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 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!
Chicken Cacciatore
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! Garlic, bell peppers, onions, carrots and olives swimming in a 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:
- Pasta
- Rice
- Mashed Potatoes
For Low Carb:
- Cauliflower rice
- Zucchini Noodles
- Steamed vegetables
If there are any leftovers, the flavours 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 Italian-inspired recipes:
One Pan Tomato Basil Chicken & Rice
Mozzarella Meatballs In Tomato Sauce
Chicken Cacciatore
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 6 bone-in skinless chicken thighs
- Salt and pepper, to season
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic, (or 6 cloves)
- 1 small yellow bell pepper (capsicum), diced
- 1 small red bell pepper (capsicum), diced
- 1 large carrot, peeled and sliced
- 10 oz (300g) mushrooms, sliced
- 1/2 cup pitted black olives
- 8 sprigs thyme
- 2 tablespoons each freshly chopped parsley and basil plus more to garnish
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 150 ml red wine
- 28 oz (820g) crushed tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 7 oz (200g) Roma tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Season chicken with salt and pepper.
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a heavy cast iron skillet. 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 (190°C) 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.
Notes
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 air tight 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.
Grant says
Great recipe Karina, quickly becoming a favourite! The spelling of “favourite”, is a hint. I’m in Sydney, Australia.
Third time I’ve made this. Each time was a little different depending on what was fresh and available, but the outcome was always delicious. This time there were two deviations. I substituted reconstituted dried shitake mushrooms for fresh, which is a bit like using dried Porcini as a previous correspondent suggested to add more flavour (there’s that spelling again), and, instead of Kalamata olives I used our home-made salt brined green olives from the tree in the in-law’s backyard. Both fitted in nicely.
It is a 2 hour job from go to wow on the stove-top ( I wasn’t watching television), and it does taste even better on day two!
Tam says
This is one of my favorite recipes, it’s awesome!
Michelle says
I think this extremely tasty! But I think I’d serve with pasta next time rather than mash. The sauce kind of gets too mooshed up with the mash. If anyone has better suggestions please share! Would love to make again!
Tammy says
I’ve made a similar recipe and alway served on Egg Noodles 25 years ago. I recently found that recipe and making it again today. I’ll keep you posted!
Mathew says
I made this for supper this evening and it was excellent,I only made 2 changes.the first was I couldn’t get thoughts so I bought legs and used both the thoughts and drums.and the second was I just don’t like olives so I omitted them.other than that I made it exactly as written and it turned out great.
Kevin M. says
Made this tonight and loved it! What would you suggest serving it over, white rice, or orzo? What is the authentic method?
I love Orzo and chose that as my wife had never had it, but we love both. I just love making authentic dishes from all around the world.
Thank you!
curmudgeon says
Absolutely the best. Did our homegrown heirloom tomatoes proud. We couldn’t stop sopping up the sauce.
Neva says
I forgot that I also added celery as my husband requests it I everything.
Neva says
This was my first ever chicken cacciatore. My husband is half-Italian and remembers his mother’s, so I made the effort. My only alteration was to leave out all salt as he must avoid it, and to sprinkle cumin on the chicken along with the black pepper. I prepped everything the evening before and accidentally put the olives in with the tomato mixture so they cooked the entire time, but since they were kalamatas rather than canned, they stood up to it. I served it over rigatoni and we sprinkled Romano cheese over. I sautéed zucchini and summer squash with a shallot, scallions, garlic, and garlic chives as a side.
This was fabulous. It is the new family favorite.
KaraBoo says
I followed the instructions explicitly, probably for the first time ever in my cooking history; i always seem to have an excuse to alter the recipe based on my experience. But this time, I toed the line. And holy moly, am I happy that I did so. I would like to say that it tasted better the next day, but there were no leftovers to test that proposition. Everyone raved, and devoured! Simply the best!
Carlos Berbereia says
Made this today, 7/30/2023 OMG it was so good. I had a similar recipe that I use back in the early 2000’s . But I lost .
Every now and then I google the recipe, but never found something comparable until now. AND OMG it’s so good.
I did make two minor changes, which was left off the black olives and added celery I doubled the recipe to fit a large crockpot.
Douglas Furtek says
My first chicken cacciatore came out fantastico thanks to you, Karina! Thank you so much!
