Chicken Cacciatore

I originally got this recipe from my friend Janie. It's a little more complicated than many slow cooker recipes - more prep work - but it's well worth the effort.

½ c flour
3 lbs. chicken pieces (*I use boneless skinless chicken breasts)¼ c oil
½ c onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 6-oz. can tomato paste
1 c apple juice
pinch of salt
½ t pepper
1 ½ c chicken stock
1 bay leaf
½ t thyme
1 c fresh mushrooms, quartered or 1 6-oz. can, drained
1 12-oz. pkg. linguine, cooked and drained


On a plate, coat chicken pieces with flour. In a skillet, heat oil. Add chicken in batches and brown on all sides. Transfer to slow cooker. Sauté onions and garlic in remaining oil and transfer to slow cooker. Add juice, salt, pepper, chicken stock, bay leaf, thyme, to chicken mixture. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours, until juices run clear when chicken is pierced with a fork. During the final 30 minutes add mushrooms. Cook linguine. Serve chicken and sauce over hot buttered pasta.