This Authentic Italian Chicken Cacciatore is simple to prepare, feeds a family and leaves delicious leftovers. Cacciatore, or “hunter’s style chicken,” features braised chicken thighs in a rich tomato sauce. This version finishes with briny capers and olives for a classic Italian flavor.
A Quick Look at The Recipe
- Recipe Name: Chicken Cacciatore
- Ready in: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Makes: 6 servings
- Main ingredients: Bone-in chicken thighs (or boneless), bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, crushed tomatoes
- Why you’ll love it: A hearty, comforting braised Italian chicken perfect for family dinners and weeknights.
Why This Recipe
Chicken Cacciatore fills the home with a comforting aroma of garlic, onions and tomatoes — a scent many of us associate with family meals. This one-pot braise combines protein and vegetables in a flavorful sauce that pairs beautifully with pasta, rice, polenta or potatoes. It’s practical for busy evenings and makes excellent leftovers, as the flavors deepen overnight.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Chicken thighs: Bone-in thighs are ideal for braising because they stay tender and are forgiving during searing. Boneless thighs or legs also work. Avoid chicken breasts, which can dry out during braising.
- Vegetables: Traditional cacciatore includes peppers, onions and mushrooms, but you can adapt to seasonal vegetables. The dish is flexible and rustic by nature.
- Olives and capers: Added at the end to give the sauce a fresh briny finish — they should not be cooked too long or their flavor will dissipate.
- Wine: Red or white can be used; red wine adds deeper savory notes when reduced with the vegetables.
- Tomatoes: Whole plum tomatoes hand-crushed give a rustic texture and better control over the sauce consistency.
- Herbs: Fresh thyme and bay leaves are used here; fresh rosemary, basil or oregano can be added. Fresh herbs are preferable for braises to avoid overpowering the sauce.
How to Make an Authentic Italian Chicken Cacciatore
Follow these steps and the photos for guidance.
Step 1: Season 6 chicken thighs liberally with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Marinate at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.
Step 2: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high. Sear the thighs 3 minutes per side until golden. Remove and set aside — they will finish cooking in the sauce.
Tip: Pack the thighs fairly close when searing to avoid excess steam and ensure a good brown crust.
Step 3: Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, lower heat to medium and sauté sliced bell peppers and a sliced onion for 3–4 minutes until they soften.
Step 4: Add 8 oz mushrooms and sauté about 5 minutes more.
Step 5: Stir in 3 minced garlic cloves and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
Step 6: Add 2 tablespoons tomato paste and let it caramelize on the pan for 2 minutes to deepen the tomato flavor.
Step 7: Pour in 1/2 cup red wine, scrape the browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon and simmer until reduced by half, about 3 minutes.
Step 8: Add one 28-oz can hand-crushed plum tomatoes, 1 teaspoon salt, 3 sprigs thyme and 2 bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then lower to a gentle simmer.
Step 9: Return the chicken to the pot, cover with a slight opening for steam, and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 10: Stir in 2 tablespoons capers and 1/2 cup Castelvetrano or Kalamata olives, simmer uncovered 10 more minutes. Remove from heat and serve.
Serve over creamy polenta, your favorite pasta, rice or mashed potatoes. The sauce is excellent spooned over any starch.
Pro Tips
- When searing, keep the thighs close together to reduce steam and improve browning.
- Let the tomato paste caramelize briefly to intensify the tomato flavor before adding wine.
- Add capers and olives at the end to preserve their bright briny punch — cooking them too long weakens the flavor.
- Leftovers improve overnight: the sauce thickens and flavors meld, making the dish even better the next day.
What to Serve with Chicken Cacciatore
This braised chicken shines over starches that soak up the sauce:
- Polenta: Classic creamy polenta is my top pick.
- Potatoes: Mashed or roasted potatoes work well with the rich sauce.
- Rice: Plain white or brown rice or a flavored pilaf are great choices.
- Pasta: Serve the chicken and sauce over a simple pasta or alongside a small pasta dish.
Recipe FAQs
Serve over pasta, rice, polenta or potatoes. Polenta is a particularly good match.
Reheat gently in a saucepan so the chicken warms evenly. If reheating with pasta, add a little pasta water to help the sauce cling to the noodles.
The sauce thickens as it cools off the heat and becomes richer after a day in the fridge. If needed immediately, a small cornstarch slurry can be used, but often it’s unnecessary.
Yes. For best flavor, sear the thighs first, then transfer everything to the slow cooker and cook on low about 6 hours.
Breasts tend to dry out during braising, so thighs or legs are recommended for this preparation.
Additional Classic Italian Dishes
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Restaurant-Style Chicken Marsala
-
Restaurant-Style Chicken Scarpariello
-
Chicken Pizzaiola
-
Restaurant-Style Chicken Francese
Please leave a comment and star rating in the recipe card if you try this. I love hearing how the recipes turn out.
Easy Chicken Cacciatore
Vincent DelGiudice
Equipment
-
1 Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 6 bone-in or boneless chicken thighs
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 1 green bell pepper, sliced
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 8 oz mushrooms
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/2 cup red wine
- 1 (28 oz) can whole plum tomatoes, hand crushed
- 3 sprigs thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 tsp salt (total)
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 cup Castelvetrano or Kalamata olives
- 2 tbsp capers
- 3 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Season the chicken thighs with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Marinate 30 minutes to 24 hours.
- Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the thighs 3 minutes per side until golden. Remove and set aside.
- Add 1 tbsp olive oil, reduce to medium, and sauté the sliced peppers and onion 3–4 minutes until softened. Add mushrooms and cook 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute.
- Mix in the tomato paste and allow it to caramelize about 2 minutes. Pour in the red wine and scrape the browned bits, simmer until reduced by half (about 3 minutes).
- Add hand-crushed tomatoes, 1 tsp salt, thyme and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Return the chicken to the pot and simmer, covered with a slight opening, for 30 minutes.
- Stir in capers and olives and simmer uncovered 10 more minutes. Remove from heat and serve over polenta, pasta, rice or potatoes.
Notes
- For best searing, keep the thighs packed together in the pan so excess steam doesn’t prevent browning.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 8 g
Protein: 21 g
Fat: 28 g
Sodium: 1547 mg