E. Hillier says
I made this dish recently and it was delicious! I made enough for a second meal to which I added a can of black beans. Also very good. Thank you.
Tracy H says
This dish is perfection!! Today is my 2nd time making it. I left out the olives because we don’t like them and added bay leaves. Otherwise I follow it step by step. My husband and I absolutely love this.
Susan LaFreniere says
Tried this recipe for the first time today, it was delicious! We served it with spaghetti squash. My son came over while it was simmering and said it smelled so good his mouth was watering. I will definitely be making this again. Already bookmarked the recipe!
Mandi Bokman says
I never leave reviews, but had to with this keeper recipe. Absolutely wonderful!! The only change I made was to use pitted Kalamata olives since I had on hand and they added lovely flavor. Can’t wait to make this again! Love love loved it!!
Alberto Lopez says
Delicious! My guests loved it..You are spot on;the next day it was even better How can I share a photo?
Ray says
Made this today. I have made chicken cacciatore before and I liked my recipe. But, I’m going to replace my old recipe with this one. This is really good. I try to follow the recipe exactly to assess it as-is. Of course, it is not always possible. I made a small batch, for two, and omitted the olives for no good reason. The result was first class, dinner guest worthy and better than that I’ve had in family owned Italian restaurants. Can’t wait to make again, this time opening up a can of olives!
S Dutdra says
It’s simmering now. Sauce taste and smells wonderful. I followed recipe, used 4 bone in skin on thighs and 3 large boneless skinless breasts (cut in half). Will cool and reheat tomorrow for family dinner gathering & serve over egg noodle pasta with garlic french bread & green salad. So glad I made a day early. It did take me more time to prep all the ingredients before I started cooking (about 1+ hours) so give yourself time. Went very fast once I actually started to put it all together. Tomorrow will be a snap. Thanks for this delicious recipe.
Joanna A says
I’ve made this twice. I used San Marzano tomatoes and added another pound of mushrooms only because I like them. I grate a little parmesan cheese on top before eating. This is a great recipe. Not only is it delicious but it’s healthy and low calorie. When dieting I’ll eat this with a salad. Best diet dinner ever.
Jeff Moody says
Man, oh man, was this good. I did the slow cooker version and it wad fantastic. I left off a few things lke the mushrooms and olives and ted wine. I made some rice to go with it and boom, there you have a complete meal. This was very simple and for working people, the slow cooker version is perfect. Will definitely be doing this again.
Lucia Gibbons says
I just got a new le creuset pot and could not wait to try it with a chicken cacciatore recipe for my husband. He never had it. I am pescatarian now, but fondly remember loving when my mom made this. I have most of her recipes, but not for this. I researched many recipes and chose this one. I followed almost exactly. The only change I made was to remove the chicken at 30 minutes and let the sauce reduce uncovered for about 10 minutes before adding back the olives and chicken and letting it cook another 10 minutes uncovered. My husband said it was amazing! It looked awesome. Will definitely make again and again!
Eileen says
Definitely the best chicken cacciatore recipe I’ve found. I used to make this years ago with whole chicken parts and was looking for a recipe similar to the one I used to use. I searched lots of different web sites and this one was very true to the way I used to make it. To keep WW points down I used boneless chicken thighs and it was wonderful. The kalamata olives add so much flavor!! It was a little more watery than I wanted and since I was making it ahead of time for a dinner party I let it cook down a bit and that was perfect. This is a keeper. I will definitely be coming back to your site for other recipes. Thanks!!!!
Bernie says
I made this to your recipe and it was delicious, iused tagliatelli.
Yvette says
This was such an easy recipe to make and so good. The sauce turned out perfect. We had it the first day with rice. The second day I ate it with spaghetti squash. The sauce can be used in so many ways. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
Karen Sue says
I don’t normally leave reviews because most online food blogs are not worth the effort. I made this recipe last night exactly as written except I used twice the recommended amount of red wine and kalamata olives instead of black olives. Served with papardelle tossed with butter, olive oil, S&P, and grated parmesan, plus a wedge salad. The cacciatore was to die for!!! Cannot wait for leftovers tonight. Next time I will double the sauce ingredients because it would be great to freeze and serve over almost anything (except maybe angel food cake). Thank you so much for the incredible recipe. I am going to try your thai chicken satay next!
