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This easy chicken cacciatore recipe is a classic Italian dish which is braised in a simple, but delicious tomato sauce that the whole family will love.
One skillet/pan chicken dishes are one of my go-to meals, from chicken paprikash to honey lemon chicken to Roman chicken. There just so easy to make and less dishes to clean up which is always a plus.
And this Italian chicken cacciatore recipe is no different. When I first started getting into cooking back in college, Giada De Laurentiis had an Everyday Italian show on the Food Network. One recipe that caught my eye was her chicken cacciatore.
Loaded with onion, peppers, garlic, tomatoes, and my favorite (capers), it looked like a recipe easy enough to make but tasty as well. And I wasn't wrong!
Since then I've adapted the recipe slightly to add a little more garlic flavor, some carrot and tomato paste to make the sauce even richer. This easy chicken cacciatore recipe is what Italians call comfort food and after one bite, you'll understand why.
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Recipe Ingredients
- Chicken thighs - bone-in with skin on is best for this dish but you can use skinless or chicken breasts.
- Salt and pepper - enhances the flavor.
- All-purpose flour - gets the skin of the chicken crispy and helps thicken the sauce.
- Onion, carrot, bell peppers, garlic - adds flavors and vegetables to the dish.
- Dry white wine - use a quality dry white wine like a Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc.
- Crushed tomatoes - can also use tomato sauce.
- Tomato paste - gives the sauce a richer tomato flavor.
- Capers - adds a salty/briny flavor to this chicken cacciatore recipe.
- Dried oregano, thyme, crushed red pepper flakes - can also use fresh oregano and thyme, but you need to triple the amount.
- Fresh basil - gives some freshness to the meal.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Dredge chicken in flour after seasoning with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Cook chicken 5 minutes per side, or until browned. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Add all the veggies except for the garlic and cook until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Deglaze the pan with wine and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add the remaining ingredients and return the chicken to the pan and toss in sauce.
- Simmer for 30 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Add basil and serve immediately.
Variations
Like any meal, you can customize this Italian chicken cacciatore recipe to your family's tastes.
- Chicken: If you aren't a fan of chicken thighs, use chicken breasts.
- Vegetables: Try orange or green bell peppers instead of the red and yellow, or add in mushrooms or zucchini to the mix.
- Olives: Instead of capers, you can try olives to get that salty/briny flavor.
- Cheese: A sprinkle of Parmesan cheese over the top never hurts.
Side Dish Options
Cacciatore is usually served over spaghetti, but you can also try other pastas like orzo, parpadelle or even gnocchi.
If you want to go with something completely different try polenta or farro.
FAQs
The word cacciatore means “hunter” in Italian, which refers to a dish that is prepared in a hunter style. Hunter style recipes usually contain onions, peppers, tomatoes, wine and herbs. This easy chicken cacciatore recipe contains all of these ingredients, plus other flavors such as garlic and capers.
You know the chicken is cooked when it reaches 165°F with an instant-read thermometer or if you cut into the chicken and the juices run clear and there is no pink. Honestly, I always just cut the chicken to see when it is done. If it isn’t just cook slightly longer.
For this as well as many other recipes such as chicken saltimbocca, I use a Lodge cast iron skillet. It’s surprisingly affordable and will last years if you take care of it.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Use chicken thighs with skin and bone-in as it contributes to the richness of the dish. You can use skinless as well, but you won't get the crispy texture.
- If you want a thicker sauce, mix 1 tbsp flour with 1 tbsp water to make a slurry and then add to the sauce as it simmers.
- Leftovers will store well in the fridge for 2-3 days in an air-tight container or be frozen for 3 months.
Other Chicken Recipes
- Lemon Chicken Piccata
- Balsamic Peach Chicken
- Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Chicken
- Chicken with White Wine Sauce
- Thai Satay Chicken
- Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken
If you’ve tried this easy chicken cacciatore recipe or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.
Chicken Cacciatore
Ingredients
- 6 chicken thighs, skin on and bone-in
- salt and pepper to season
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 sweet onion, diced
- 1 large carrot, peeled and diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- ¾ cup dry white wine
- 1 (28 oz can) crushed tomatoes
- ½ cup low-sodium chicken stock
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 tbsp drained capers
- 1 ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
Instructions
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper and dredge in the flour. Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Add the chicken and cook 5 minutes per side, or until browned. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Add the onion, carrot and peppers and cook until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Add the wine to deglaze the pan. Allow to simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes, chicken stock, tomato paste, capers, oregano, thyme and red pepper flakes. Return the chicken to the pan and toss in sauce. Bring to simmer and simmer for 30 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Stir in basil and serve.
Notes
- Use chicken thighs with skin and bone-in as it contributes to the richness of the dish. You can use skinless as well, but you won't get the crispy texture.
- Add cold oil to a cold skillet and let heat up to proper temperature before adding the chicken. You’ll know it is ready when the oil starts to shimmer.
- If you want a thicker sauce, mix 1 tbsp flour with 1 tbsp water to make a slurry and then add to the sauce as it simmers.
- You know the chicken is cooked when it reaches 165°F with an instant-read thermometer or if you cut into the chicken and the juices run clear and there is no pink. Honestly, I always just cut the chicken to see when it is done. If it isn’t just cook slightly longer.
- Leftovers will store well in the fridge for 2-3 days in an air-tight container or be frozen for 3 months.
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