This Authentic Italian Chicken Cacciatore is easy to make and can serve my whole family with leftovers. Cacciatore, or "hunter's style chicken," is a delicious and flavorful braised chicken thigh in tomato sauce, and my mom's version finishes with briny capers and olives!
Want to make more of these braised recipes that make your house smell absolutely delightful? Try our Authentic Bolognese, Authentic Italian Braciole, or Italian Short Ribs with Gnocchi
A Quick Look at The Recipe
- ✅Recipe Name: Chicken Cacciatore
- ⏲️Ready in: 1 hour and 30 minutes
- 👪Makes: 6 servings
- 📋Main ingredients: Bone-in Chicken Thighs, peppers, crushed tomatoes.
- ⭐Why You'll Love This Recipe: This is a hearty and nutritious classic braised Italian Chicken dish perfect for weeknight and family dinners!
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Why This Recipe
Chicken Cacciatore is one of those recipes that fills your home with a delicious aroma. That fragrant smell of garlic and onions is a scent burned into my memory from childhood. I can remember coming into the house from playing outside and knowing Mom was cooking something like Authentic Italian Sunday Sauce or Classic Pasta Fagioli.
Chicken cacciatore is great because it has all of the protein and vegetables, and it goes great with any grain. Throw on a pot of pasta or rice, roast some potatoes, or if you want to get fancy, cook some Mushroom Truffle Risotto. I love when I can cook a one-pot meal that my family and kids will all eat (minus the mushrooms, of course)
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Chicken Thighs- Bone-in or boneless, depending on your preference. Bone-in chicken thighs will be slightly easier to sear because you won't accidentally cook them through, while you'll have to be a little more careful with boneless. You can also use legs! I don't recommend chicken breast for cacciatore, so if you only have chicken breast, try our Chicken Rollatini instead.
- Vegetables- There is no "right" recipe for cacciatore. It's one of those recipes with a very murky history. Some say it dates back to the 14th or 16th century, but as any smart-ass will tell you, "they didn't have tomatoes in Italy back then." Tomatoes were introduced to Italy in the mid-1500s. Regardless, cacciatore, often referred to as "hunter's style chicken," typically has some combination of peppers, onions, and mushrooms, while seasonal vegetables are more than acceptable.
- Olives and Capers- My authentic Italian chicken cacciatore has olives and capers to add an extra briny flavor that is best to finish the dish with!
- Red wine- Some recipes will call for white wine, and while either white or red will do, I prefer the depth and savory flavor red wine has when simmered with vegetables.
- Whole Plum Tomatoes- My recipe calls for whole plum tomatoes because I prefer to hand-crush them myself. Hand-crushing the tomatoes will give the recipe more of an Italian rustic feel.
- Herbs- Herbs can be substituted in and out, but typically I use some combination of thyme and bay leaves; you can also add fresh rosemary, basil, and oregano. I always use fresh herbs in a braised dish because dried herbs can really overpower the dish.
*Please see the recipe card below for more information on the ingredients.
How to Make an Authentic Italian Chicken Cacciatore
Follow the step-by-step directions below, along with the numbered corresponding pictures.
Step 1: Season the chicken thighs liberally with 2 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours in advance.
Step 2: In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoon olive oil and sear the chicken thighs on both sides for 3 minutes or until golden brown. Remove the chicken and set them aside. (They won't be cooked through yet, but that's okay. We'll finish them in the sauce, and they will be incredibly tender.)
*Top Tip: It's best to leave minimal space on the pan when searing chicken thighs for cacciatore. The less space means fewer places for steam to overcook the chicken. Pack the chicken thighs in and let them sear untouched.
Step 3: Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the Dutch oven and lower to medium heat. Add the peppers and onions and sauté until they begin to soften, about 3-4 minutes.
Step 4: Then add in the mushrooms and sauté for another 5 minutes.
Step 5: Stir in the minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
Step 6: Add the tomato paste. Combine with everything. Let the tomato paste caramelize in the pan for 2 minutes.
Step 7: Pour in the red wine and use a wooden spoon to scrape off the brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Simmer the red wine for 3 minutes or until it reduces by half.
Step 8: Add the hand-crushed tomatoes, 1 teaspoon salt, thyme, and bay leaves. Raise the heat to medium-high and bring the tomatoes to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low and let the sauce lower to a simmer.
