There’s nothing quite like a simmering pot of Chicken Cacciatore to make your kitchen feel like the heart of the home. This classic Italian “hunter style” stew is the definition of comfort food. Tender, fall off the bone chicken thighs are braised in a rich, rustic sauce packed with mushrooms, bell peppers, and aromatic herbs. It’s a one pot wonder that’s incredibly flavorful, surprisingly easy to make, and perfect for feeding a crowd or enjoying as leftovers all week long.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Deep, Developed Flavor: Browning the chicken and building the sauce in the same pot creates layers of incredible flavor.
- One Pot Wonder: From stovetop to oven (or just stovetop), everything cooks in one Dutch oven, meaning maximum taste and minimal cleanup.
- Crowd Pleasing Comfort Food: This is a hearty, satisfying dish that everyone will love. It’s perfect for a family dinner or a casual gathering with friends.
- Make Ahead Magic: Like all great stews, the flavor gets even better the next day, making it a meal prep superstar.
Ingredients for Chicken Cacciatore
Gather these simple, wholesome ingredients to create a taste of Italy in your kitchen.
For the Chicken:
- 8 bone in, skin on chicken thighs (about 4 lbs), trimmed of excess skin
- 2½ teaspoons salt, divided
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup all purpose flour
For the Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 ounces cremini or bella mushrooms, sliced
- 2 red bell peppers, cut into ¼ inch strips
- ¾ cup dry red wine (like Chianti or Pinot Noir)
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 (14.5 oz) can fire roasted diced tomatoes
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Fresh chopped parsley, for garnish (optional)
Instructions for Making Chicken Cacciatore
Follow these steps for a perfectly braised, flavorful chicken cacciatore.
1Prep and Brown the Chicken: Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Season them all over with 1½ teaspoons of the salt and the black pepper. Place the flour on a plate and dredge each chicken thigh, coating it evenly and shaking off any excess.
Heat the olive oil in a large (5 quart) Dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot over medium high heat. Working in two batches to avoid crowding, place the chicken in the pot skin-side down. Cook for 5-7 minutes without moving until the skin is golden brown and crispy. Flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Transfer the browned chicken to a plate and repeat with the remaining thighs. Pour off all but about 2 tablespoons of the rendered fat from the pot.
2Sauté the Vegetables: Return the pot to medium low heat. Add the sliced onions and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute until fragrant; be careful not to let it burn.
Add the sliced mushrooms and bell peppers, increase the heat to medium, and cook for 5 minutes, until the vegetables just begin to soften.
3Build the Rich Sauce: Pour in the red wine, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to lift all the flavorful browned bits. Bring to a boil and let it reduce for 5-6 minutes, until mostly evaporated.
Stir in the chicken broth, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, fresh sage, rosemary, dried oregano, honey, and the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Let it cook uncovered for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
4Braise to Perfection: Nestle the browned chicken thighs and any accumulated juices back into the pot, spooning some sauce over the top. Cover the pot and let it simmer over medium low heat for about 35 minutes, until the chicken is tender and cooked through (an internal temperature of 165°F/74°C).
5Final Touches and Serving: Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a clean plate. At this point, you can pull off and discard the chicken skin if you prefer. Let the sauce simmer uncovered for a few more minutes to thicken to your desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Return the skinless chicken to the pot and simmer for a few final minutes to warm through. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and serve hot over creamy polenta, pasta, or crusty bread to soak up every last drop of the incredible sauce.
Classic Chicken Cacciatore
Ingredients
- 8 bone in skin on chicken thighs (about 4 lbs), trimmed
- 2½ teaspoons salt divided
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion halved and thinly sliced
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms sliced
- 2 red bell peppers cut into ¼-inch strips
- ¾ cup dry red wine
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 14.5 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Fresh chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Pat chicken dry and season with 1½ tsp salt and pepper. Dredge in flour.
- Heat oil in a Dutch oven. Brown chicken in batches, skin-side down first (5-7 mins), then flip (1-2 mins). Set aside. Pour off all but 2 tbsp fat.
- Sauté onion for 5 mins. Add garlic; cook 1 min. Add mushrooms and peppers; cook 5 mins.
- Add wine, scrape bottom, and boil 5-6 mins until reduced.
- Add broth, tomatoes, tomato paste, sage, rosemary, oregano, honey, and remaining 1 tsp salt. Boil, then simmer 10 mins.
- Return chicken to pot. Cover and simmer 35 mins until chicken is cooked (165°F).
- Remove chicken. Simmer sauce to thicken. Discard chicken skin, return chicken to pot, and warm through. Garnish with parsley.
Notes
- Wine Note: Use a dry red wine you'd drink, like Chianti or Pinot Noir. Avoid "cooking wine."
- Make Ahead: This tastes even better the next day! Store in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for 3 months.
- Serving Suggestion: Serve over pasta, polenta, or mashed potatoes.
