Serve this delicious chicken with Warm Zucchini Salad on the side. You won’t regret it!
Chicken Cacciatore Recipe
Chicken Cacciatore, aka Pollo alla Cacciatora in Italian, is well known outside of its country of origin but I can’t say it’s quite as tasty as the original. Every time I’ve had it at an Italian restaurant in North America, it tasted like a piece of fried chicken smothered in a basic (read ‘bland”) marinara sauce. It left me feeling pretty underwhelmed, and not convinced that this dish deserves its reputation. On my very first trip to Italy a few years ago I quickly learned that statement couldn’t be further from the truth. Cacciatore sauce is not just an extension of marinara sauce that’s been pimped up with some chicken. It has a taste all its own and a great one at that! It’s delicious with surprisingly crisp chicken skin simmered in a mildly tangy tomato sauce, infused with aromas of rosemary and garlic, rounded off with good old red wine.
Is it easy to make?
Yes it is, because it mostly cooks itself in the oven while you could be doing something much more interesting with your time. The divine taste and the ease of preparation are the reasons chicken cacciatore could be an amazing everyday meal option and a stunning dinner party idea. Making chicken cacciatore involves 3 easy steps:
Marinating it in red or white wine, rosemary, garlic. (This is where flavour building happens.) Browning it in olive oil. (Improves texture.) Making the sauce. (Double the flavour.)
After you’ve done those 3 steps your job is done and your oven takes over. Just pop it in at 350F/180C for 1 hour and beautiful mouthwatering chicken is ready. For a dish with such big flavour it is surprisingly simple to make, which is a characteristic of Italian cuisine that I deeply admire. Behind the simplicity lies a thoughtful ingredient list and tried-and-true techniques honed over generations, which all comes together in this incredible dish!
Cacciatore sauce
Listen up, friends, this sauce is so delicious mostly due to one secret ingredient. What is this special ingredient? Anchovies! Don’t be scared, the sauce tastes NOTHING like fish. All anchovies do is add salt and complexity to the tomato sauce. They disintegrate into the sauce, so no one will even know they were there in the first place. It’s also worth mentioning the canned chopped tomatoes. It is easy to think that all canned tomatoes are the same, but this is just not the case. Some are made with ripe, flavourful tomatoes and you can absolutely tell. They melt when cooked and taste Unfortunately, some canned tomatoes lack sweetness and are a bit tough, which comes from being picked and canned in a less-than-ripe state. This is why so many people feel the need to add sugar to tomato sauces. If you can, look for canned tomatoes that are sourced from Italy, where they always seem to get this right. If you can’t find Italian tomatoes, experiment with available brands to find one that you enjoy.
Serving suggestions
Traditionally Italian meat dishes are served as the second course on their own but I’m guessing that many of us are not Italian. So here are my suggestions. This chicken recipe is delicious with rice or potatoes. Any type of plain rice and any type of potatoes. Take your pick. However, here is what I prefer. However, I prefer to serve chicken cacciatore with pasta. Almost any shape will do but I find that rigatoni stands up to this hearty sauce especially well. Take the chicken out of the pan and cover with aluminium foil to keep it warm. Add the cooked pasta directly to the sauce and toss to coat. This is my favourite way to enjoy chicken cacciatore. I often add my homemade No Knead Bread as well. I also like to add Roasted Parmesan Broccoli with Sun-dried Tomatoes and Chillies on the side. Then, for something truly special, finish this incredible Italian feast with Amaretti Tiramisu.
More Italian chicken recipes
Easy Chicken in Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce Italian Rosemary Chicken Stew Classic Chicken Parmesan Chicken Arrabiata with Herb and Garlic Breadcrumbs
