Get ready for the best Italian comfort food! Chicken Cacciatore combines tender, fall-off-the-bone chicken with a rich, rustic sauce that’s bursting with flavor. Simple yet stunning, this classic dish fills your kitchen with irresistible aromas as it simmers away.
Looking for options? Try our Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore for even more effortless prep. A timeless recipe that always delivers!
What Sets This Chicken Cacciatore Apart?
What makes this Chicken Cacciatore recipe truly special? It’s the years of love and tweaking behind it. Inspired by an old, tattered Italian cookbook, this recipe has been refined to perfection with every remake. The result? A rich, rustic cacciatore that your entire family will look forward to time and again.
Unlike others, this recipe is bursting with bold flavors and perfectly tender, fall-off-the-bone chicken. It’s all about staying true to the essence of Italian comfort food while making it simple enough for everyday cooking. This isn’t just another cacciatore recipe—it’s the one you’ll keep coming back to! Love Italian classics? You’ll adore my Turkey, Spinach, and Ricotta Cannelloni with a creamy tomato sauce.
The Ultimate Chicken Cacciatore: Key Ingredients
The secret to this Chicken Cacciatore lies in its carefully chosen ingredients. Juicy chicken thighs bring tender, fall-off-the-bone goodness, while ripe tomatoes and herbs infuse the sauce with bold, rustic flavors. Simple pantry staples, unforgettable results!
- Chicken Thighs: Go for bone-in chicken thighs, often labeled as ‘chicken thigh cutlets.’ They deliver juicy, tender meat and enrich the sauce with deep flavor as they cook. Chicken thighs make a delicious addition to another Italian classic: the timeless Chicken Parmesan.
- Mushrooms: Choose firm, fresh brown mushrooms for their earthy, umami punch and ability to soak up all the flavors. They’re fantastic in this dish—just like in my Chicken Stroganoff recipe.
- Dried Oregano: Look for high-quality dried oregano with a vibrant scent—it should have an earthy, almost floral aroma. It ties the dish together with its warm, rustic notes.
- Crushed Tomatoes: The heart of the sauce! Pick Italian canned tomatoes for their natural sweetness and deep flavor. They create a velvety base that makes this dish shine.
*NOTE See recipe card at the bottom for full list of ingredients and measurements.
Making Perfect Chicken Cacciatore: Step-By-Step
Let’s get started! In just a few steps, you’ll have tender chicken simmering in a rich, rustic sauce that’s bursting with incredible flavor. This Chicken Cacciatore recipe is simple to make and delivers comforting Italian goodness every time. Heat up your skillet, gather your ingredients, and let’s bring this timeless dish to life!
- Season The Chicken: Season bone-in, skinless chicken thighs with salt and pepper, ensuring each piece is evenly coated. Let the chicken sit briefly to absorb the flavors.
- Sear The Chicken: Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet and sear chicken thighs skin-side down. Cook until a golden crust forms, then transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Build a Flavorful Base by Sautéing: Add olive oil to the skillet and sauté diced onion until soft and translucent. Stir in minced garlic and cook until aromatic.
- Vegetables and Fresh Herbs: Add bell peppers, carrot, mushrooms, and fresh herbs like basil and parsley. Cook until the vegetables soften and release their juices.
- Deglaze the Skillet with Red Wine: Pour in red wine to deglaze the skillet, scraping up browned bits from the bottom. Let the wine simmer and reduce slightly to deepen the flavors.
- Craft the Sauce: Mix in crushed tomatoes and tomato paste for a rich, tangy sauce. Add halved Roma tomatoes and red pepper flakes for extra flavor and heat.
- Reintroduce the Chicken: Nestle the seared chicken back into the skillet, ensuring it’s well submerged in the sauce. Let the chicken absorb the robust flavors.
- Finish Cooking: Cover the skillet and simmer gently on low heat until the chicken is tender. Stir occasionally, add black olives, garnish with parsley, and serve.
*Pro Tip: Prefer to finish the dish in the oven? Oven Method: If using the oven, preheat it to 375°F (190°C). Transfer the covered skillet to the oven and cook for 50 minutes. Uncover, stir in the black olives, and bake for an additional 20 minutes. This method helps thicken the sauce and ensures the chicken is exquisitely tender.
And that’s it—your Chicken Cacciatore is ready to serve! Wondering what to pair it with? For a classic Italian feast, try it with Creamy Shrimp Pasta, Black Beans & Rice or Easy Creamy Mashed Potatoes. Looking for lighter options? Cauliflower Fried Rice or simple steamed veggies are perfect choices.
