The protein cooking time listed in this recipe has been updated.
As of December 2025, we’ve revised cooking times for all our proteins to reflect improved food safety guidance.
Check out the latest recommended times in our Cooking Guidelines.
Chicken Cacciatore with Pesto Fusilli Salad & Mushrooms
Nothing says comfort like chicken cacciatore! Our version stars British free-range chicken thighs, simmered in a warm stew, infused with olives, garlic and bay leaves. On the side, a vibrant pasta salad, with creamy pesto and leafy rocket. The best part? Our chicken cacciatore comes together in the slow cooker, making busy weeknights that much easier. But don't worry: if you don't want to slow cook, you can still cook this recipe on the hob in under 30 mins!
Prep in 10
High protein
7 plants
Low sat fat
Slow Cooker
Serving size
Ingredients
- 20g rocket
- 1 tbsp green pesto (Rapeseed Oil, Broccoli, Spinach, Broad Beans, Basil, Sunflower Seed, Garlic, Salt, Yeast extract powder (Yeast Extract, Salt), Pumpkin Seeds, Porcini Mushrooms, Kale, Golden Linseeds, Citric Acid, White Quinoa, Ascorbic Acid.)
- 120g brown rice fusilli pasta (Soya) (Brown rice flour 100%)
- 10g chicken stock powder (Chicory Extract, Yeast Extract, Natural Flavouring, Salt, Onion Powder, Chicken Stock Powder, Rapeseed Oil.)
- 200g passata (tomatoes, salt, citric acid)
- 1 bay leaf
- 300g British Free Range chicken thighs
- 60g chestnut mushrooms
- 1 pepper
- 1 onion
- 4 garlic clove
- 15g pitted black olives (Olives, Water, Red Wine Vinegar, Sea Salt, Grape Must)
Nutritional Information
Calories: 618
Protein: 40g
Carbs: 62g
Fat: 22g
Ingredients
- 20g rocket (use half)
- 1 tbsp green pesto (use half) (Rapeseed Oil, Broccoli, Spinach, Broad Beans, Basil, Sunflower Seed, Garlic, Salt, Yeast extract powder (Yeast Extract, Salt), Pumpkin Seeds, Porcini Mushrooms, Kale, Golden Linseeds, Citric Acid, White Quinoa, Ascorbic Acid.)
- 120g brown rice fusilli pasta (use half) (Soya) (Brown rice flour 100%)
- 1 bay leaf (use half)
- 10g chicken stock powder (use half) (Chicory Extract, Yeast Extract, Natural Flavouring, Salt, Onion Powder, Chicken Stock Powder, Rapeseed Oil.)
- 200g passata (use half) (tomatoes, salt, citric acid)
- 150g British Free Range chicken thighs
- 60g chestnut mushrooms (use half)
- 1 pepper (use half)
- 1 onion (use half)
- 15g pitted black olives (use half) (Olives, Water, Red Wine Vinegar, Sea Salt, Grape Must)
- 4 garlic clove
Nutritional Information
Calories: 628
Protein: 41g
Carbs: 64g
Fat: 22g
Chicken Cacciatore with Pesto Fusilli Salad & Mushrooms
Nothing says comfort like chicken cacciatore! Our version stars British free-range chicken thighs, simmered in a warm stew, infused with olives, garlic and bay leaves. On the side, a vibrant pasta salad, with creamy pesto and leafy rocket. The best part? Our chicken cacciatore comes together in the slow cooker, making busy weeknights that much easier. But don't worry: if you don't want to slow cook, you can still cook this recipe on the hob in under 30 mins!
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Cooking Instructions
Before you start
- Pull out a large lidded frying pan, a medium saucepan, a slow cooker (if using), a sieve & a measuring jug
Do the prep
- Finely chop or crush the garlic. Finely slice the onion. Thinly slice the pepper, mushrooms and olives
Get cooking
- Heat the large frying pan with 1 tsp oil on high heat. Once hot, lay the chicken thighs flat into the pan and cook for 4 mins per side. Season with salt and pepper
- Add the onion, pepper and mushroom and cook for 3-4 mins, until softening
Time to slow cook
- Add the garlic, olives and bay leaf and cook for a further minute
- Pour in the passata, chicken stock and 150ml water (75ml for 1 person). Bring to a boil, then transfer to your slow cooker. Cook on low for 4-5 hours
- If using the hob, add 100ml water (50ml for 1 person), pop a lid on the pan and simmer the cacciatore for 18-20 mins
Cook the pasta
- Bring the medium saucepan filled with salted water to a boil. Once boiling, add the fusilli and simmer for 10-11 mins, until cooked, then drain and return to the saucepan
Finish & plate up
- Check your chicken is cooked through by inserting a skewer into the thickest part of the meat; the juices should run clear
- Stir the pesto and rocket through the fusilli and season with salt and pepper
- Share the chicken cacciatore between plates, with the pesto pasta salad alongside
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