Chicken Cacciatore Recipe

Chicken Cacciatore Recipe is a Tuscan rustic-style stew that cooks the chicken in a skillet with a rich, flavorful sauce. A comforting dish, this chicken cacciatore is often served over polenta or risotto, and it is divine!

What is Chicken Cacciatore?

• Chicken Cacciatore is a dish originated in Tuscany, Italy, and cacciatore in Italian means “hunter.” The hunters took their “game” like rabbit or duck, and cooked them outdoors in a skillet using fresh herbs, and vegetables.

• The recipe is basically a rustic stew made with chicken breasts.

• Italian restaurants often serve it over creamy polenta, risotto, or creamy mashed potatoes.

This recipe will take about 1 hour to make it.

It’s a hearty meal for a Sunday dinner, and one to make on rainy or chilly nights.

Building Flavors with Ingredients Needed 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:

1. CHICKEN: Choose either all-natural or organic chicken thighs or breasts. We prefer skinless, but it is your choice.

2. HERBS: For the best flavor use fresh rosemary 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.

3. VEGETABLES: The recipe calls for 1/2 of an onion, 2 garlic cloves, 1 carrot, 2 stalks of celery, and 5 ounces (rinsed and drained) of sliced white mushrooms (which is optional). These veggies will add flavor to this dish.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. OLIVE OIL: As always, choose a good quality extra virgin olive oil to get the best flavor ever.

*OPTIONAL: I also added 1/2 of a red pepper, and 1/2 of a yellow pepper, which is optional. I had them in the fridge and decided to add them for additional flavor. But it is totally optional.

How to Make Chicken Cacciatore? (Step-by-Step Directions Below!)

Italians love to build flavor by adding ingredients slowly and sometimes one at a time. Be sure to use a large, heavy, and deep skillet for this recipe (a 12-inch skillet with a lid is preferred).

STEP 1: SAUTE THE CHICKEN: First, the chicken is seasoned with some salt and pepper. Next, heat olive oil in your heavy deep skillet. Add the chicken breasts and cook for a few minutes per side to brown them, and seal them in their juices.

STEP 2: ADD THE VEGETABLES: Next, add the chopped onion, garlic, carrot, and celery to the skillet. Then toss some rosemary, and simmer for about 2 minutes, to soften the veggies. Stir occasionally.

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.

STEP 4: MAKE THE SAUCE: Toss in the plump tomatoes, about 4 or 5 of them are needed. Pull them from a 28-ounce can of San Marzano tomatoes. Sprinkle a little salt and a dash of cayenne pepper. Use a wooden spoon to break up the plump tomatoes, and simmer on low heat for about 2 minutes.

STEP 5: ADD REMAINING VEGGIES: Add the mushrooms, sliced peppers, and fresh Italian parsley. Stir to combine the mixture. Then COVER with a lid and simmer on low heat, for 20 to 25 minutes.

*QUICK NOTE: The mushrooms will release enough liquid to enhance the sauce.

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.

Serves 4

Cook’s Notes and Tips for this recipe…

• 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 they are fully cooked, and within the same time.
• Also, you can cook the chicken parts with skins. It is a personal preference. We prefer “skinless” chicken breasts or thighs.
• Vegetables and fresh herbs give the sauce its unique 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!
• This recipe is adaptable to all chicken parts, rabbits, and ducks. Plus, you can cook in the skillet on the stovetop or outside grill.

Chicken Cacciatore is a hearty, satisfying meal.

Serve this dish with a glass of good red wine, like a Chianti, and over a spoonful of our creamy polenta – “the Tuscan Way!” (it’s incredible!)

Best of all, this chicken cacciatore recipe is delicious comfort food (especially with polenta) that will feed a family of 4 to 5 people, and for about $23.00 dollars. Tha’s a deal! 😉

ENJOY!!

Additional Chicken Recipes…

• Crispy Stuffed Chicken Breasts
• 11 Easy Chicken Skillet Dinners
• Tuscan Creamy Chicken Pasta
• Baked Nut-Crusted Chicken

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thanks for stopping by…

xo anna and liz