Chicken Cacciatore

This rustic one-pot Italian Chicken Cacciatore dish has fresh vegetables simmered in a robust tomato and white wine sauce that you’ll adore!

QUITE THE CATCH

Cacciatore actually translates to “hunter” in Italian and dare I say, this meal is quite a catch! Chicken Cacciatore has a rustic stew quality that makes it perfect for family dinners or anytime you’re craving Italian comfort food!

If you want more family-friendly Italian dinner ideas, try Slow Cooker Italian Chicken Dinner or Italian Baked Penne Casserole.

OTHER RECIPES TO SERVE WITH CHICKEN CACCIATORE

• Zoodles – Chicken Cacciatore with a size of zoodles is a great way to lighten this hearty meal.
• Cauliflower Rice – This cacciatore is great served over a bed of rice – whether it’s white rice, brown rice, or healthy Cauliflower Rice is up to you!
• Cream Cheese Garlic Mashed Potatoes – If you’re committing to a true comfort food meal, you have got to add these creamy mashed potatoes.

INGREDIENTS

Chicken: I use 6 skinless, bone-in chicken thighs in this recipe. You could also use chicken breasts if you prefer white meat. You’ll season this chicken with salt and pepper and coat it in flour and sear it in oil and butter.

Veggies: This hearty Chicken Cacciatore has fresh minced garlic and sliced onion, green bell pepper, and mushrooms. You’ll also need a 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes with basil, black pitted olives, and capers.

Sauce: This rich sauce gets its flavor from dry white wine, chicken stock, and tomato paste and is seasoned with Italian seasoning.

Garnish: Top your dish with chopped parsley and freshly grated parmesan cheese.

HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN CACCIATORE

STEP ONE: Begin by seasoning the chicken thighs on both sides with salt and pepper. Next, sprinkle flour onto both sides and pat it to make sure it sticks. Next, heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat in a dutch oven and sear the chicken on both sides until the pieces are lightly golden brown. Once seared, remove the chicken to a plate and set it aside.

STEP TWO: Continue by adding the sliced onion, bell pepper, and mushrooms to the dutch oven. Cook the veggies stirring occasionally for 5-8 minutes until softened. Add the minced garlic and continue to cook the veggies for an additional 30 seconds.

STEP THREE: Next, deglaze the pan by adding the dry white wine and scrape the bottom of the pan to free up any browned bits. Now add the can of crushed tomatoes, chicken stock, tomato paste, black olives, capers, and Italian seasoning. Stir the ingredients until they are combined.

STEP FOUR: Add the chicken back into the dutch oven and cover each piece in the sauce. Cover the dutch oven and reduce the heat to low and simmer the Chicken Cacciatore for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally to ensure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan. Serve with optional parsley garnish and fresh parmesan cheese.

TIPS FOR SUCCESS

• If you can’t find crushed tomatoes with basil, grab regular crushed tomatoes. Then add 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh basil when you add the tomatoes to the pot.
• When searing the chicken, avoid crowding the pan. It’s best to sear it in batches. I usually look 3 thighs at a time.
• The chicken will finish cooking in the sauce, so it’s okay to sear it just long enough to get some good color. The chicken is finished cooking when it’s tender and has an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
• You can’t really overcook this dish- it only gets better with time! If you want fall-off-the-bone chicken, simmer it for a bit longer.

STORING AND REHEATING CHICKEN CACCIATORE

This heavenly dish is one of the rare few that can boast that it tastes even better the next day! To store leftover Chicken Cacciatore, allow it to cool completely before placing it in the fridge in an airtight container. Enjoy your leftovers in 3-4 days for the best results. You can reheat leftovers on the stovetop in a skillet or in the microwave.

CHICKEN CACCIATORE SUBSTITUTIONS

This recipe is wonderful because it’s easy to incorporate small changes based on preference and still get a delicious outcome! For starters, if you prefer white meat chicken, you can easily substitute boneless, skinless chicken breasts.

You can also play around with the vegetables a bit. Sometimes I use carrots or celery in place of veggies I don’t have in the fridge or I’ll throw in extra bell peppers because I love them! I also like to use fire-roasted tomatoes if I have them. If you want a deeper, richer sauce you may even use a dry red wine in place of the white wine. You can also add a little bit of heat to your sauce with some red pepper flakes.

OTHER TASTY CHICKEN RECIPES

• Creamy Skillet Pesto Chicken
• Creamy Garlic Butter Chicken
• Chicken Noodle Casserole
• Hawaiian Chicken Bites
• Monterey Chicken
• Tuscan Chicken

*This post originally posted on 08/11/2014.