Crock Pot Italian Chicken

We recently made a big switch to our dinnertime routine that has been awesome in the execution but a little tricky in the transition, at least for me.

We bumped our dinnertime up an hour. Eric and I realized that if we did this, he could eat dinner with the family 5 nights a week instead of 3. It means he leaves a little later in the evenings to head out to work, but since his schedule is so flexible, it works perfectly.

There are still two nights a week when this isn’t possible, but we all love eating dinner as a family, so we’ll take what we can get!
This change has meant I’ve had to adapt my usual cooking habits a bit so that I can make sure dinner is ready to go and on the table at 5:30 each night instead of 6:30.

Fortunately, the “stolen moments” method that I so love makes this a little easier than it would otherwise. But I’m still struggling a little bit because I love routines, and I like being set in my ways! Changes in the schedule like this are always a little difficult for me to cope with. So, I’ve been relying on my crock pot more than usual because it makes the whole new process feel more accessible.

Anyhow…on with the food! This Crock Pot Italian Chicken was so tasty and smelled amazing as it simmered all day. I served it over pasta to make a nice complete, filling dinner. You could also add chicken stock to turn it into the soup if you’d like, which I did with my leftovers for lunch the next day. It’s delicious either way!

Crockpot Italian Chicken

• • 1 T. olive oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 red pepper, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 lb. mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 can diced tomatoes
  • 1 can cannelini beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1/2 c. chicken stock
  • 1 can sliced black olives, drained
  • 2 t. dried oregano
  • 1 t. dried basil
  • 1 t. salt
  • 1 t. black pepper
  • Cooked pasta, optional

Method

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add onions, red pepper, garlic, mushrooms and zucchini. Cook for 5-10 minutes, until onions are translucent and mushrooms are browned. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
2. Pour cooked veggies into a large crock pot. Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4 hours.
3. Before serving, remove chicken and shred or cut into cubes. Stir back into the sauce. Serve over pasta, if desired