Bone-in thighs braise in a concentrated tomato sauce with mushrooms, red bell pepper, and rosemary, all in one pan on the stovetop. The sauce thickens as the chicken cooks, picking up every bit of flavor left behind from browning. An hour from now, you’ll have something that tastes like it took most of the afternoon.

A white pot filled with chicken cacciatore—braised chicken thighs in a red tomato sauce with mushrooms, bell peppers, and fresh rosemary. Two forks rest in the pot, styled with napkins and herbs around the dish.
Bone-in chicken thighs braised until they fall apart, in a thick tomato sauce with mushrooms, bell peppers and a hit of balsamic.

The same pan does all the work — you brown the chicken, coax the sauce together, and braise everything without touching a second burner. That depth of flavor is what makes this classic dish so memorable. The juices reduce to a thick, savory sauce you’ll want to spoon over everything on your plate (or swipe up with bread).

Growing up, I watched my Italian grandmother cook her version of this rustic dish, usually with rabbit and foraged wild mushrooms (that I was not adventurous enough to eat!). She simmered it for hours and hours, until the sauce was deep, dark red and the meat came away from the bone with the touch of a fork. If you love this kind of one-pan Italian braise, my chicken Marsala uses the same technique.

The ingredients that keep the sauce thick and the chicken from drying out

A large pot filled with raw chicken for chicken cacciatore, a red bell pepper, mushrooms, shallots, garlic, rosemary, tomato paste, and a measuring cup of broth; nearby are bowls of olive oil, salt, and pepper on a small cutting board.
  • Chicken parts: Bone-in, skin-on thighs are the cut to use for this braise — the bones add body to the sauce and the fat keeps the meat from toughening as it cooks. Boneless, skinless thighs work too — just reduce the covered cooking time to 15 minutes. Breasts are fine in a pinch but will dry out faster than dark meat, so watch the clock.
  • Tomato paste: Not canned tomatoes, not crushed tomatoes. Most cacciatore recipes call for a tablespoon or two of tomato paste. I use a full ⅓ cup, cooked directly into the fat before any liquid goes in. That’s what gives the sauce its deep color and body — and what keeps it from becoming thin and watery as the chicken braises.
  • Rosemary: Cacciatore is hunter’s chicken — and rosemary belongs in this sauce the way pine belongs in a forest. Fresh is worth it for its more intense flavor and fragrance; if you’re substituting dried, use half the amount.
  • Balsamic vinegar: An all-in-one ingredient that adds both sweetness and acidity without opening a bottle of wine. A good aged balsamic gives the sauce a deeper, slightly sweet finish, while dry red or white wine keeps it brighter and more traditionally Italian. Either works.

One-pan method: Create the sauce as you cook

  • Raw chicken thighs are arranged on a baking tray, partially covered with a paper towel—ready for your next chicken cacciatore. A striped cloth, salt and pepper, and a bowl of oil sit nearby on a wooden board.
    1. Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels — surface moisture is the enemy of a good sear.
  • A baking tray with six raw, seasoned chicken thighs—perfect for making chicken cacciatore—is being arranged with metal tongs on a light countertop. A striped kitchen towel is partly visible on the left side.
    2. Season generously on both sides with salt and fresh black pepper.
  • A metal baking tray holds six raw, seasoned chicken thighs, ready for chicken cacciatore and sprinkled with flour. A small white bowl of extra flour sits on the tray, with a striped kitchen towel and wooden dish on the light countertop.
    3. Sprinkle flour on both sides, patting off any excess. This helps the sauce thicken later.
  • Chicken thighs browning in a white enameled pan on a stovetop. The chicken has golden, crispy skin and is surrounded by a small amount of oil.
    4. Choose a large saute pan (rather than a deep Dutch oven) for cooking the chicken. The wider surface area is best for sauteeing the chicken, and the sauce will thicken more quickly. Brown the chicken in olive oil, skin side down, until the skin turns golden.
  • Chopped red bell peppers and sliced shallots sizzle in a white pan with oil, being stirred for chicken cacciatore. A striped towel and wooden board are nearby on the stovetop.
    5. Remove the chicken and stir in the shallots and peppers into the same fat.
  • A white pan on a stovetop contains sautéing sliced shallots and chopped red bell peppers, essential aromatics for chicken cacciatore, with a wooden spoon stirring the mixture as light browning appears on the vegetables.
    6. Cook until softened, scraping up any browned bits as you go.
  • A white skillet with sliced mushrooms and chopped red bell peppers being sautéed, stirred with a wooden spoon—perfect for starting a classic chicken cacciatore.
    7. Add the mushrooms and let them cook down until they release their liquid.
  • A white pot on a stove contains the beginnings of chicken cacciatore—chopped mushrooms, red bell peppers, onions, tomato paste, and herbs being sautéed, with a wooden spoon stirring the ingredients.
    8. Stir in the tomato paste, garlic, rosemary and balsamic. Cook one minute until the paste darkens slightly.
  • A white skillet filled with browned chicken thighs, sliced mushrooms, and red bell peppers simmers in a rich tomato-based sauce. This vibrant chicken cacciatore sits on the stovetop, ready to serve.
    9. Nestle the chicken back in skin-side up, pour in the broth, and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook 25 minutes.
  • A white pot filled with chicken cacciatore—tender chicken thighs simmered in a rich tomato sauce with mushrooms, red peppers, and garnished with fresh rosemary. Gold serving utensils and a gray napkin sit beside the pot on a light surface.
    10. Turn the chicken and cook uncovered 10 more minutes. Serve the chicken and thick sauce over this creamy polenta or pasta.
Cooked chicken thighs and tomato sauce in a braising pan, with mushrooms, rosemary sprigs and serving fork.
4.94 from 16 ratings

