Italian-Style Chicken Cacciatore
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A pan-braised chicken cacciatore recipe that’s ready to enjoy in one hour, with fork-tender chicken thighs in a thick, savory tomato sauce with chunky mushrooms, bell peppers and rosemary. Serve this classic chicken dish with a side of sauteed broccoli. Don’t forget pasta or polenta to capture every drop of the sauce!
Cozy and satisfying chicken cacciatore slow-cooks to perfection in under an hour, without a lot of fuss. It’s one of the classic Italian-style chicken recipes, and it cooks entirely on the stovetop in one skillet (like my favorite recipe for tender chicken Marsala).
After enjoying so many light and fresh recipes like crispy Italian chicken cutlets, we start to crave a cozy braised chicken dinner just like this.
Growing up with an Italian grandmother, I watched how she cooked her own version of this rustic dish, usually with rabbit and real, foraged wild mushrooms (that I was afraid to eat). She simmered it for hours and hours, until the sauce was deep, dark red and the meat was beyond fork tender.
Fun facts about chicken cacciatore
- The word “cacciatore” (pronounced KA-CHA-TOR-EH) literally means “”cooked in the hunter’s way” in Italian.
- It’s one of the most popular chicken dinner recipes that originated in traditional Italian households, where there was always a hunter or two.
- Like many Italian dishes, it tends to vary depending on regions and individual cooks.
About the ingredients
- Chicken thighs: For the best flavor, I recommend bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs or a combination of chicken legs and thighs. You can also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs, in which case the cooking time will be slightly shorter (see the recipe notes). Chicken breasts or a whole cut-up chicken are great in this recipe, but keep in mind the breasts will take less time to cook than the dark meat.
- Mushrooms: Portobello mushrooms or cremini mushrooms are readily available. White button mushrooms will work in a pinch (although they are somewhat milder in flavor).
- Red bell peppers: I always prefer red (or orange) peppers instead of green bell peppers — they’re much sweeter and less bitter-tasting.
- Shallot: The flavor of shallots cooked with chicken is fantastic. A basic yellow onion works just as well if you don’t have shallots.
- Rosemary: For some reason, the word cacciatore makes me think of a dense forest on a fall day. Fresh rosemary captures that feeling, and of course, it has a wonderful piney scent and flavor. Use half the amount of another aromatic dried herb such as oregano or thyme.
- Garlic: One or two fat fresh cloves, enough to make about 1 tablespoon, finely sliced. Use more if you love garlic!
- Balsamic vinegar: I like to use a good aged balsamic vinegar in the sauce because it’s an all-in-one ingredient that adds sweetness and tanginess at the same time. You can also use the same amount of dry white wine or red wine, such as pinot grigio or pinot noir.
- All purpose or gluten-free flour blend: You need a tablespoon of flour for dredging the chicken pieces. It helps crisp the skin and adds body to the sauce.
- Chicken broth: Look for a low-sodium chicken broth, or use vegetable broth if you prefer.
Cooking chicken cacciatore on the stovetop
Equipment: For the best results, 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. I love my cast iron braising pan for this!
1. Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels. 2. Season generously on both sides with salt and fresh black pepper.
3. Sprinkle flour on both sides, patting off any excess. 4. In a deep saute pan or Dutch oven, brown the chicken in olive oil, skin side down, until the skin turns golden.
5. Remove the chicken and stir in the shallots and peppers. 6. Cook until softened.
7. Add the mushrooms and cook, scraping up the browned bits on the pan. 8. Stir in tomato paste, garlic, herbs and balsamic vinegar.
9. Add the chicken pieces back to the pan with chicken broth. Cover and cook 25 minutes. 10. Turn the chicken over and cook 10 minutes, uncovered. Sprinkle with fresh rosemary and serve.
Storage tips
- 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: Put the chicken and sauce in a skillet or large saucepan. Cover the pan and place over medium heat about 15 minutes, or until heated through.
Serving suggestions
- Saucy chicken cacciatore is perfect served with any type of pasta noodle, such as penne, spaghetti or pappardelle.
- For the ultimate dinner, serve it with classic saffron risotto or warm cheesy polenta.
Fork-Tender Chicken Cacciatore
Equipment
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 or all-purpose gluten-free flour
- ¼ cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 2 shallots, halved lengthwise and sliced (½ cup)
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped into 2-inch pieces
- ½ pound (225 g) cremini or small portobello 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
Instructions
- Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel. Season generously on both sides with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the flour on both sides, patting off any excess.
- Pour the 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.
- 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.
- Stir the shallots and bell pepper into the fat in the pan. Cook 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened. Add the mushrooms 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.
- Add the garlic, tomato paste, 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 the chicken broth and bring to a simmer.
- 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.
- Taste the sauce for seasoning, adding more salt if needed. Sprinkle the chicken with the remaining tablespoon chopped rosemary and serve.
Karen’s Notes and Tips
- 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
Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.
Hey, I’m Karen
Creator of Familystyle Food
I’m a food obsessed super-taster and professionally trained cook ALL about creating elevated dinners with everyday ingredients. Find simplified recipes made from scratch and enjoy incredibly tasty food! Read more about me here.
Found you, Karen, and am cooking your chicken cacciatore for New Year’s Eve! Quite colorful and flavorful while cooking. Can’t imagine anything bad tasting in the finished dish! I did not substitute anything.
I think it will be awesome! Happy New Year!
Hi Chrissy – So glad you visited! Enjoy the chicken and Happy New Year to you!
I found the recipe to be very tasty and easy to make. My husband and I follow Weight Watchers, so I substituted chicken breast for the thighs. I also reduced the amount of olive oil to 1 Tbs and used olive oil spray to save on points.