Easy Chicken Cacciatore - A Classic Italian Recipe! (2024)

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Katerina

4.73 from 11 votes

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This is the quickest and easiest Chicken Cacciatore recipe around! Full of all of the flavor you love, cooked in one pot, and on your table in less than an hour. Your house will fill with the aroma of dry white wine, garlic, onions, and fresh herbs – and your family will be eagerly waiting at the table for dinner!

Easy Chicken Cacciatore - A Classic Italian Recipe! (2)

Easy Homemade Chicken Cacciatore

Italian food is kind of my Achilles heel. It might be all of the flavorful fresh herbs. Or the wine. Oh, who am I kidding, it’s the pasta! We all knew it was the pasta!

But, not all Italian dishes are pasta dishes. My chicken cacciatore is a rich and hearty tomato based chicken stew that’s full of veggies, dry wine, and fresh herbs – in other words, it packs a serious flavor punch!

This is a quick and easy chicken cacciatore recipe that does not skimp on the flavor. And, bonus – you can serve it over your favorite pasta! Happy dance time!

What is Chicken Cacciatore?

Chicken cacciatore is a traditional Italian dish. You may see it referred to in some places as “Hunter’s Stew”. You’ll find that my recipe includes tomato paste, but that isn’t a must. The original versions of this recipe were more of a brown, meat based sauce. The flavor is best described as rich and deep with lots of aromatics added by the onions, garlic, wine, and fresh herbs.

Classic chicken cacciatore was also typically cooked for a very long time. So long, in fact, that the chicken would fall off of the bone. This makes it a great recipe for slow cooking or crock pots.

Easy Chicken Cacciatore - A Classic Italian Recipe! (3)

Recipe Ingredients

This recipe is packed with fresh veggies and Italian flavors.

Here’s what you’ll need:

  • olive oil
  • bone-in chicken thighs
  • chicken legs
  • salt and fresh ground pepper
  • yellow onion
  • carrot
  • sliced mushrooms
  • green bell pepper
  • yellow bell pepper
  • garlic
  • tomato paste
  • dry white wine
  • diced tomatoes
  • tomato sauce
  • sugar
  • dried oregano and dried basil
  • black olives
  • fresh chopped parsley

How to Make Chicken Cacciatore

  1. Heat: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large cast iron skillet, heavy bottomed skillet, or a dutch oven.
  2. Season: Season chicken pieces on all sides with salt and pepper.
  3. Add: Add the chicken pieces to the hot oil and cook them for 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until they’re just browned. Remove them from the skillet and set them aside.
  4. Saute: Add remaining olive oil to the skillet. Stir in the onions, carrots, mushrooms, peppers, and garlic. Cook the veggies for 4 minutes, or until they are just tender.
  5. Stir in: Stir in the tomato paste. Continue to stir until everything is combined.
  6. Add: Add wine and stir around, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
  7. Cook: Cook everything until the wine is reduced.
  8. Add: Add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and sugar. Stir to combine.
  9. Adjust Seasoning: Season with oregano and basil. Taste for salt and pepper and add more if needed.
  10. Continue Cooking: Return the chicken pieces to the skillet. Lower the heat to a simmer – about medium-low – cover and cook for 15 minutes.
  11. Add: Remove the cover. Add in the olives. Cover and continue to cook for 5 more minutes.
  12. Serve: Remove pot from the heat. Garnish with parsley and serve.

Easy Chicken Cacciatore - A Classic Italian Recipe! (4)

Tips for the Best Cacciatore

Follow these simple tips for the quickest and easiest chicken cacciatore:

  • I prefer to use bone-in chicken thighs and chicken legs. Keeping the bone in adds fat and a really nice richness to the sauce. You can opt to use skin on or skinless, whichever you prefer. You can also use any other chicken pieces as long as they are bone-in.
  • If you like your food with a bit of a kick, you can add in a teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes. I don’t do this when I’m making it for my kids but it does add a nice touch.
  • If you don’t have a can of tomato paste, you can go ahead without it. This will change the flavor and texture of the sauce a bit, but it will still have rich, deep flavors.

