Chicken Cacciatore Recipe - Little Sunny Kitchen (2024)

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By: DianaPosted: 6/30/20Updated: 10/25/21

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Classic Italian Chicken Cacciatore cooked in a rich tomato sauce, with bell peppers, mushrooms, and olives. The chicken is braised until it’s fall off the bone tender, and the sauce is so fragrant that it will fill your whole house with beautiful aromas of home-cooked food. Easy family-friendly comfort meal with incredible flavors!

Chicken Cacciatore Recipe - Little Sunny Kitchen (1)

What is Chicken Cacciatore?

Chicken cacciatore means chicken prepared ‘hunter-style’. It’s a dish from Tuscany, Italy and it’s also very popular in the US. Chicken cacciatore is a tomato-based dish, as the chicken is first browned and then braised in either tomato sauce or marinara and vegetables. The dish is often cooked for an hour on a low simmer with dry red wine, with a mix of Italian herbs.

Serve with rustic bread, creamy mashed potatoes, rice, or spaghetti for a hearty meal that the whole family will love!

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How to Make Chicken Cacciatore

It’s an easy to make meal, and all you need to do is prep the ingredients, brown the chicken, then throw everything together in a pot or skillet and slowly cook on a low simmer.

The Ingredients

For the chicken, you will need: Skin-on and bone-in chicken thighs, salt and pepper, and flour.

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And here’s what you’ll need for the sauce:

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  • The mushrooms and carrots are optional, but they add a lot to the flavor so I recommend that you add them.
  • I recommend dry red wine for chicken cacciatore, I used Merlot. But in some versions dry white wine is used, so if you prefer a milder flavor then use white wine instead of red. If you can’t/don’t want to use wine, substitute with chicken broth, unsweetened grape juice, or apple juice. It won’t have the same flavor, obviously, but it will give some flavor and help you deglaze the pan.

The Directions

This is quite simple if you follow the instructions:

  1. Season the chicken pieces and dredge in flour, then brown it and set aside.
  2. Saute the vegetables in olive oil.
  3. Deglaze with red wine and allow to reduce.
  4. Add diced tomatoes and olives.
  5. Add the chicken back in, cover, and simmer on low for 50 minutes stirring occasionally or until the chicken is cooked. Finish off with grated parmesan cheese if desired, and serve warm.
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Here’s what you’ll end up with:

  • Seriously juicy chicken infused with Mediterranean flavors.
  • The chicken isn’t fully submerged in sauce, so the skin stays nice and crispy.
  • Fall off the bone tender chicken as it’s braised on a low simmer for almost an hour.
  • Insanely delicious sauce with the best flavors ever. Herbs, mushrooms, olives, tomato, bell peppers, and juicy chicken. What’s there not to love?
  • The sauce is spicy, not too hot, just spicy enough. The red pepper flakes are optional but I love adding them to the sauce.
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What to Serve Chicken Cacciatore With

I like to keep things simple, and serve chicken cacciatore with crusty bread or breadsticks on the side. It makes a complete meal. But you can also serve it with one of these simple sides:

  • Creamy mashed potatoes
  • Garlic butter noodles
  • Plain white rice
  • Cauliflower rice
  • Zucchini noodles

Storing Tips

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.

For tomato-based dishes like this, I don’t recommend using a cast iron skillet or pot because I found that cooking tomato dishes for long in cast iron results in an unpleasant metallic taste.

So I use my stainless steel pan instead. It’s a great pan and I use it all the time, plenty of surface area, cooks very evenly and I love the helper handle.

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Try this easy chicken dinner, and I’m sure you will love this recipe! It will definitely become a family favorite. Also make sure to check out my baked chicken and rice, an amazing family-friendly meal that’s made in one pan.

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

Recipe

Chicken Cacciatore Recipe - Little Sunny Kitchen (8)

5 from 22 votes(Click stars to rate!)

Chicken Cacciatore

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 50 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr

Author: Diana

Print Rate Recipe

Classic Italian chicken cacciatore cooked in a rich tomato sauce, with bell peppers, mushrooms, and olives. The chicken is braised until it's fall off the bone tender, and the sauce is so fragrant that it will fill your whole house with beautiful aromas of home-cooked food. Easy family-friendly comfort meal with incredible flavors!

6 servings

Classic Italian chicken cacciatore cooked in a rich tomato sauce, with bell peppers, mushrooms, and olives. The chicken is braised until it's fall off the bone tender, and the sauce is so fragrant that it will fill your whole house with beautiful aromas of home-cooked food. Easy family-friendly comfort meal with incredible flavors!

Recipe Video

Ingredients

  • 6 chicken thighs bone-in, skin-on
  • 1 teaspoon salt divided
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper divided
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 1 carrot sliced into ⅕ inch slices
  • 5 ounces (2 cups) 140g mushrooms sliced into ¼ inch slices
  • 6 medium cloves garlic minced
  • 1 red bell pepper sliced into strips
  • 1 yellow bell pepper sliced into strips
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • ½ teaspoon dried basil
  • ½ cup (120ml) dry red wine See Note 4 for substitution
  • 28oz (800g) diced tomatoes
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional
  • ½ cup black olives pitted

Instructions

  • Season chicken with salt and pepper, dredge in flour shake off any excess.

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  • In a heavy-bottomed skillet, heat olive oil on medium heat. And brown the chicken starting skin side down. When the chicken is golden, remove from the skillet and set aside.

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  • Saute the onion, add the carrot and mushrooms, and cook together until the onion is soft and translucent (3-4 minutes). Then add the bell peppers, garlic, and the herbs and cook for 3 more minutes.