Alban Allentoff says
I’m a novice at cooking and this recipe came out really well. It’s so delicious. Thank you. It really gives me confidence to do more.
Diane says
So good. I made a few minor substitutions based on what I had on hand (white wine, pesto, diced tomatoes in sauce) and it was delicious. I only used two leg quarters. DH got the chicken and I put the sauce over some cannellini beans for myself. It was so good that way I’m making a batch with just beans and freezing portions for quick meals. Thank you for sharing. This one’s a keeper for sure.
Theo says
This is a delicious and authnetic recipe. White wine works just as well as red, depending on your mood and what you have on hand. To those suggesting that it takes two hours to prepare, I would suggest multi-tasking: cut your onions and carrots while the chicken browns. Cut your garlic and mushrooms while the onions and carrots wilt. And so on.
Staci says
This is one of my favorite recipes! I followed the recipe as is and used bulgar as my grain. Topped with Parmesan cheese at upon serving! It helps to prepare the veggies and have everything measured and preparation is smooth and quick. I used a mandolin to help get everything ready! Love it, thank you so much!
Andrew H says
Delicious and recommend. Yes prep takes 10-20mins depending what you have available but worth it.
Natasja says
You can also cheat and by pre-cut veg to cut your time 😊
Suzanne says
Winner winner chicken dinner!! Made this last night with a small cheat, I had a container of purchased fresh Neapolitan Tomato sauce and added this instead of any of the tomato components, Husband asked if I could make a larger portion next time. Really great flavors, deep, rich and lovely. Served with mashed potatoes. Have praised and shared widely, Thank you.
Jim Brown says
I’ve cooked this twice now, a huge hit both times. But the author can’t add cook times — I count more than 60 minutes — and I spent nearly an hour cutting stuff up.
Maria Z says
I’ve made this a couple of times – each time was a huge hit. I used breast and thigh pieces. The compliments kept coming, making me a very happy cook! It made lots of sauce, which I really think is the star of this recipe. It would be too much for a cast iron skillet so I used my Dutch oven. Definitely a keeper!
Aaliyah Robertson says
Loved this comment! I did the same, transferring over to my dutch oven from my cast iron. Did you adjust the heating at all when doing this? 🙂
Hopper says
Very good recipe!!! Followed measurements exactly. Added 2 TSP ‘Better than Bullion Chicken’ when adding the crushed tomatoes; and roasted potato wedges which i added after it was cooked & served over BowTie pasta.
Margo says
Can I use a whole cut-up chicken instead of thighs?
Sue says
yes you can. Our Italian family has made this with a whole cut up fryer chicken and bacon grease instead of olie oil, for years and call it “poor man’s spaghetti”. lol It will look prettier, though, if you use only thigh and/or breast pieces. The breast pieces are drier, as well.
Patty says
DELICIOUS!! I followed the recipe to a T!! Just Perfect.
Karen says
This was fabulous! We loved it! It did take a bit longer for prep time and I omitted the mushrooms as neither of us like them. Served with egg noodles. Perfect for a cold winter’s night. I cooked it in my deep electric skillet and it was great. Next time I want to try it in the oven in my Le Creuset Dutch oven.
Andrew says
This is pretty close to the recipe I’ve been making for years. Couple of things….. Use dried Porchini mushrooms they pack a lot more taste. Love black olives but, again Kalamata has more flavor. I really prefer this dish made with tomato sauce as opposed to crushed tomatoes.
Lastly, red wine is a great addition to this dish. However, if you put the wine in to early it can make the sauce a little dank (my word). Instead add it when it’s almost done and it will stay a lot brighter.
For folks new to this recipe the above one is very very good. This is a really forgiving dish that is really hard to make bad. Tweek it to your liking and you will love it My comments are just to give you some more options.’
Tell you the truth the reason I saved this recipe is I saw many folks commenting on using potatoes in this dish (must try) but, I did not see them in the ingredients. Am I missing something here?
Linda says
Just finished preparing this serve to guests. . Omg- delicious! The olives add so much flavor . I made fresh- baked focaccia to go with it. Mmmmm.
alexandra says
its listed as ‘suggested side dishes’ a bit above the list of ingredients regular & low carb choices. i always just use thin spaghetti & garlic bread! mmm mmmm!