Serving Suggestions

  • Chicken cacciatore is basically a one pot meal. It’s got everything you could ask for: big flavor, protein, and loads of veggies. The only thing missing is a starch. My go-to is to serve my chicken cacciatore over rice. It’s also great over pasta or egg noodles. If you’re looking for a lower carb option, you can serve it over zucchini noodles.
  • The flavor of potatoes is great with chicken cacciatore. I really like serving herb roasted potatoes on the side or a nice cauliflower mash. Both soak up that yummy sauce and add to the flavor.
  • And don’t forget a big loaf of hearty, crusty bread. This sauce is so good if you don’t have bread to sop it up you might be tempted to lick your plate.
  • You could also simply serve your chicken cacciatore with a large family style salad.

Easy Chicken Cacciatore - A Classic Italian Recipe! (5)

How to Store Leftovers

I kind of think this meal tastes better as leftovers. I swear the flavors just get better and better the longer they mesh together.

  • To store your leftover chicken cacciatore, let it cool completely and then place your chicken pieces in an airtight container. Top the chicken pieces with that yummy sauce and veggies and place the container in the refrigerator. It will keep for about 3 days.

More Italian Chicken Recipes

  • Chicken Breasts in Tomato Sauce
  • Saucy Spinach and Cottage Cheese Stuffed Chicken
  • One Dish Chicken Bake

ENJOY!

Easy Chicken Cacciatore - A Classic Italian Recipe! (6)

Chicken Cacciatore

Katerina | Diethood

This is the quickest and easiest Chicken Cacciatore recipe around! Full of all of the flavor you love, cooked in one pot, and on your table in less than an hour.

4.73 from 11 votes

Rate this Recipe!

Servings : 4

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 4 bone-in chicken thighs
  • 2 chicken legs
  • salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
  • 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 large carrot, thinly sliced into coins
  • 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
  • 1 small green bell pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1 small yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • ½ cup dry white wine
  • 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
  • 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon dried basil
  • 10 large black olives, pitted, optional
  • fresh chopped parsley, for garnish

Instructions

  • Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.

  • Season chicken on all sides with salt and pepper.

  • Add chicken pieces to the hot oil and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until just browned. Remove from skillet and set aside.

  • Add remaining olive oil to the skillet.

  • Stir in onions, carrots, mushrooms, peppers, and garlic; cook for 4 minutes, or until veggies are just tender.

  • Stir in tomato paste; stir until combined.

  • Add wine; stir around, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.

  • Cook until wine is reduced; about 2 minutes.

  • Add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and sugar; stir to combine.

  • Season with oregano and basil. Taste for salt and pepper and add more if needed.

  • Return chicken pieces to the skillet; lower heat to a simmer - about medium-low - cover and cook for 15 minutes.

  • Remove cover; add in olives; cover and continue to cook for 5 more minutes.

  • Remove from heat.

  • Garnish with parsley and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 474 kcal | Carbohydrates: 23 g | Protein: 35 g | Fat: 26 g | Saturated Fat: 5 g | Cholesterol: 157 mg | Sodium: 665 mg | Potassium: 1254 mg | Fiber: 5 g | Sugar: 13 g | Vitamin A: 3285 IU | Vitamin C: 99 mg | Calcium: 89 mg | Iron: 4 mg

Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: chicken thighs recipe, easy chicken cacciatore recipe, gluten free chicken recipes, italian food

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Categories:

  • Chicken Recipes
  • Dinner Recipes
  • One Pot Meals
  • Recipes
Easy Chicken Cacciatore - A Classic Italian Recipe! (2024)

FAQs

What is chicken cacciatore sauce made of? ›

Aside from the chicken, the basic ingredients in chicken cacciatore are: onions, herbs, tomatoes and sometimes mushrooms. Some variations will call for carrots and celery, while others call for bell peppers or other vegetables. Some even flavor the tomato sauce with anchovies, which I haven't tried yet.

Do you cook chicken cacciatore with the skin on or off? ›

Keeping the chicken skin on and the bones in gives this dish extra flavor. But remember, the chicken thighs will cook a bit faster than the breasts so make sure to take them out of the simmering sauce after about 20 minutes. The breasts will need another 10 minutes or so to cook through.

How do you thicken Cacciatore sauce? ›

You could also add a cornstarch slurry to thicken your sauce. Remove your chicken, and whisk together 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water and 1 tablespoon of your sauce. Then, stir this mixture into the slow cooker and let simmer until thickened.