    Chicken Cacciatore Recipe - Little Sunny Kitchen (11)

  • Add the red wine, and deglaze the pan by scraping off any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Allow the wine to reduce (about 2 minutes), then add the tomato paste and diced tomatoes. Add the olives, then season with salt and pepper, and add crushed red pepper flakes if using.

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  • Return the chicken to the skillet, cover with the lid, and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 50 minutes while stirring every 15 minutes, or until the chicken has cooked through.

    Chicken Cacciatore Recipe - Little Sunny Kitchen (13)

  • Have a taste and adjust seasonings to your preference. Serve hot with bread, pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes.

    Chicken Cacciatore Recipe - Little Sunny Kitchen (14)

Notes:

  1. I don’t recommend using a cast-iron skillet for this dish, as I found that tomato-based dishes start getting a metallic taste if they are cooked in cast iron for long. I use my stainless steel skillet.
  2. Sometimes I add chopped celery with the carrots, so you can certainly do that.
  3. Use any type of mushrooms that you have available such as button mushrooms, chestnut/cremini/baby bella, or shiitake.
  4. If you don’t want to use wine, substitute with unsweetened grape or apple juice or chicken broth. It won’t give the same flavor as wine, but it will add flavor and help you deglaze the pan.
  5. If you’re using extra large chicken thighs, increase the cooking time by 10 minutes.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 445kcal, Carbohydrates: 28g, Protein: 24g, Fat: 26g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 111mg, Sodium: 908mg, Potassium: 981mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 2957IU, Vitamin C: 79mg, Calcium: 90mg, Iron: 4mg

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.

© Little Sunny Kitchen

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Reader Interactions

Leave a Review!

  1. DENISE HURST says

    Chicken Cacciatore Recipe - Little Sunny Kitchen (21)
    I have made this recipe before and it is delicious; as a matter of fact anything Italian tastes delicious, yummy.

    Reply

    • Little Sunny Kitchen says

      I agree, Italian food is definitely some of the best in the world. So glad you like this recipe!

      Reply

Older Comments123

Chicken Cacciatore Recipe - Little Sunny Kitchen (2024)

FAQs

Which wine is better for chicken cacciatore? ›

Pinot Grigio: A light and crisp Pinot Grigio can be a versatile choice. It has flavors of citrus, green apple, and pear, which can complement the flavors in chicken cacciatore without overpowering them. Viognier: If you prefer a white wine with a touch of sweetness, Viognier can be a good option.

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.

What is traditionally served with chicken cacciatore? ›

Chicken Cacciatore is often served with a rustic bread, pasta, rice, my Easy Roasted Parmesan Potatoes are great wth it too or even some creamy polenta. It is one of those chicken dishes that go with just about anything.

Is chicken cacciatore better with red or white wine? ›

The best wine you can have with Chicken cacciatore is Pinot noir, a light red wine. I am just a wine enthusiast and no expert. I always experiment with variations of red wine when it comes to tomato-based sauce or if it's red meat, which usually complements well together.

What is a substitute for white wine in chicken cacciatore? ›

Broth. Chicken or vegetable broth is a great white wine substitute, as it adds both liquid and flavor. If using a store-bought broth, opt for low-sodium or no sodium so that you don't throw off the salt content of the dish.

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.

Do you cook chicken cacciatore 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.

What does Cacciatore mean in English? ›

Translation of cacciatore – Italian–English dictionary

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

Is chicken cacciatore better the next day? ›

Make Ahead Instructions: 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 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.

What is another name for chicken cacciatore? ›

Chicken Cacciatore, also known as Hunter's Chicken, is a classic Italian dish that's packed with rich, bold flavors.

Can I skip red wine in a recipe? ›

Beef or chicken broth: This will add a rich, savory flavor to your dish, and can be a good substitute for red wine in recipes that call for it to be used as a braising liquid. Fruit juice: cranberry or grape juice work well, it will add sweetness, acidity and a similar taste to red wine.

Can I use balsamic vinegar instead of red wine? ›

However, balsamic vinegar has a richer and more complex flavor, and it is less acidic. Most vinegar has a tartness, but both red wine and balsamic vinegar are balanced with sweetness, making one a suitable substitute for the other in equal amounts. What's more, the flavor distinctions are not very noticeable.

Can I leave red wine out of a recipe? ›

No problem. Stock or bouillon will work fine in its place. A few drops of lemon juice or tomato sauce (depending on whether any is called for in the recipe) will add the needed acidity, she said. “Lemon can really brighten things up,” Epstein said.

Which wine is best for chicken? ›

A simple roasted chicken, for example, pairs equally well with a full-flavored red, a medium-bodied rosé, or a dry white. Also, an oaked Chardonnay or a Pinot Noir will be great. If you have a dark, savory gravy, go for a medium-bodied red like a Côtes du Rhône.

What wine to use for cooking chicken? ›

Have a go-to. Both sauvignon blanc and chardonnay are good bets when reaching for a cooking wine. Sauvignon blanc is crisper, while chardonnay more full-bodied, but when using them as ingredients, their subtleties aren't as pronounced.

What wine is best for chicken meal? ›

Dark Meat – As a general rule, white meat such as chicken or turkey breast pairs well with white wines like Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay, while dark meat like duck and other game go well with medium-bodied red wines such as Pinot Noir or Zinfandel.

What wine tastes best with chicken? ›

Because of the char and smoky flavors that infuse the meat, you can go for wines that have seen some new oak, including Chardonnays and some California Pinot Noirs. If the chicken is rubbed with lots of herbs — like rosemary and thyme — rosé or lightly chilled, juicy Spanish Garnacha is a good bet.

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