F. Todd Baker says
Absolutely delicious! However, does anybody have a skillet which is big enough to hold this? I started with a cast iron skillit and switched to a cast iron dutch oven halfway through!
Lisa Milano says
You should not cook acidic foods in cast iron to begin with. It eats the coating. Use cast iron with enamel coating. This dish fit in my Lodge 3.6 quart pan (pretty full but I could still stir). The prep is very time consuming so start early.
Mizz Tavi says
Made this last night- so darn good!
Elizabeth Griffiths says
OMG. I served this at a dinner party tonight. It was the most “heart warming” recipe. My guests loved it. Thanks for this.
Jarrod says
Wow! I made this tonight and it taste absolutely incredible!!! Sooooo good!
Hannah says
This recipe is fantastic! I made this last night and served it with mashed potato, but have had the left overs with pasta. So delicious and will definitely make again.
Shirley Larson says
Making this tonight for the second time. Definitely a 2 hour job with chopping and browning and sauteing. Used half the tomatoes for a thicker sauce. Served with pasta last time, using gnocchi tonight Using skin on drumsticks and thighs. A keeper recipe and several dinners for my husband and I. Looking forward to making it for kids and grandbabies an company when it’s safe to eat together inside again
Terry Brokenshire says
If I make this in the crockpot are the potatoes a must? We’re planning on serving along with baked ziti so don’t really need the potatoes. Thanks
Karina says
No not at all! Still great without them.
Kristan says
You mean tomatoes?
A. Littles says
So tasty! Thanks!
Lisa says
So easy, so delicious!!! Didn’t have wine so added chicken broth and a splash of red wine vinegar. Added a bit of sugar at the end. Thank you!
Upa says
Hats off Karina, truly well laid out recipe which was delicious and hearty. For those who only have chicen breasts, they work wonderfully, just make sure you simmer for 45 mins and ensure that the chicken is largely submerged under the liquid for the duration. You’ll be able to cut the chicken with fork.
Leslie says
This was just delicious. The sauce was perfect and the chicken was so tender. I used boneless chicken. I will make this again and again. Loved it!!
Paul Lyles says
If anyone made this recipe in 50 minutes, I need to come over to your house and watch how you did it. Adding up prep and cook time, it took me 2 hours. Not hip. But I do love the recipe and the results were great.
Bruce says
Paul it took me 30 minutes prep time, maybe you should turn the TV off while cooking
Aaliyah Robertson says
Hilariously noted. I had music on while I cooked but finished prep in 20-30.
Melissa O says
It also took me 2 hours. It simmers for 40 minutes + 10 after you add the olives, so that’s 50 minutes alone. This doesn’t include cooking the onions, then veg, then chicken, then wine before you even get to that step. Plus prep chopping all the veg. So yes, 2 hours for me as well. Totally worth it, but not fun if it’s your first time and you start at 5pm. Lol
Glenn says
Yep – am with you. Awesome recipe that I’ll make again and again – but definitely a 90min-2hr job.
Snoozie says
Do you cook the chicken all the way through before putting it in the sauce or just seal it?
Zoots says
The quick answer is you just brown it and take it out, raw in the middle. Add it back after everything else is cooking.
… It is really hard to screw up. However you do it.
Longer:
I sear/brown it, and take it out. I make the sauce with all the other ingredients and let it simmer for… Hours. I add the chicken for the last hour of simmering.
Andrew says
Could’ve served this from the wok in 13min, still with fantastic flavour. But had time to turn it down super low and develop its flavour for about 30min more.
JoAnn Hoppe says
I use pre cut frozen onion, minced garlic in oil and I had the whole thing ready for simmer in less than 20 minutes. We don’t have wine so I used a little chicken stock and some balsamic vinegar for a little acid.
Amanda says
I made this in under an hour with two kiddos, although I omitted the mushrooms. While the chicken is browning do your cutting! Have a glass of red while you add ingredients. Lol
Tracy says
Love this recipe! I also swapped the black olives for Kalamato and made twice the recipe in a dutch oven. I used deboned thighs and and fresh peas. I pureed tomatoes in a blender and added the Roma tomato halves with fresh sage. Delicious!
