The BEST Chicken Cacciatore

The BEST Chicken Cacciatore in a rich and rustic sauce with chicken falling off the bone is simple Italian comfort food at its best!

Authentic Chicken Cacciatore is an Italian classic and makes for an incredible dinner. You’ll never get a more succulent home cooked meal than this recipe! Easy to make and loved by the entire family, Cacciatore aromas fill your entire house with comfort and warmth as it cooks itself on the stove or in the oven!

Cacciatore means hunter in Italian, and alla cacciatora translates to a  ‘hunter-style’ meal with chicken (or rabbit), onions, tomatoes, herbs, vegetables, and usually wine or vinegar.

This is one of those recipes I found years ago in an old, tattered Italian cookbook. Every time I’d remake it through the years, I’d adjust something in it to eventually reach a cacciatore recipe so perfect, it’s one recipe your entire family will look forward too!

How Do You Make Chicken Cacciatore?

This Chicken Cacciatore recipe is an easy throw-together-meal with the most delicious sauce full of incredible flavours!

Simply heat a couple of tablespoons of oil in a skillet and sear chicken thighs until golden. It takes about 3-4 minutes on each side, then you’ll finish them off in the beautiful rustic cacciatore sauce.

What Is Cacciatore Sauce Made Of?

Chicken Cacciatore sauce is a full-flavoured sauce using simple ingredients. Onion and garlic are sautéed in oil in the same skillet with bell peppers, carrots, mushrooms and herbs. I love using brown mushrooms in this cacciatore.

Dry red wine is then added into the skillet and gently simmered to scrape up any browned bits leftover from the chicken in the skillet. Continue cooking until the wine is reduced by at least half.

The result? The most incredible rustic tomato Cacciatore sauce simmering and soaking into juicy chicken thighs until they fall off the bone and melt in your mouth!

Wine Pairing:

• Chianti Classico
• Pinot Noir
• Lambrusco

What is a Good Side Dish for Chicken Cacciatore?

Regular sides for chicken Cacciatore:

• Pasta
• Rice
• Mashed Potatoes

For Low Carb:

• Cauliflower rice
• Zucchini Noodles
• Steamed vegetables
• Salad

If there are any leftovers, the flavors are even better the next day! Or you can freeze it for up to three months in meal prep containers for a ready-made-meal when you need it!

More Recipe Suggestions:

Rustic Ground Beef and Potato Bake

Rustic Mediterranean Chicken and Kale Bowl

Spicy Sesame Butter Chicken

Garlic Butter Chicken with Creamy Parmesan Rice

Stuffed Chicken with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Artichokes

The BEST Chicken Cacciatore

The BEST Chicken Cacciatore in a rich and rustic sauce with chicken falling off the bone, is simple Italian comfort food at its best! Authentic Chicken Cacciatore is an Italian classic, and you'll never get a more succulent home cooked meal than this! Easy to make and loved by the entire family!

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Servings 6 Servings

Equipment

• Large Skillet – cast-iron
• Soup Pot / Dutch Oven
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Garlic Mincer
• Herb Scissors/Chopper

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
• 6 bone-in skinless chicken thighs
• 1 pinch salt to season
• 1 pinch pepper
• 1 medium onion diced
• 2 tablespoons garlic minced or 6 cloves
• 1 small yellow bell pepper diced
• 1 small red bell pepper diced
• 1 large carrot peeled and sliced
• 10 ounces mushrooms sliced
• ½ cup pitted black olives
• 8 sprigs thyme
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley plus more to garnish
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 150 ml red wine
• 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 7 ounces Roma tomatoes halved
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

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Instructions

 

• Season chicken with salt and pepper.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a heavy cast iron skillet or Dutch oven. Sear chicken on both sides until golden, about 3-4 minutes each side. Remove from skillet and set aside.
• Add remaining oil to the pan. Sauté the onion until transparent, about 3-4 minutes. Add in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the peppers, carrot, mushrooms and herbs; cook for 5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
• Pour in the wine, scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Cook until wine is reduced, about 2 minutes.
• Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, Roma tomatoes and chill flakes. Season with salt and pepper to your tastes. Return chicken pieces to the skillet and continue to cook over stove top OR in the oven following the instructions below.

FOR STOVE TOP:

• Mix all of the ingredients together; cover with lid, reduce heat to low and allow to simmer (while stirring occasionally) for 40 minutes or until the meat is falling off the bone. Add in the olives, allow to simmer for a further 10 minutes. Garnish with parsley and serve immediately.

FOR THE OVEN:

• Transfer the covered skillet to a preheated oven at 375°F and cook for 50 minutes. Remove the lid, add in the olives and cook for an additional 20 minutes until the chicken is tender and falling off the bone, and the sauce has reduced.

Tips:

• If the sauce is too thin for your liking, add 2 tablespoons of extra tomato paste while it's simmering to thicken.

TO MAKE AHEAD:

• This chicken cacciatore can be made up to 1 day ahead, cooled, covered and refrigerated. Rewarm over low-medium heat.

TO FREEZE:

• Transfer the cooled cacciatore into an airtight container and transfer to the freezer. The day of serving, thaw it out in the morning and bring to room temperature. Transfer to a skillet / pan and reheat over low-medium heat until warmed through.

Keyword #northeastnosh #italiancuisine #rusticitalianfood #comfortfood #chicken #italianchicken #food #foodie

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