Chicken cacciatore is a rustic Italian chicken dish made with bell peppers and mushrooms slow-simmered in a rich tomato sauce with herbs.
Chicken Cacciatore
One-pot chicken cacciatore is great over pasta, polenta, or mashed potatoes. This is the version my Mom always made for us when I was a child, and I’ve always loved it. I modified Mom’s recipe to make it a bit leaner by removing the chicken skin and fat and using less oil. For more ways to cook this delicious dish, try my Instant Pot and slow cooker chicken cacciatore recipes.
Why This Homemade Recipe Works
Chicken cacciatore is one of those rustic dishes that instantly warms from the inside out. Even this lightened-up version is just as delicious and satisfying as I remember it! Here’s why my family loves it, and why I think yours will, too.
- All you need are simple pantry ingredients.
- Everything cooks in one pot, so it has lots of flavor and clean up is easy.
- Chicken cacciatore is hearty, comforting, and great to make ahead.
- It’s wonderful served over your favorite pasta, rice, or polenta for a cozy family meal. For a low-carb alternative, try it over spaghetti squash or zucchini noodles.
Ingredients for Chicken Cacciatore
Here’s everything you need to make classic Italian chicken cacciatore from scratch. See the full recipe card for measurements below.
- Chicken: Use bone-in chicken thighs or drumsticks, skin removed. Chicken breast on the bone will also work.
- Vegetables: Red bell pepper, mushrooms, onion, and garlic cloves.
- Crushed tomatoes: Canned and undrained.
- Chicken broth to thin the sauce.
- Dried and fresh herbs: Oregano, parsley, basil, salt and black pepper.
- Pasta: Enjoy this over your favorite shape of wheat or gluten-free pasta.
How to Make Chicken Cacciatore
Let’s break down this easy chicken recipe into a few steps. It does take some time to cook, but most of the time is hands-off while the sauce simmers. Plus, all that slow-simmered flavor is worth it in the end.
- Cook the chicken. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper and brown them in the pan or Dutch oven for a few minutes.
- Add the vegetables. Next, add in the bell pepper, onion, and garlic, and sauté until the onions are tender. Add in the mushrooms and cook for a couple of minutes. Season the veggies with salt and pepper.
- Make the sauce. Now, pour in the crushed tomatoes and broth, and add oregano. Cover the pan, and bring the sauce to a simmer. Simmer for 25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
- Finish with herbs. Lastly, sprinkle in the fresh basil five minutes before the sauce is done.
Variations
- If you don’t like mushrooms, add celery and carrots.
- Use baby bellas or white button mushrooms.
- Swap the chicken broth for dry white wine or red wine.
- Add olives or capers for flavor.
- If you prefer white meat, you can use boneless chicken breasts instead of thighs.
- Add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes for spice.
What Does Cacciatore Mean?
“Cacciatore” means hunter in Italian, and alla cacciatora translates to a ‘hunter-style’ meal. So pollo alla cacciatora translates to chicken cacciatore. It’s a hearty tomato-based stew with chicken (sometimes rabbit), onion, garlic, bell peppers, and mushrooms. Chicken chasseur is the French version, braised with white wine and brandy.
What to Serve With Chicken Cacciatore
I like to top my cacciatore with some good grated Parmesan cheese or pecorino romano with a hearty piece of bread to soak up the sauce. You could also serve it with a salad or roasted veggies on the side.
Storage
- Refrigerate. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Reheat. Reheat leftover chicken cacciatore in a saucepan on the stove or in the microwave.
- Freeze. Freeze the chicken and sauce in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
More Italian Chicken Recipes You’ll Love
Chicken Cacciatore
Equipment
- Dutch Oven or large heavy pot
Ingredients
- 6 chicken thighs, (or on the bone) skinned and trimmed
- olive oil spray
- 1 large red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 cup chopped mushrooms
- 1/2 medium onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes, I love Tuttorosso
- 1/4 cup chicken broth, more if needed
- 1 tsp dried oregano leaves
- 1/4 cup fresh chopped basil leaves
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 6 cups cooked whole wheat pasta, egg noodles or gluten-free pasta
Instructions
- Season chicken with kosher salt and pepper.
- In a large heavy saute pan, heat the pan over a medium-high flame and spray with cooking oil.
- Add the chicken pieces to the pan and saute just until brown, about 3-4 minutes per side. Set aside.
- Add the peppers, onion and garlic to the pan and saute over medium heat until the onion is tender, about 3-4 minutes, then add mushrooms and cook another 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add the tomatoes, chicken, broth, and oregano. Cover the bring the sauce to a simmer.
- Continue simmering over low heat until the chicken is tender, about 35 to 45 minutes.
- Add the chopped basil 5 minutes before sauce is done.
- Serve over 1 cup cooked pasta.
Last Step:
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Notes
- If you don’t like mushrooms, use extra bell pepper.
- Use baby bellas or white button mushrooms.
- Swap the chicken broth for dry white wine.
- If you prefer white meat, you can use boneless chicken breasts instead of thighs.