Vanessa Ward says
After reading reviews, made after dinner so flavors could infuse more, was so brilliant, still had get my spoon into, family loved so much was all gone, next time shall double recipe. Followed recipe except subbed kalamata olives and a little more wine. Thank you very much.!!
Alisha Morrison says
This one is going in my top favourite of all time recipes. I added fresh sage, two shallots, and swapped out the black for kalamata olives and was just blown away by the flavour profile. Served it over penne and with a glass of dry, peppered merlot. Thank you for this!
EdnaStar says
Very good. This used to be my favorite Italian dish as a child. Haven’t had it in years. Love that I can use it on the keto diet.
Lisa says
I made this for my family; it was so delicious! Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe!
Karina says
Thank YOU for trying it! Glad you liked it.
Michelle Cacciatore says
Hello! I have been searching for the best Chicken Cacciatore and I believe I have found it! We have new friend coming over next week so I’m making this tomorrow and I’m gathering all ingredients today! I have one question… when you say “chicken will fall off the bone”” when it’s done” is that my timer or just an expression? Lol I’ve never cooked chicken with the bones so I’m a bit nervous. But very excited to try it!!! Thank you!
Penny says
We loved this recipe. I used a cast iron skillet on top of the stove and then moved it into the preheated oven covered with foil for 40 minutes. Then I removed it from the oven to add tomato paste. I did not need any wine or broth because it made its own liquid. I sliced more tomato and laid it on top of the boneless thighs, and mounded shredded cheese on top of that. I placed it back in the oven uncovered for 20 minutes. Then served it over egg noodles with toasted French bread. It was delicious ?
Kenia Pietrowski says
Really great recipe, we loved it. May I use rabbit instead. Thank you!
Lorraine says
Should/Could I use vinegar in place of wine?
M says
Yes and or chicken stock.
Yes you can use rabbit
Ariane Noyaerts says
Delicious. Thank you for the recipe.
Denis says
I always cook this with potatoes as my Italian mother showed me . The rest is much the same
I’ve tried it with capers and it’s creates some magic if you like them
Your thoughts
Candace says
I’m Italian like other commenters, and loved this recipe too! It’s delicious and quite easy to make, and my kids devoured it. I served it over egg noddles with sautéed flat beans.
I decided to brown the chicken in two batches, then remove to a plate while I sautéed the vegetables, then added the chicken back in. It takes a bit more time, but the vegetables release a lot of water, and this allowed me to brown the chicken a bit better. The only other things I changed were using passata instead of a can of crushed tomatoes, and canned whole plum tomatoes instead of fresh Roma (my grocery store didn’t have any). I made this recipe with 8 skinless thighs and there was plenty of sauce – I could have made 10 (and may next time so there are more leftovers!).
Gwen says
I think browning the chicken separately works better as well…I do love the recipe!
Matt says
This was awesome! Made it for the kids and followed the recipe. I did add about 1 spoon of sugar and 1 spoon of Old Bay seasoning because I love the sweet but savory flavors. It turned out amazing. Next time I will make fresh pasta vs the store bought wheat thin pasta we used. Definitely a family fav and I printed the recipe and it’s in our family cook book. Thanks for the recipe!!!
Mariella Sanfilippo says
Very good recipe. I am Italian and tweeked it in the way I recall the recipe. I lost my family recipe. One of my favorite dishes. Made it last night. Perfect for a cold Southern California night. I wish I had more left overs. Very impressed with this recipe. Thank you for bringing this dish back into to my life. I recommend it for family dinners.
Angel says
How did you tweak this recipe?
Julie says
How did you tweak it?
Kristen J says
I love this recipe as-is and love love love that it has proven very flexible and forgiving, depending on what I have on hand. I have subbed various amounts and types of fresh or canned tomatoes. Subbed dried herbs if I don’t have fresh. Added extra fresh herbs when I have them. Used tomato sauce if I’m out of paste. Added other veggies to bulk up the nutrition (one time I tried a couple zucchini, another time a head of cauliflower.) I have tried skinless breasts and dark meat. And basically, whatever I have had on hand, following the basic idea and proportions it always turns out delicious. I share this recipe with lots of folks, since it’s an awesome base recipe. Thanks!
