In Italian, cacciatore means hunter, which refers to hunter-style cooking. It traditionally contains chicken (or rabbit), onions, tomatoes, bell peppers, and wine. It’s a hearty dish that hunters would eat as they were hunting as it comes together easily and quickly, which translates perfectly for a busy night with hungry mouths to feed!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE
Chicken thighs — you will want to use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for this chicken cacciatore recipe. The skin gets super crispy, and the chicken is juicy and moist. The dark meat also provides a ton of flavor to the sauce, which is difficult to recreate with lean chicken breasts. Dry white wine — I recommend using dry white wine as it doesn’t add any additional sweetness to the dish like a sweet, red wine might. The wine also provides a boost of flavor to the sauce and brings out the flavors of the other ingredients. It does not need to be expensive, but keep in mind that you shouldn’t cook with it if you wouldn’t drink it. You want the sauce to taste good! Diced tomatoes — look for canned diced tomatoes without added salt as we are seasoning with salt. You do not want to drain the tomatoes beforehand as the juices will help make a flavorful sauce. Canned crushed tomatoes will work in a pinch if you do not have canned diced tomatoes.
HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN CACCIATORE
Dice the vegetables to similar sizes, so they cook at the same rate.
Cook the chicken thighs over medium-high heat until golden brown, and they easily release from the skillet, flipping only once. Set aside when done.
To the skillet, add onion, red and green peppers, carrot, and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook, frequently stirring until vegetables start to soften.
Stir in garlic and mushrooms. Then, stir in tomato paste, oregano, and thyme.
Deglaze the skillet, add the diced tomatoes, and season with salt and red pepper flakes.
Nestle chicken thighs back into skillet. Partially cover and cook for 25 minutes or until cooked through. Garnish the chicken cacciatore with basil before serving.
PRO TIPS FOR MAKING THIS RECIPE
If you only have a 12 ounce can of tomato paste, you can freeze the extra for later! Tomato paste is freezer-friendly, so I store the extra in a freezer-safe container or bag for later to avoid having half-used opened cans forgotten in the back of the fridge. If you have a small skillet, cook the chicken thighs in two batches. Avoid overcrowding the pan so the skin of the chicken thighs can crisp up. Use a splatter screen if you have one, as the oil can splash as the skin-side of the chicken cooks. I highly recommend using fresh garlic, but you can use garlic powder if you’re all out. A clove of garlic is around ½ teaspoon of garlic powder. Add some heat to this Chicken Cacciatore with the addition of more red pepper flakes.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What does it mean to deglaze the skillet?
To deglaze a skillet means adding liquid (the wine) to a hot pan to help loosen the caramelized dark bits stuck to the bottom from searing the chicken thighs and sauteing the vegetables. The bits at the bottom add a ton of flavor to the sauce.
What can I use instead of wine in this recipe?
If you do not have wine, you can use chicken or vegetable stock instead. I recommend using low-sodium or no salt added stock so you can season to taste.
What sides go well with this recipe?
As cacciatore chicken is saucy, you could serve with a side of mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, salad (like this Panzanella Salad), or Dinner Rolls.
Can I use chicken breasts?
You can use chicken breasts, but they will not be as juicy as chicken thighs. The cooking time will have to be adjusted when swapping for breasts as well. Use a meat thermometer to prevent overcooking the breasts.
How do I store leftovers?
Once the leftovers have cooled to room temperature, transfer to an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 4 days. When reheating, you can do so in the oven to keep the chicken skin crispy. If you’ve tried this Chicken Cacciatore recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