Step 9: Return the chicken to the pot. Simmer for 30 minutes with the pot covered with a slight opening to let out steam. Stir occasionally.
Step 10: Add capers and olives and simmer for another 10 minutes, uncovered. Remove from the heat and serve.
Chicken cacciatore is rarely served on its own! Serve it over Classic Creamy Polenta or your favorite pasta! Check out the serving suggestions below for more on what to serve with chicken cacciatore.
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Pro-Tips
- When searing chicken, it's best to fill the bottom of the pan with the thighs and leave minimal space. This allows less steam to build up around the thighs and reduces the risk of overcooking.
- Carmelize tomato paste by letting the tomato paste sit on the hot Dutch oven undisturbed for a few minutes. This will help intensify the depth of tomato flavor.
- Add capers and olives for the last ten minutes of simmering. This will give chicken cacciatore its classic briny finish. Add them too soon. and the briny flavor will weaken, and the salt will just disperse throughout the salt.
- Serving chicken cacciatore as a leftover is almost better than serving it fresh. Letting the flavors mingle together overnight and the sauce thicken makes for a really delicious and tender meal the next day.
What to Serve with Chicken Cacciatore
An authentic Italian chicken cacciatore is best served over a starch like pasta, polenta, rice, or potatoes.
- Polenta- My preferred option is to serve over a Classic Creamy Polenta or even Grilled Polenta.
- Potatoes- You can also serve braised chicken cacciatore and all of its sauce over Garlic Parmesan Mashed Potatoes or Crispy Garlic Parmesan Potatoes.
- Rice- Serve over a simple brown or white rice or something more flavorful like Rice Dressing with Sausage or Zucchini Risotto.
- Pasta- Typically, I'd serve a simple pasta dish on the side of this, like pasta with Creamy Red Pepper Sauce, Spicy Marinara Sauce, or follow my Ultimate Guide to Marinara Sauce! If you'd like, you can serve right over your favorite pasta shape!
Recipe FAQs
Serve chicken cacciatore over your favorite pasta, or a bowl of rice! Serve it with roasted potatoes, or even whip up some risotto. I love it best over polenta.
Reheat it in a saucepan. The chicken will cook evenly this way. If you're reheating and adding pasta, add a little bit of the pasta water to the pan you're reheating the chicken in. It will help the sauce stick to the pasta better!
You could add a water and cornstarch slurry, but I guarantee it will thicken up once you take it off the heat for a bit. It will also be much thicker and more flavorful on day 2 of serving.
Yes, but you still need to sear the chicken thighs for flavor, in my opinion. Otherwise, add all the ingredients to the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours.
No, chicken breastswill get dried out because of their lack of fat and will overcook during the braising process.
Additional Classic Italian Dishes
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Easy Chicken Cacciatore
Equipment
- 1 dutch oven
Ingredients
- 6 bone-in or boneless chicken thighs
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 1 green bell pepper, sliced
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 8 oz mushrooms
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- ½ cup red wine
- 1 28 oz can whole plum tomatoes, hand crushed
- 3 sprigs thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black
- ½ cup Castelvetrano or Kalamata olives
- 2 tablespoon capers
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Season the chicken thighs liberally with 2 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours in advance.
- In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoon olive oil and sear the chicken thighs on both sides for 3 minutes or until golden brown. Remove the chicken and set them aside.
- Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the Dutch oven and lower to medium heat. Add the peppers and onions and sauté until they begin to soften, about 3-4 minutes. Then add in the mushrooms and sauté for another 5 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and allow it to sauté for 1 minute.
- Stir in the tomato paste to combine with everything. The tomato paste should begin to caramelize on the bottom of the pan. After 2 minutes, pour in the red wine and use a wooden spoon to scrape off the brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Simmer the red wine for 3 minutes or until it reduces by half.
- Add the hand-crushed tomatoes, 1 teaspoon salt, thyme, and bay leaves. Raise the heat to medium-high and bring the tomatoes to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low and let the sauce lower to a simmer. Return the chicken to the pot. Simmer for 30 minutes.
- Add capers and olives and simmer for another 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and serve.
Video
Notes
- When I sear, I like to fill the bottom of the pan with the thighs and leave minimal space. This allows less steam to build up around the thighs and reduces the possibility of them accidentally overcooking.
Vinny says
This is a delicious and hearty chicken meal that makes the house smell so wonderful. Let us know what you think!