Gabriela says
What a beautiful recipe! I can’t wait to make this for a dinner party this weekend! Can I replace the cast iron skillet with a regular soup pot?
Karina says
Hi Gabriela! Absolutely!
Dale says
I made a thinner sauce by using no tomatoe paste but extra toms. Cooking dry chow mein noodles in the mixture allows them to absorb the flavour and thicken everything up. As usual I had to improvise and it came out great )
Karina says
Hello Dale!
Thanks for the comment! I always love to hear when someone loves a recipe. I am glad that you liked it and thanks for following along with me!!
Gail says
This was absolutely delicious! I had to sub dried herbs because my store was out of fresh. It makes a beautiful thick sauce with all the vegetables. I made it with both chicken breast and thighs, and served it over linguini. My husband loved it! I can’t imagine it could be an better as leftovers, but I’m looking forward to finding out! I’ll definitely make again.
Sandra Langlois says
Can you use dried herbs for the parsley & basil? It’s winter time & fresh ones are expensive and the rest would go to waste. Also , the roma tomatoes, do you use fresh or canned? & if fresh, how many tomatoes are 7 oz???
Karina says
Hi Sandra. You can use dried herbs that should be fine! You may need to taste test as you go. I use Fresh Roma’s here. Not sure how many weigh 7 oz as I weigh them at the supermarket. Does your grocer have a scale?
Darlene says
Plan on having the Pastor and his mother over for dinner . I love him but he is very hard to cook for.. Not much that he will eat..Vegetables are a no no except raw carrots potatoes and green beans He does like chicken cacciatore and I have been searching for a recipe for ever . This sounds yummy and I am sure he will love it. I know that I will. Thank you so much. Subscribed to your site and looking forward to more recipes.
JSutt says
Really nice. Used balsamic vinegar and white wine and substituted zucchini for mushrooms because that’s what I had on hand but otherwise prepared as per the recipe. A big hit with the mother in law and even my fussy 3 year old liked it. Will make again.
Pat Damico says
My dad owned an Italian reastaurant and is 1st generation Sicilian. Chicken cacciatori was my favorite dish as well. Plus black olives the best. I’m on medication which prevents me from using alcohol I’m wondering if I can use a substitution and how much of it I should use? Can wait to try this recipe.
Emily says
Hi Karina!
I made this for my family last night, the only one who didn’t like it was my three year old… surprise, surprise!
The S.O. loved it and my One year old practically mauled me for my plate. The only thing I did differently was 86’d the wine, because I didn’t have any and added shredded Zucchini. This has definitely made it’s way into my Recipe folder. THANK YOU!
-Emily
Karina says
YAY!! That sounds fantastic! Thank you so much for letting me know! I am so glad that you enjoyed it!
Ylonka says
are these capsicum very hot?
Karina says
No, they are similar to a bell pepper in taste. Hope that helps and you enjoy your meal!! XO
J says
I’ll probably have to swap out the olives and put kidney beans in or something like that but can anyone recommend alternatives to the mushrooms? Some of the house aren’t a fan of the texture(or supposedly the taste? ) and I always struggle to adequately substitute in these type of recipes.
Many thanks
Kristen C says
It tastes totally fine without any mushrooms. I’ve omitted them, and it’s still great. I have also tried adding chopped zucchini once and a head of cauliflower another time – both worked out great, so you could always try one of those.
Claudia says
What type of red wine do you use?
Karina says
I love red wine! Any of your favorite flavor of red wine that you have is perfect for this recipe. You are not adding a lot but just enough to have that added sweetness and flavor in this chicken. Thanks so much for following along with me! Enjoy your chicken!
Catherine says
I made this tonight. It was just wonderful! Very authentic Italian taste. The recipe is just perfect. I served it with zucchini noodles and it was a great pairing. Thank you so much for the recipe!
Roberta says
This looks delicious! Thanks, too, for including suggestions for side dishes.
sunnysewsit says
This chicken cacciatore recipe looks wonderful; however, I did notice it has a lot of cholesterol in it. I am hoping using boneless, skinless chicken breasts will create a less cholesterol-heavy dish. Will have to try it! While we are trying to reduce carbos, as most of us should, we still have to watch the fats!
Heidi says
My whole family loved this Karina! Thank you!
