This chicken cacciatore recipe is a rustic Italian dish of golden brown chicken thighs in a well-seasoned tomato sauce with bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, and garlic. Learn how to make a delicious and hearty chicken cacciatore dish on your stovetop with this easy recipe.
Impress your friends and family with this classic Italian dish. “Cacciatore” translates to hunter, and this dish has all the rich and hearty flavors of a country meal. Serve over rice, pasta, or polenta with an arugula salad or garden salad.
What is Chicken Cacciatore?
In Italian, the word “cacciatore” means hunter. Chicken or rabbit is prepared “hunter” style using onions, herbs, tomatoes, bell peppers, and sometimes red wine. You can prepare this dish on the stovetop or use the stovetop and the oven for super tender chicken. The stovetop version is a little faster and leaves your peppers less soft. The chicken is unbelievably tender with the stove top/oven version, but it takes longer.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Chicken: traditionally bone-in chicken thighs or breasts
- Seasonings and herbs: salt, freshly ground black pepper, dried oregano, fresh thyme, fresh parsley, and red pepper flakes
- Olive oil: extra virgin
- Dry red wine: choose a dry, bold red wine like Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot. Make sure it is a good quality wine that you would enjoy drinking.
- Tomato paste: just a touch to thicken the sauce. You can freeze the rest.
How to make Chicken Cacciatore
Heat a little oil in a large ovenproof skillet or Dutch oven. Brown the chicken and place it on a plate.
Heat a little more oil in the pan and add the onions, carrots, bell peppers, and mushrooms. Cook until the onions are tender and the mushrooms are browned. Reduce the heat to low, and add the garlic and dried oregano, cooking for one minute while stirring. Add the red wine and reduce by half.
Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, thyme sprigs, chopped parsley, and red pepper flakes. Simmer for about 10 minutes to let the flavors meld. Add the chicken back to the skillet, cover, and place it in the oven for about 45 minutes or until the meat is very tender. You can also cover it and simmer it on the stovetop.
Preparation Tips and Storage
- Use a quality dry red wine that you would enjoy a glass of. Some suggestions are Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Pinot Noir.
- If you prefer, substitute chicken broth for the red wine.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave at reduced power.
Serving Suggestions
The possibilities are endless. Pasta, rice, polenta, garlic mashed potatoes, and rosemary-roasted potatoes are all excellent side dish choices. Or serve with an Italian salad or rocket salad. French baguettes or garlic knots are a yummy bread choice.
More Chicken Recipes
Chicken Cacciatore Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 skin on bone-in chicken thighs
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1½ tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion chopped
- 1 large carrot peeled and chopped
- 1 small red bell pepper chopped
- 1 small yellow or orange bell pepper chopped
- 10 ounces cremini or Baby Bella mushrooms sliced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet or Dutch oven. Cook the chicken until golden brown on both sides and place it on a plate.
- Heat the remaining olive oil in the pan and add the onions, carrots, bell peppers, and mushrooms. Cook until the onions are tender and the mushrooms are browned.
- Reduce the heat to low, and add the garlic and dried oregano, cooking for one minute while stirring. Add the red wine and reduce by half.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, thyme sprigs, chopped parsley, and red pepper flakes. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add the chicken back to the skillet, cover, and place the skillet in the oven for 45 minutes or until the meat is very tender. You can also cover it and simmer it on the stovetop for 40 minutes or until tender.
Notes
- Use a quality dry red wine that you would enjoy a glass of. Some suggestions are Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Pinot Noir.
- If you prefer, substitute chicken broth for the red wine.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave at reduced power.
Gust
I made the Chicken Cacciatore for dinner and it was fantastic! The chicken was tender and the sauce was rich and flavorful. This dish has become a new family favorite.
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Gust! I am so glad that you like the chicken cacciatore!
Erin S
This dish was so flavorful and satisfying! The chicken was so tender and the sauce was perfect over pasta! I’m definitely making this again soon!
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Erin!
Krystle S
The chicken thighs came out perfectly golden and tender, and the tomato sauce was rich and flavorful.
Beth Pierce
So glad that you enjoyed them, Krystle!
Erin | Dinners,Dishes and Dessert
I know for sure this would be a huge hit in my house!
Kimberly
Such a great dish, this looks delicious!
Lora
Chicken cacciatore is such great comfort food!
Melanie Bauer
This is definitely beyond delicious! Love all the flavors going on with this dish, can’t wait!
Taylor
One of my favorite Italian dishes! Absolutely love the flavors in chicken cacciatore…so delicious!
Dorothy Reinhold
I am always looking for ways to spice up our dinner rotation. This looks great!
Paul
During the intro to the recipe under “How To Make Chicken Cacciatore Recipe” you mentioned adding onion powder yet I don’t see it listed in the ingredients list or recipe directions. Would you recommend adding onion powder? If so how much did you use?
Beth Pierce
Thanks Paul for the heads up! I have corrected it. Sometimes I am really burning the candle at both ends. It is just 1/4 teaspoon onion powder.
Erin | Dinners,Dishes and Dessert
This couldn’t look any more perfect! This is seriously making me hungry!
Allyson Reed Zea
I love this easy recipe, I think you so much!
Chrissie Baker
This. Looks. Incredible. Love all of the bold, rich flavors in here! Saving now!
Catalina
The perfect easy and delicious weeknight meal! I love it!
Brandy O'Neill
This is one of my husbands favorite! Thanks for the recipe!
Beth Pierce
My pleasure Brandy! I hope you enjoy it!
Steph
I love everything about this recipe! There’s so many delicious ingredients, I can’t wait to make it!