Chicken Cacciatore
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A rustic, slow-cooked dish of tender chicken and vegetables in a hearty sauce, chicken cacciatore makes a soul-satisfying meal.
Chicken Cacciatore, also known as Hunter’s Chicken, is a classic Italian dish that’s packed with rich, bold flavors. The name “cacciatore” comes from the Italian word for hunter, and it is said to have originated with Italian hunters who would prepare it over an open fire using ingredients they had on hand, such as tomatoes, onions, garlic, and peppers. This recipe calls for chicken thighs to be slow-cooked with these veggies, along with fragrant herbs, red wine, and broth to create a hearty sauce that’s perfect for spooning over creamy polenta or Parmesan smashed potatoes.
Chicken cacciatore takes about 2 hours to cook, so make it on a leisurely day when you’ve got some time to putter around the kitchen. It’s also a wonderful dish to make ahead of time, as the flavors develop and deepen as it sits.
Table of Contents
“Made this for dinner last night with friends. Followed the recipe exactly as written and served over polenta. Outstanding!!!”
What You’ll Need To Make Chicken Cacciatore
- Chicken Thighs: Bone-in, skin-on pieces are ideal, as the bones and skin add depth and flavor to the sauce as they simmer.
- All-Purpose Flour: Used for coating the chicken before searing and helps thicken the sauce.
- Olive Oil: Used for sautéing the chicken and vegetables, adding a rich flavor to the dish.
- Onion and Garlic: Form the aromatic base of the sauce.
- Mushrooms and Bell Peppers: Add texture and earthy flavor to the dish.
- Red Wine: Enhances the sauce with a robust and fruity undertone.
- Chicken Broth: Provides a savory liquid base for the sauce, adding depth and richness.
- Canned Diced Tomatoes: Bring a bright and tangy tomato flavor to the sauce.
- Tomato Paste: Thickens the sauce and intensifies the tomato flavor.
- Sage, Rosemary, Oregano, Parsley: An aromatic blend of herbs that infuses the dish with a fragrant and savory character.
- Honey: Adds a touch of sweetness to balance the acidity of the tomatoes and wine.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Blot the chicken with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture. Season the chicken all over with 1½ teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon pepper.
Place the flour on a large plate. Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour, coating all over.
Heat the oil in a large (5 or 6-qt) Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed, high-sided large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown half the chicken in a single layer, skin side down, until golden and crispy, 5 to 7 minutes. Flip and brown on the other side for 1 to 2 minutes more.
Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a large plate; set aside.
Repeat with the remaining chicken. Pour off all but about 2 tablespoons of the fat. Return the pot to the stove and reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the onions to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are softened and just starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Do not brown.
Add the mushrooms and peppers and increase the heat to medium. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until the veggies just begin to soften.
Add the wine and bring to a boil over high heat.
Cook, stirring to scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan, until the wine has mostly evaporated, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the chicken broth, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, sage, rosemary, oregano, honey, and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt.
Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and gently simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Add the chicken and any accumulated juices from the plate back to the pot and spoon some of the sauce over it.
Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook over medium-low heat for about 35 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through or registers 165°F – 170°F on a meat thermometer. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked chicken to a plate. Using a fork and knife, pull the skin off of the chicken and discard.
Gently simmer the sauce for a few minutes, or until it is thickened to your liking. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Add the chicken and any accumulated juices back to the pot and simmer, uncovered, for a few minutes, spooning the thickened sauce over the chicken. Garnish with parsley, if using, and serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! The flavors will actually improve if left to sit overnight. To make the recipe ahead, let the chicken cool to room temperature and then store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Before serving, defrost in the refrigerator for 24 hours if necessary, and then reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat until hot.
When cooking with wine, my advise is always to use something inexpensive but still good enough to drink. Varietals such as Merlot, Pinot Noir, and Chianti are all great options, but you can really use whatever you have on hand. Just be sure to avoid supermarket “cooking wines,” which are filled with salt and preservatives.
Yes, it’s fine to omit the wine. If you feel the dish is lacking acidity at the end of the cooking process, you can add a teaspoon or so of red wine vinegar to balance the flavors.
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Video Tutorial
Chicken Cacciatore
A rustic, slow-cooked dish of tender chicken and vegetables in a hearty sauce, chicken cacciatore makes a soul-satisfying meal.
Ingredients
- 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (3½ to 4 pounds), trimmed of excess skin (see note)
- 2½ teaspoons salt, divided
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 ounces bella or cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 2 red bell peppers, cut into ¼-inch-wide strips
- ¾ cup dry red wine (see note)
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can fire-roasted or regular diced tomatoes
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Fresh chopped parsley, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Blot the chicken with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture. Season the chicken all over with 1½ teaspoons salt and the pepper. Place the flour on a large plate. Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour, coating all over.