Karina says
You’re welcome Heidi!
Pennie says
Excellent recipe. Will make again. Used a few items I had on hand instead of exactly as written. Grape tomatoes instead of Roma, Boneless thighs and chicken broth instead of wine.
Richard Webb says
Loved the recipe
Julian says
Top recipe, finally I’ve found the one I’ll keep. Delicious and more-ish, thank you! (9 drumsticks instead of 6 thighs … so perfect and so cheap, I’ll probably do that again).
Genuinely a keeper, which is more than you can say for most web recipes.
Karina says
YAY!! I love keeper recipes! Thanks so much for trying it out and making it your own. Thanks for sharing!
nancy says
Approximately how many cups is 150ml of wine? Thank you
Tymeron Smith says
0.634 cups or 5.072 ounces. Hope that helps answer your question.
Leni says
I just made this recipe last night and it was amazing! I’ve eaten this in Tuscany and it truly is just as great thank you!!
Alyse says
Made this over the Christmas holiday week and must say it was full if flavor and rather tasty. Thanks for sharing this receive; I will make again.
JoAnn D says
I made this. It was delicious. My husband and I both loved it!!!
Cherie says
I lost my Aunts recipe for chicken cacciatore. I’ve tried many in hopes of replacing it. This is better than her original authentic Italian recipe. Followed the recipe to a “t” save for using loads of fresh parsley (like my aunt used to do) and went with boneless, skinned thighs instead of bone in. Thank you. This recipe is going into my hand written recipe box.
Danny says
Please, explain what is chill flakes?
Karina says
Hi Danny. You will find it in the spices and/or seasonings section in your grocery store or supermarket. (Crushed red pepper or red pepper flakes or Red Chilli Flakes is a condiment consisting of dried and crushed (as opposed to ground) red chili peppers.
Jen says
Made this last night. It was absolutely delicious! My very picky son loved it, as did my husband. I will definitely make this again. Great recipe! Thank you!
Karina says
Yay! You’re welcome Jen! Just made me smile BIG!
Mary says
Great. Recipe so easy thanks for sharing
Cynthia says
Can you use chicken breasts instead of thighs? And if so how would you alter any of the instructions in the recipe? Thanks this looks so awesome!!!
Eileen says
Splendid dish! I made it today and all of my family, including my picky 4 year old, LOVED it! Thank you!!!
Jo Wood says
Absolutely fantastic! Received rave reviews from hubby and friend last night. Made stove top style and followed recipe exactly, except I omitted parsley and olives. So glad I have left-overs. Definitely a keeper!
Lynn says
Wowzers! This was amazing! Such wonderful flavours on a cold winter’s night. This recipe is a real keeper!
Natalie says
I made this last night and it was delicious!We’ll be eating it for few days as I used a bit of extra chicken, love leftovers! I love your recipes Karina, they always turn out amazing! Thank you!
Mike says
This recipe turned out great! I made extra and froze the sauce, to which i will add chicken later. I added a fair amount (1/2 cup) of sugar to balance the acid and tannins of the tomatoes and red wine. I also added leeks in addition to the onions, and used chicken drums. Finally, I used kalamata olives in a hot pepper infused oil from grocery store. (By the way, for your posters, the alcohol in wine (or any liquor) is eliminated in the heat of cooking.)
Jennifer says
Made this dish for dinner tonight…delicious! Will make again…
Jen says
This was absolutely amazing. I made a few substitutions because of what I already had on hand: 11 chicken drumsticks instead of 6 thighs, kalamata and green olives instead of black, and omitted the tomato paste to ensure there was adequate sauce because I increased the amount of chicken. Served it over a side of seasoned roasted thin-skinned potatoes which baked in the oven for the same time the chicken simmered on the stove. Would definitely make it again, for guests.
Monia says
This was amazing!
Ronda says
Would it be bad if I used artichoke hearts instead of pitted black olives?
Karina says
Hi Ronda! No not bad at all!
Asher says
This is cooking away in the slow cooker as I type and the smell is delicious! Fingers crossed I’ve done well. Can you please do more slow cooker recipes? I am munching on one of your brownies right now (um FREAKIN DELICIOUS, only down side is I can’t stop eating them!!) and am newly addicted to your recipes. Thank you for being such a good cook and sharing!!