Stovetop Chicken Cacciatore — Fork-Tender in One Hour

Karen Tedesco
Authentic chicken cacciatore cooks on the stovetop in one hour, with fork-tender chicken in a thick, savory tomato sauce with chunky mushrooms, bell peppers and rosemary. Don't forget pasta or polenta to capture every drop of the sauce!
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Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes

Ingredients
 

  • 3 pounds (1.35 kg) bone-in chicken thighs (6-8 pieces)
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon (15 g) all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 thinly sliced shallots, (½ cup)
  • 1 chopped red bell pepper, ( 2-inch pieces)
  • ½ pound (225 g) cremini mushrooms, sliced ½-inch thick
  • 1 tablespoon (15 g) sliced garlic
  • ⅓ cup tomato paste
  • ¼ cup (60 ml) balsamic vinegar, or use a dry red or white wine like pinot noir or pinot grigio
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary, or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • ¾ cup (175 ml) chicken broth

Equipment

Instructions
 

  1. Pat 3 pounds bone-in chicken thighs (6-8 pieces) dry with a paper towel. Season generously on both sides with salt and pepper. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour on both sides, patting off any excess.
  2. Pour ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil into a large (12-inch) saute or braising pan and place over medium-high heat for a minute or two. When the oil begins to shimmer, arrange the chicken in the pan, skin-side down.
  3. Cook the chicken until the skin is golden brown, 6-8 minutes. Turn the pieces over and cook another 2 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate.
  4. Stir 2 thinly sliced shallots and 1 chopped red bell pepper into the fat in the pan. Cook 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened. Add ½ pound cremini mushrooms, sliced ½-inch thick and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until the mushrooms begin to release their liquid, 2-3 minutes.
  5. Add 1 tablespoon sliced garlic, ⅓ cup tomato paste, ¼ cup balsamic vinegar and 1 tablespoon of the rosemary to the pan. Cook one minute, stirring to disperse the tomato paste into the cooking oil. Arrange the chicken pieces skin side up over the vegetables. Pour in ¾ cup chicken brothand bring to a simmer.
  6. Cover the pan and cook 25 minutes. Adjust the heat as needed to maintain a slow bubble without boiling. Turn the chicken over and cook, uncovered, 10 more minutes. The chicken should be very tender when prodded with a fork.
  7. Taste the sauce for seasoning, adding more salt if needed. Sprinkle the chicken with the remaining tablespoon chopped rosemary and serve.

Notes

  • If substituting boneless, skinless chicken thighs, reduce the covered cooking time to 15 minutes, and proceed with 10 minutes cooking, uncovered.
  • Prepared, refrigerated chicken cacciatore tastes delicious up to 3-5 days later.
  • Freeze portions in sturdy, leakproof containers up to 1 month. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator, or use the defrost function in a microwave.
  • Reheat on the stovetop: Cover the pan and place over medium heat about 15 minutes, or until heated through.

    Nutrition per serving

    Calories: 552kcal Carbohydrates: 11g Protein: 34g Fat: 41g Sodium: 381mg Fiber: 2g Sugar: 6g

    Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.

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