- Heat the oil in a large (5 or 6-qt) Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed, high-sided large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown half the chicken in a single layer, skin side down, until golden and crispy, 5 to 7 minutes. Flip and brown on the other side for 1 to 2 minutes more. Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a large plate; set aside. Repeat with the remaining chicken. Pour off all but about 2 tablespoons of the fat.
- Return the pot to the stove and reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the onions to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are softened and just starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Do not brown. Add the mushrooms and peppers and increase the heat to medium. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until the veggies just begin to soften.
- Add the wine and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook, stirring to scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan, until the wine has mostly evaporated, 5 to 6 minutes.
- Add the chicken broth, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, sage, rosemary, oregano, honey, and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and gently simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
- Add the chicken and any accumulated juices from the plate back to the pot and spoon some of the sauce over it. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook over medium-low heat for about 35 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through or registers 165°F - 170°F on a meat thermometer.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked chicken to a plate. Gently simmer the sauce for a few minutes, or until it is thickened to your liking. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.
- Using a fork and knife, pull the skin off of the chicken and discard. Add the chicken and any accumulated juices back to the pot and simmer, uncovered, for a few minutes, spooning the thickened sauce over the chicken. Garnish with parsley, if using, and serve.
- Note: Sometimes chicken thighs have excess skin and/or fat. Before cooking, using kitchen shears, trim any skin that extends farther than the edges of the chicken thigh, and snip off any excess fat.
- Note: For the wine, use any red (Pinot Noir, Chianti, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, etc.) that is inexpensive but still good enough to drink. Avoid "cooking wines," which are salty and contain additives.
- Make-Ahead/Freezer-Friendly Instructions: Let cool to room temperature and then store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Before serving, defrost in the refrigerator for 24 hours if necessary, and then reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat until hot.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Serving size: 4
- Calories: 790
- Fat: 26 g
- Saturated fat: 6 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Sugar: 16 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 88 g
- Sodium: 2,026 mg
- Cholesterol: 377 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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On our recipes-to-try list for sure. Quick question: do you think this would adapt will to a crock pot for even more slow cooking time?
Yes, I think you could make this in a slow cooker. I’d add everything to the slow cooker after you’ve browned the chicken and sauteed the veggies. I don’t have a slow cooker so I’m not sure how long it will take, but these tips may help. I’d love to hear how it turns out if you try it!
Made this for Sunday night dinner. Followed the recipe exactly, except I only had enough fresh sage to equal 1 TBSP chopped (instead of 2 TBSP called for), and it was amazing! So delicious – everyone loved it. I also made the creamy polenta and it is the perfect pairing. Will definitely add this to the weekend rotation when there’s a little extra time to prepare dinner. Thanks Jenn for another winning recipe.
Can’t wait to make this! What’s the role of the flour, given that the skin is later removed?
Hi Elsa, it helps to thicken the sauce a bit.
SO much wonderful flavor! Absolutely delicious. We ate it with your polenta recipe and look forward to repeating this meal again at a time we can share with guests. Thank you!
Can I do this with skinless boneless chicken thighs?
Hi Dawn, I haven’t tried it but you’d like to, I would only sear the chicken for 1 to 2 minutes on each side, and I think you’ll need to add more oil before cooking the onions and garlic. I’d love to know how it turns out if you try it. 🙂
Delicious and hearty on a Sunday evening in February! We enjoyed it with mashed potatoes. Finished off with your Chocolate Chip Ricotta Cake for dessert. Thanks for another winner Jen! ❤️
Made this with no substitutions and it was just wonderful! I doubled the recipe as I was having neighbors over and sharing with my son and daughter-in-law. Everyone loved it! The fresh herbs were pricey this time of year but well worth it for the flavor.
Jenn, my family including kids loved this delicious chicken. Amazing, amazing, amazing. They kept telling that I have a talent and I kept telling them back its all Jenn. You are the best and we cant thank you enough for finding , creating, adjusting, testing all these delicious recipes.
This is hands down the best version of this dish I’ve ever had. It took me back to my youth and cooking with my father. The sauce was light and flavorful, with a hint of sweetness. The chicken was tender and perfectly cooked; I opted for split chicken breasts as I am not a fan of dark meat. I’ve never had it with mashed potatoes, but it will be the way for me to go from this point forward. Thank you for creating another hit recipe!!
This looks delicious! What is the best substitute for wine in this recipe? Beef broth?
Hi Wendi, I’d just replace it with additional chicken broth. Hope you enjoy!
Made this for dinner last night with friends. Followed the recipe exactly as written and served over polenta. Outstanding!!!
Thank you, Jenn for a wonderful meal. When your blog appears in my inbox I always know I have another delicious option for my next dinner party.
Janet