Do you love making Italian dinners at home? Try my Authentic Italian Meatballs and my One Pan Cheesy Italian Chicken Skillet recipe. They are so easy and taste amazing!
Easy Chicken Cacciatore Recipe
Italian food is the best comfort food. Whether it’s pasta, pizza, or a healthy Italian soup, Italian food just makes you feel great. This Chicken Cacciatore recipe is no exception to that rule. Plenty of garlic, olives, mushrooms, and bell peppers are paired with juicy, succulent tender chicken thighs, and cooked in a hearty tomato sauce that is laced with red wine. Serve it over pasta, polenta, or mashed potatoes (choose your favorite!) with a side of Focaccia Bread. This recipe is amazing as it sounds, and even better, it’s so easy to make! One of my favorite things about Chicken Cacciatore is that everything gets made in one pot. One pot means less cleaning up later which, if you’re a busy parent like me, is always appreciated. Leftovers taste even better the next day and can either be refrigerated or frozen for later. The whole family will love digging into this recipe, or make it for a stay-at-home date night. Nothing is more romantic than homemade Italian!
Ingredients
Chicken: Juicy chicken thighs are my go-to for this chicken cacciatore recipe because they stay moist and become so tender! You can also use chicken breasts, just take care to not overcook them. Rabbit is also commonly added to cacciatore in Italy. Mushrooms: Brown, cremini, or button mushrooms are all perfect! Bell Peppers: I added yellow and red bell peppers, however, an orange bell pepper would taste great as well. Garlic & Onion: Plenty of flavor is provided by these two ingredients! I added 6 cloves of garlic. Feel free to add less or even more to your taste. Tomatoes: Canned crushed tomatoes are the base of the sauce. Wine: A full-bodied red like Merlot, Malbec, or Cabernet Sauvignon make the tomato sauce rich and robust. Herbs and spices: For even more aroma I threw in some red pepper flakes for spice, along with fresh thyme, fresh oregano, and bay leaves. The fresh herbs add so much to this recipe. Try to stick with fresh instead of dried if you can! Remember to substitute 1 teaspoon of dried herbs for 1 tablespoon of fresh. Olives: Finally, black olives are tossed in at the end for a nice salty flavor. Kalamata olives are also a great idea if you have them on hand. If you are not an olive fan simply omit them.
How to make Chicken Cacciatore
Begin by patting the chicken dry with paper towels. Liberally season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper, set aside. Next, heat oil over high heat in a large pot. When the oil is nice and hot add in chicken and sear on both sides (I do this in batches) until the chicken is golden brown. Remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside. It is ok if the chicken isn’t fully cooked it will continue to cook in the sauce.
Add mushrooms to the same pot and cook over high heat until the mushrooms are golden brown and tender.
Add the bell peppers and onions to the pot and saute for 3-4 minutes or until they start to get tender, and then add in garlic and cook for an additional minute. Stir in wine and deglaze the pan by scraping up the brown bits stuck to the bottom. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
Stir in crushed tomatoes, red pepper flakes, thyme, oregano, and bay leaves.
Add in chicken thighs and bring the sauce to a simmer. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked to 165 degrees and is tender. Remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaves from the sauce. You can either shred the chicken, dice, slice, or leave it whole.
Add in black olives and season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve Chicken Cacciatore immediately over pasta, polenta, or mashed potatoes, and enjoy!
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Store this Chicken Cacciatore recipe in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat it in the microwave, in a pot on the stove, or in the oven until the chicken is heated through. To freeze this recipe, store it in an airtight container or ziptop bag for up to 4 months. Thaw completely before reheating.
Tips for Success
Add extra red pepper flakes for a little more heat! Shred some parmesan over the top before serving. Make a double batch and freeze half for later. This is an excellent recipe for meal prep as it freezes and reheats well. Try making Chicken Cacciatore in a slow cooker or instant pot! I’ll leave the instructions below in case you want to give it a go!
More easy Italian recipes you will love
Slow Cooker Italian Meatballs Easy Italian Pinwheels The Best Italian Nachos Italian Gnocchi Soup Lasagna Roll Ups