Karina says
Haha Asher! I feel your pain! And you’re very welcome!
Chelsey says
I must have looked at a dozen, what I deemed iffy, Cacciatore recipes before I settled on this one. Jackpot! I did mine in the slow cooker (6 qt). I prefer chicken breasts to thighs and without having the weight most internet conversions were: 2 thighs:1 chicken breast. Thanks to my mother, I never cook anything for less than an army and well, 3 chicken breasts, just didn’t seem like enough. Stop judging. If anyone is interested, I used 3 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken breasts and doubled the entire recipe, except for the mushrooms. Dont freak out. It filled up the entire pot and I thought there was no way the mushrooms would fit at the end: they did. I used red wine vinegar in place of the alcohol because it was all I had, but I would not recommend this. Balsamic would be much nicer. I added a chicken boullion to prevent my excessive salting and some parm cheese, because who doesnt like cheese? Collectively, we don’t like olives, thyme or roma tomatoes so I omitted them. Cooked everything for 7 hours, shredded the chicken, added the mushrooms and cooked for another hour. I might add some tomato paste tomorrow if it doesn’t thicken a little overnight, but I’m on the fence because it’s seriously A-MAZING the way it is. I plan on serving over roasted cauliflower. Bonus: No one will be asking “What’s for dinner?” for the next two nights, which makes me want to blow up balloons and throw glitter.
Karina says
Chelsey your comment is GOLD! Haha I’ll blow balloons up with you! I know THAT feeling! I’m so happy you tried this and adjusted it to your liking. Tomato paste will just add another dimension of flavour. I say go with your gut instinct!
Donna says
Absolutely delishes! Even better as leftovers after all the flavors have married! I made double as I love given out to friends and family. Used 6 boneless thighs and 4 boneless breast. Doubled the vegetables, especially shiitakes! A little bit of sugar balances out the acidity nicely. This is a regular in my house…everyone loves it…Put over egg noodles and sprinkle with Parmesan. Try it…you’ll love it!
Adrienne says
Hi! This recipe looks really good and I plan on making it today, but I sadly don’t have any Roma tomatoes or cans of crushed tomatoes. Would it still work if I chopped up some regular tomatoes and used them?
Karina says
Yes that’s fine
Daniella says
Karina this was so delicious! I made it just now and it’s perfect. The flavors are incredible. Thank you for another great recipe. I’m always checking your site for dinner recipes 🙂
Jennie says
Hi! I plan to try this recipe tomorrow, and I was wondering what type of black olives you used. Were they Kalamata type olives or regular old canned black olives? I find they both give their own distinct flavor to recipes, so I want to make sure to use the right kind. Thanks!
Karina says
Hi Jennie! I’ve used both in the past and both are great in this, however, I prefer the mildness of Kalamata olives.
Joshua says
Hey Karina, you questioned someone on if they used tomato paste, but no where in the recipe or blog post is tomato paste. Couple you please clarify as I was planning to cook this tonight. Thanks.
Karina says
Hi Joshua! No tomato paste is needed for this recipe, however, some people like thicker tomato sauces and I usually recommend thickening with tomato paste (2 tablespoons for this sized recipe) 🙂
stephanie says
I made this for my wedding anniversary and it was very good. Thank you for sharing.
Beverley says
Karina this is the perfect recipe to make ahead for when I have guests staying in a couple of weeks. Thank you and have a great weekend xoxo
Greenwave Life says
This looks amazing! Makes me so hungry! You always have the best recipes and great photos!
Antonio says
love the recipe! Can I use boneless chicken Breast as lenear substitute for the boneless chicken thighs? Thanks!
Karina says
Hi Antonio! Yes of course! That would be perfect 🙂
Helena says
I just woke up after skipping dinner last night and all I can think is – I want to dive into this dish, preferably from a height – it looks so delicious!
Karina says
Thank you Helena! From height would be even better 😉 I like your thinking!
Julia says
Wow. That looks amazing!!! The chicken looks so tender.
Liz says
Thank you for the nice recipe.
Janine says
What can I use instead of wine we are an alcohol free household
Karina says
Hi Janice. You can use vinegar as a substitute. Balsamic or white wine vinegar.