Chicken Cacciatore Recipe
This Chicken Cacciatore recipe is a rustic Tuscan-style stew that features tender chicken cooked with fresh vegetables and a flavorful broth in a large pot or Dutch oven. This classic recipe has been handed down through generations and is known for its comforting qualities. It is often served over polenta or risotto, making for a truly delightful dish!
Authentic Italian Chicken Cacciatore Recipe
Delicious, hearty, and loaded with umami flavors come to mind when we describe this rustic chicken dish. A satisfying meal, this chicken cacciatore is comforting and easy enough to make at home. And, it is often served with a side of mashed potatoes or over creamy polenta. And it is DIVINE!
What is Chicken Cacciatore?
Chicken Cacciatore is a rustic dish that originated in Tuscany. The word cacciatore means “hunter” in Italian, reflecting the meal’s humble, countryside roots.
Traditionally, hunters would prepare their catch, such as rabbit or duck, and cook them outdoors in a skillet, simmering them with fresh herbs, tomatoes, and seasonal vegetables they had on hand. And our mom’s recipe was handed down to us.
Over time, this chicken cacciatore recipe became more popular in Italian-American restaurants and Trattorias. And, they often serve it over creamy polenta, risotto, or creamy mashed potatoes.
Today, we served it over our creamy polenta. It’s SO Delicious – we can’t wait for you to try this recipe!
Cook’s Notes for Success:
This recipe will take about 1 hour. It’s a hearty meal for a family’s Sunday dinner, and ideal on rainy or cold winter nights.
- Choose a variety of Chicken Parts: You can use a variety of chicken parts, either “bone-in” or “boneless.” But we like to keep it simple! Choose 1 part of the chicken. This way, there’s no guessing if the chicken is fully cooked, and in the same cooking time.
- Also, can use chicken parts with skin. It is a personal preference. We prefer “skinless” chicken breasts or thighs.
- Fresh vegetables, plus fresh herbs, give the sauce its delicious flavors and textures.
- A few “plump tomatoes” (about 4 or 5) from a can of peeled tomatoes are preferred. However, during the beautiful summer months, you can undoubtedly enjoy using “fresh ripe tomatoes” from your garden.
- Don’t care for peppers? No problem. Omit them!
- Don’t have good drinking red wine? Use white wine instead.
- This recipe is adaptable to all chicken parts, rabbit, and duck. Plus, you can cook in the skillet on the stovetop or on the outside grill.
Overview: The Ingredients for Chicken Cacciatore Recipe
Staple ingredients are what make this chicken dish so darn easy! For our Chicken Cacciatore Recipe, you will need the following ingredients:
- CHICKEN: Choose either all-natural or organic chicken thighs or breasts. We prefer skinless, but it is your choice.
- HERBS: For the best flavor, use fresh rosemary, oregano, and fresh Italian parsley. But no worries, if you don’t have any “fresh” on hand, you can use the dried herbs in a jar.
- VEGETABLES: The recipe calls for 1/2 of an onion, 3 garlic cloves, 1 carrot, 2 stalks of celery, and 5 ounces (rinsed and drained) of sliced white mushrooms (which is optional). Plus, 1 red bell pepper and 1 yellow bell pepper (ribs and seeds removed). These veggies will add flavor to this dish.
- RED WINE: Choose a favorite drinking red wine for this recipe. You may have some red wine leftovers, or plan to open a bottle of red for dinner anyway.
- PLUMP TOMATOES: Choose a 28-ounce can of Italian “peeled” tomatoes, preferably San Marzano tomatoes. You will only need about 4 to 5 plump tomatoes. Reserve the remaining in a container for another recipe.
- OLIVE OIL: As always, choose a good quality extra virgin olive oil to get the best flavor ever.
- SEASONINGS: Salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes.
How to Make Chicken Cacciatore? (Step-by-Step)
If this is your first time making chicken cacciatore, no worries, it is relatively easy. Plus, our full printable recipe is at the bottom of this page. But first, let’s go through the steps so you can easily understand how to make this chicken cacciatore recipe before you start.
Helpful Tip! Italians love to build flavor by adding ingredients slowly and sometimes one at a time. Be sure to use a large, heavy Dutch oven or a deep skillet (a 12-inch skillet with a lid).
STEP 1: Sauté the CHICKEN:
First, the chicken is seasoned with some salt and pepper on both sides. Next, heat a heavy deep skillet, or a large Dutch oven, over moderate heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook for a few minutes per side to brown them and seal them in their juices. Then remove the chicken to a nearby plate.
STEP 2: ADD THE AROMATICS:
Next, add the chopped onion, garlic, carrot, and celery to the skillet. Then toss some rosemary, oregano, and crushed red pepper, and cook over high heat for about 2 to 4 minutes, to soften the veggies. Stir occasionally. Then return the chicken to the pan with the veggies.
STEP 3: DEGLAZE THE PAN:
Pour in the red wine, and stir to deglaze the pan while it simmers and flavors the chicken. Allow the red wine to reduce a little, about 3 to 5 minutes.
STEP 4: MAKE THE SAUCE:
Toss in the plump tomatoes, about 4 or 5 of them are needed. Pull them with a fork from a 28-ounce (or 14-ounce) can of San Marzano tomatoes. (Reserve the remaining tomatoes and juice for another recipe). Sprinkle a little salt. Use a wooden spoon to break up the plump tomatoes, and simmer on low heat for about 5 minutes.