What does cacciatore mean in Italian? ›

Translation of cacciatore – Italian–English dictionary

hunter [noun] a person who hunts. huntsman [noun] a hunter.

Why use Roma tomatoes for sauce? ›

Making delicious, hearty tomato sauce is an art form. Though you could use any tomato, Roma and other paste tomatoes — with meaty texture with little to no seeds — are said to develop the best flavor when cooked down into a delicious sauce.

Is chicken cacciatore better the next day? ›

Make Ahead, Storage, and Freezing instructions

To Make Ahead: Chicken Cacciatore can be prepared a day ahead, as the taste and flavors get stronger, and taste even better. We prepared it on Saturday afternoon, refrigerate overnight and reheated it to share on Sunday for lunch.

What is the difference between chicken cacciatore and chicken chasseur? ›

January 21, 2014, 6:00 p.m. This classic chicken dish never seems to go out of style. In France it is called chicken chasseur, in Italy, chicken cacciatore. Both versions usually contain mushrooms and tomatoes, but Italians often add sweet peppers, while the French like a touch of tarragon.

How long does chicken cacciatore last in the fridge? ›

Storage: This chicken cacciatore can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for four to five days. Freezer: Let it cool completely, then seal the chicken and sauce in a freezer bag or airtight container for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, place in the fridge overnight to thaw before reheating.

Does butter thicken sauce? ›

Butter does not provide any thickening to a sauce, since it is made of just fat and water. But a chunk of butter, salted or unsalted, swirled into a sauce at the end, can temporarily emulsify a sauce, while adding richness and sheen, all of which are good things.

What can I use instead of tomato paste to thicken? ›

For every 1 tablespoon of tomato paste needed, use 3 tablespoons of tomato puree or sauce. Add the puree or sauce in place of the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until the puree or sauce has reduced and thickened. You'll have a similar deep, savory flavor.

How do Italians thicken sauce? ›

It's called simmering. And it's something that we've talked about here many times before. The longer you let homemade spaghetti sauce simmer, the thicker it will get. I've let sauce simmer on the stove for up to seven hours before, and it's turned out nice, thick, and delicious every single time.

What do Italians eat with Cacciatore? ›

Tender, succulent chicken pieces are cooked in this robust tomato sauce in this easy Italian classic poultry dish. Serve alongside Garlic Mashed Potatoes, or on a bed of Soft Polenta along with a sautéed green vegetable such as Broccoli Rabe Or Spinach.

What ethnicity is chicken cacciatore? ›

Chicken Cacciatore, or "Pollo alla Cacciatora" in Italian, translates to "hunter's chicken," a name that reveals much about its humble origins. This dish has a rich history that dates back to the Renaissance period in Italy, though its exact origins have been passed on through folklore stories and tradition.

Can you freeze chicken cacciatore? ›

Freeze in a rigid container with lid for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge. To reheat, place in an ovenproof container and cover with foil. Bake at 180°C for 30-40 minutes until thoroughly hot, adding a little more liquid if necessary to prevent drying out.

What's the difference between chicken parmesan and chicken cacciatore? ›

Chicken parmesan uses boneless skinless chicken breasts that are pounded thin and fried crisp before they're smothered in tomato sauce and topped with cheese. Chicken cacciatore is different. It's more like a hearty stew that's made with bone-in chicken.

Why is it called chicken cacciatore? ›

The secret of how it came to be actually comes from its name; in Italian, cacciatore roughly translates to “hunter”, meaning that those who prepared this meal usually hunted the chicken themselves. In their travels, they found other ingredients to pick up along the way that eventually evolved into staples of the dish.

Which leading sauce is a sauce suprême prepared from? ›

Suprême sauce derives from velouté sauce, a “mother sauce” traditionally made from roux (a mixture of butter and flour) and meat stock—in this case, chicken stock or chicken broth. The sauce is reduced with heavy cream or crème fraîche, strained through a fine sieve or strainer, and often finished with lemon juice.

What is made in the pink sauce? ›

Ingredients disclosed on the Pink Sauce website include water, sunflower seed oil, raw honey, distilled vinegar, garlic, pitaya or dragon fruit, pink Himalayan sea salt, dried spices, lemon juice, milk, and citric acid. Others scrutinized the color.

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