt completely during cooking.
  
• Passata and cherry tomatoes – passata makes a lovely rich base for the sauce. It works particularly well in the slow cooker because it doesn’t need reducing. Fresh cherry tomatoes add sweetness and texture as they soften into the sauce.
  
• Peppers – fresh red bell peppers.
  white wine vinegar – adds acidity and balances the sweetness of the tomatoes and peppers. I use 4 tablespoons, which gives the finished sauce a lovely tang without needing to add wine.
  
• Olives – I’ve used black but green olives work well too.
  
• Fresh herbs – parsley for freshness.

How to Make Slow Cooker Chicken Provençal

This easy slow cooker French chicken is full of the classic Provençal flavours of tomatoes, garlic, peppers, olives and herbs.

• Sauté the onions, then add the garlic, tomato purée and chopped anchovies before transferring to the slow cooker.
• Brown the chicken breasts, then place them on top of the onions. If you’re short on time, you can skip browning the chicken.
• Sprinkle over the seasoning and herbs.
• Add the sliced red peppers and cherry tomatoes.

• Pour over the passata and white wine vinegar.

• Cook until the chicken is tender.
• Stir in the olives and freshly chopped parsley.

Top Tips for the Best Slow Cooker Chicken Provençal

• Brown the chicken first – this gives the chicken better colour and adds depth of flavour to the finished sauce.
  
• Sit the chicken on the onions and garlic – place the chicken breasts on top of the softened onions and garlic. This creates a flavourful bed as the chicken cooks. It also keeps the meat surrounded by the sauce and cooking juices.
  
• Avoid overcooking – chicken breasts don’t need all day in the slow cooker. Around 5 to 6 hours on LOW is usually enough to keep them tender and succulent.
• Add the olives and parsley at the end of cooking. Adding them at the end helps retain their fresh flavour rather than them becoming lost during the long cooking time.

Serving suggestions

This is one of those recipes that works with almost anything, depending on what you’ve got to hand. We often have it with:
Green beans
Homemade garlic bread – perfect for mopping up the delicious sauce.
Mashed potatoes
Crusty bread

Storage and Reheating

To store – cool the Chicken Provençal completely, then portion into airtight food safe containers. Chicken Provençal can be kept for up to three days in the fridge or three months in the freezer.
To reheat – reheat in a pan on the hob/stovetop over a medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Check the chicken is piping hot all the way through.
To freeze – this recipe freezes well. Freeze for up to three months, then defrost in the fridge overnight before reheating.

If you enjoy these Mediterranean flavours, try my Roasted Mediterranean Vegetable Lasagne. It’s packed with roasted vegetables and green lentils in a rich tomato sauce.

More slow cooker chicken recipes

If you enjoy easy slow cooker chicken dinners, try my Slow Cooker Chicken Balti. It’s an easy tomato based curry with peppers and warming spices. You might also like my Slow Cooker Chicken Jalfrezi, with chicken, peppers and a spicy, aromatic sauce. You can find plenty more family favourites in my slow cooker recipes collection.

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