Name: Slow Cooker Hunters Chicken
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 2 h
Total time: 2 h
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 cup (240ml) tomato sauce ((= passata)); 2 tbsp tomato paste; 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar; 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (or dark soy sauce); 2 tsp liquid smoke ((optional)); 1 tsp yellow mustard ((English or American)); 2 ½ tbsp light brown sugar or sweetener; 2 tsp sweet paprika; 1 tsp garlic powder; ½ tsp sea salt; 4 large chicken breasts (, skinless and boneless); Salt and freshly ground pepper to season; 8 strips streaky smoked bacon (or back bacon); 4 tbsp grated strong cheddar cheese (or as much as you like!); 4 tbsp shredded Mozzarella (or as much as you like!); fresh parsley (to garnish)

If your mouth isn’t watering already I guarantee it WILL be when you make this recipe. A fuss-free slow cooker chicken recipe that’s Slimming World friendly and kid approved – what’s not to love?

Slow Cooker Hunters Chicken

I have been using my slow cooker more than ever before. My husband is currently working from home, using our kitchen as his “home office”. This means I have to make myself scarce whenever there’s a Zoom meeting (every five minutes, it feels like). Anyone else in the same boat?

Anyway, since I can’t be cooking while he is video conferencing I have started making most of our meals in the slow cooker. Hunters chicken is a family favourite and lucky for everyone it is a doddle to make in a CrockPot.

By the way, this is the British version of Hunter’s Chicken – not to be confused with the French (Chicken Chausser) or the Italian (Chicken Cacciatore). It resembles Chicken New Yorker more than anything else! It is a very simple recipe which combines chicken, bacon, BBQ sauce AND cheese. I mean, seriously, it’s so yummy!

Three chicken breasts topped with grilled cheese baked in barbecue sauce

Homemade Barbecue Sauce

Most Hunter’s Chicken recipes use store-bought BBQ sauce. My Hunter’s Chicken recipe uses a homemade barbecue sauce – that way I can control the taste and ingredients and make this recipe slimming-friendly.

You don’t have to pre-cook or reduce the sauce, everything cooks together in the slow cooker. Easy peasy!

Here’s What You’ll Need

Chicken breasts – preferably organic.
Bacon – streaky smoked bacon preferably or back bacon with fat removed for a slimming version.
Passata (preferably Passata Rustica which is slightly thicker). Passata is called tomato purée in the US – if you can’t find it you can replace with canned crushed fire roasted tomatoes.
Concentrated tomato paste
Yellow mustard (English or American)
Brown Sugar or Sukrin Gold / Bocha Sweet sweetener
Worcestershire Sauce or dark soy sauce
Apple cider vinegar or wine vinegar
Liquid smoke (adds a lovely depth to the barbecue sauce but is optional)
Sweet paprika, garlic powder, salt and freshly ground pepper
Cheddar and shredded mozzarella cheese (the kind used to top pizza)

How to Make Hunters Chicken in the Slow Cooker

Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and wrap them in streaky bacon (or back bacon for a slimming version). You can secure the bacon with toothpicks if you like – I don’t usually bother!

Add all the barbecue sauce ingredients to the slow cooker and stir to combine. You don’t need to add any liquid – the chicken breasts will release some juices while they cook.

Ingredients for homemade barbecue sauce in a slow cooker

Place the chicken in the slow cooker and then flip over so it is coated in the sauce. Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 1/2 – 3 hours. I found my chicken was ready after just over two hours – the best way to check if it is cooked properly is to check with a digital thermometer.

Bacon wrapped chicken breasts in BBQ sauce in a crockpot

Transfer the sauce and chicken to an ovenproof dish. Add the cheddar and mozzarella cheese and preheat your oven grill (broiler) to high.

Hunters chicken topped with grated cheese ready for the oven

Place under the grill a few minutes, or until the cheese has melted and is golden and bubbly.

Oven-Baked Hunters Chicken

Combine the sauce ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes, or until slightly reduced. Transfer the sauce to an ovenproof dish.

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Season and wrap the chicken in the bacon then place in the prepared dish, flipping over so chicken is covered in the sauce. Cook for 30-40 minutes or until the chicken is cooked (it should read 75°C /165ºF when checked with a digital thermometer).

Sprinkle with the cheese then place under a hot grill (broiler) for 2-3 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.

Close up on Hunters Chicken in barbecue sauce

Serving Suggestions

This delicious chicken dish is packed with so much flavour! Serve it with a green salad and steamed veggies if you are watching your diet or with mashed potatoes, baked potatoes or even rice.

This recipe is Slimming World and Weight Watchers friendly provided you use lean back bacon with the fat removed and a suitable sweetener instead of sugar. I recommend Sukrin Gold or Bocha Sweet – both can be used the same way as sugar, are suitable for low carb/keto diets and have no aftertaste.

Hunter chicken on a plate with a side of green beans

Frequently Asked Questions

CAN I USE FROZEN CHICKEN BREASTS? Frozen chicken / meat is not suitable for the slow cooker as it would take a long time to come to cooking temperature. You can use defrosted chicken breasts.

CAN I DOUBLE THIS RECIPE? This recipe has enough sauce for at least six large chicken breasts so you could cook up to six without altering the sauce quantities.