Don’t stop here—explore more delicious recipes on Cafe Delites to keep the inspiration flowing! Your next family favorite might just be a click away.
RECIPE FAQ’s
Bone-in, skinless chicken thighs are ideal for Chicken Cacciatore as they provide rich flavor and remain tender after simmering in the sauce. However, you can also use chicken breasts or even a whole chicken cut into pieces.
Yes, Chicken Cacciatore can be made in a slow cooker. Follow the initial steps of searing the chicken and sautéing the vegetables, then transfer everything to a slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
If you prefer not to use wine, you can substitute it with chicken broth or a mix of red grape juice and a splash of vinegar to mimic the acidity and flavor profile wine brings to the sauce.
Brown mushrooms, such as cremini or baby bella, work well in Chicken Cacciatore as they add a deep, earthy flavor and maintain their texture after cooking. If you love mushrooms as much as I do try my garlic mushrooms recipe which you can serve with everything.
Chicken Cacciatore
Ingredients
- 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
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
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 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. SELECT THE RIGHT CHICKEN
Use bone-in, skinless chicken thighs for deeper flavor and juiciness. If using other cuts like breasts, keep an eye on cooking times to avoid dryness, as breast meat can cook faster than thighs. FOR THE PERFECT SEAR
Ensure the skillet and oil are hot before adding the chicken so you achieve a good sear. This step is crucial for developing flavor, so don’t overcrowd the pan, as this can cause steaming instead of browning.
Joanne Butler says
question…u call for bone-in SKINLESS chicken thighs however u suggest searing skin side down, (wanting to make tonight?so wondering if i should buy skinless or skin on?
Karina says
Hi Joanne! Yes, the recipe uses skinless chicken thighs. However, if you’re using thighs with skin on, I recommend searing them skin-side down. This will give you a deliciously crispy exterior. Enjoy!
Tanna says
Delicious and recipe easy to follow.
Pensieve says
Very delicious. I used an iron skillet through the step where I added in the crushed tomatoes, paste and Roma tomatoes, then poured everything into a larger metal casserole dish tha has a lid. I added the chicken, cooked it in the oven, and served it with vermicilli. By the way, I haven’t had chicken cacciatore since I was a kid when Mom made it many Sundays. I make so many of her dishes, but why cacciatore fell by the wayside, I don’t know. It was so good to enjoy that aroma and those flavors again.
Kate says
This was a fabulous recipe! Definitely goes on my rotation for our dinner. Thanks so much!
Mark Konst says
I made this last night and the flavor was incredible. I halved the recipe for 2 people and used chicken breast instead of thighs. I didn’t have the peppers or carrots, but it didn’t matter. Served with a side of Jasmin rice. Used the oven method and the chicken came out so tender. Enough leftovers to take for my work lunch.
Emma says
I adore this recipe. I cook it at least once a month and the whole family eat every last bit.
I omit the mushroom, carrot and olives though haha.
I serve it with crushed boiled baby potatoes, sprayed with oil and roasted for 20 mins in the oven.
Delish!!!!
Alphonse-Louis says
I tried your chicken cacciatore recipe last night. It was terrific! Thank you. I served on a mound of grits.
Emanuela says
I’ve made the recipe mostly as-is many, many times. Tonight, I just adapted it to include farro and sweet Italian turkey sausage (instead of chicken), and it came out great! Instead of 28 oz of crushed tomato, I added 4 cups of chicken broth (no other salt) and 1 cup of farro and simmered it all uncovered on the stove until mostly reduced, at which point I added 15 oz of tomato sauce and the mostly-cooked turkey sausage back in for 15 minutes at a gentle simmer covered. Done. So good.
Jill says
I made today but used chicken leg meat from baking 15 legs earlier in the day. Added four peeled chopped potatoes like my mom used to, cooking for seven of us. Served over rice. I save the bones for overnight crock pot chicken soup. I just figured i give my two cents for large families…
Krista Mozina says
Has anyone tried this with polenta? What are your thoughts if you did? I have guests with celiac disease and I don’t want to use pasta. I see many have used rice, but not sure if I will. Thank you!
Emmy says
Haven’t tried it with polenta, but I’m sure it’d be delicious! I’ve had it with rice, pasta, quinoa, and farro, so I imagine any neutral-ish side would go great with it.
D. Swanson says
The best with polenta, of course! This is an excellent recipe. Delicious!
Jennifer K. says
This was a fantastic recipe! We used leg quarters, so it took a little longer to cook, but that just gave time for the flavors to develop. I love the addition of olives and mushrooms. This will be a make-again, for sure!