STEP 5: ADD REMAINING VEGGIES:
Add the mushrooms, sliced peppers, and fresh Italian parsley. Stir to combine the mixture. (Optional: Here is where you can add 1 Parmesan rind into the pan.) Then COVER with a lid and simmer on low heat for 35 minutes. Halfway through cooking, move the chicken breasts around or turn them over to ensure even cooking.
*QUICK NOTE: The mushrooms will release enough liquid to enhance the sauce.
Final Step!
Finally, taste, and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Turn off the heat, and cover with a lid to keep warm until you are ready to serve.
STEP 6: TO SERVE:
It’s best to serve each chicken breast with a generous spoonful of vegetable stew sauce over the chicken. You can serve it alone with some crusty bread to scoop up some of that fragrant, flavorful sauce, or over cooked rice or creamy polenta. This recipe will yield 4 servings.
The Most Delicious Chicken Cacciatore Recipe you can make at home…
Our Chicken Cacciatore recipe is a family recipe, and one you’ll enjoy making year after year. Loaded with fresh herbs, umami mushrooms, sweet bell peppers, and plump tomatoes. Serve this hearty meal with a green salad, a bottle of Chianti, and some crusty bread for an amazing meal!
Don’t forget! Spoon chicken cacciatore over a layer of our creamy polenta – ” the Tuscan Way!”
Best of all, this chicken cacciatore recipe is pure comfort food (especially with polenta), and it will feed a family of 4 to 5 people for about $23.00. Now, that’s a deal!
ENJOY!!
More Chicken Dinner Recipes…
- Crispy Stuffed Chicken Breasts
- 11 Easy Chicken Skillet Dinners
- Tuscan Creamy Chicken Pasta
- Baked Nut-Crusted Chicken
- Easy Chicken Pizzaiolo
Your comments help us! If you tried our Chicken Cacciatore recipe, please leave a comment with a star⭐ rating on our recipe card below! And, thank you for your support!
Chicken Cacciatore Recipe
Chicken Cacciatore Recipe is a Tuscan rustic-style stew that cooks the chicken with vegetables in a skillet with a rich, flavorful sauce. A comforting dish, chicken cacciatore is often served over polenta or risotto. Perfect for a family Sunday dinner.
Ingredients
- 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 2.5 to 3 pounds)
- salt and black pepper, to season the chicken
- 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil - divided
- 1 medium onion - diced
- 2 garlic cloves - diced
- 1 carrot - diced
- 2 celery stalks - chopped
- 1/4 tsp. crushed re pepper flakes (optional, more or less to taste)
- 1 sprig of fresh rosemary - finely chopped
- 1/4 tsp. fresh or dried oregano
- 3/4 cup red wine
- 1 red bell pepper - ribs and seeds removed, chopped
- 1 yellow bell pepper - ribs and seeds removed, chopped
- 4 or 5 plump tomatoes ( from a can of Peeled Tomatoes, preferably San Marzano Tomatoes )
- 5 ounces sliced mushrooms - rinsed and drained
- freshly chopped Italian parsley
- Optional: 1 parmesan rind
Instructions
1. First, season the chicken with some salt and pepper on both sides. Then heat olive oil in your heavy deep skillet, or a large Dutch oven, over medium heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook for a few minutes per side to brown them and seal in their juices. Remove the chicken, and set them on a plate nearby.
2. Next, add the AROMATICS: Add the chopped onion, garlic, carrot, and celery to the skillet, along with some rosemary, oregano, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook over high heat until vegetables soften, about 3 to 4 minutes. Stirring occasionally. Then return the chicken to the pan with the veggies.
3. Pour in the red wine, and stir to deglaze the pan while it simmers and flavors the vegetables and chicken. Allow the red wine to reduce a little, about 3 to 5 minutes.
4. Toss in the plump tomatoes, about 4 or 5. Sprinkle a little salt. Use a wooden spoon to break up the plump tomatoes, and simmer on low heat for about 2 minutes.
5. Add the mushrooms, sliced peppers, and fresh parsley. (Optional: Here is where you can toss in one Parmesan rind.) Stir to combine the mixture. Then COVER with a lid and simmer on low heat for 35 minutes. Halfway through cooking, move the chicken breasts around or turn over to ensure even cooking.
6. Remove the cover and taste the sauce. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Turn off the heat and keep warm until you are ready to serve. Remove and discard the Parmesan rind. Garnish with fresh parsley.
7. Serve alone or with your favorite side of polenta, risotto, or mashed potatoes.
Serves 4
Notes
*The nutritional value does not include the polenta served with our Chicken Cacciatore Recipe.
- Don't have peeled tomatoes? You can use 14.5 ounces of canned diced tomatoes along with 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
- Don't drink wine? You can use chicken broth instead.
- You can purchase Parmesan rinds in the cheese section of most supermarkets and grocery stores.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 servings Serving Size: 1 servingAmount Per Serving: Calories: 435Total Fat: 11gCarbohydrates: 8.6gFiber: 1.7gSugar: 4.1gProtein: 67.8g
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Happy Cooking! 🙂
thanks for stopping by…
xo anna and liz
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Weeknight Dinners Made Easy
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