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A heavy-bottomed cast iron skillet filled with chicken cacciatore sits atop a creamy white plaster surface. Two glasses of white wine, a small wooden pinch bowl filled with grated parmesan, white ceramic plates, gold silverware, a white and blue striped linen napkin, and a few sprigs of fresh thyme surround the skillet.

All-Time Favorite Chicken Cacciatore

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review
  • Author: Jess Larson
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
  • Yield: serves 4-6 1x
  • Category: Pasta Recipes, Main Dishes
  • Method: Stovetop, Slow Braise
  • Cuisine: Italian, American

Description

Rich, flavor-forward chicken thighs become meltingly fall-apart tender as they slowly simmer with peppers, onions, & mushrooms in an aromatic cacciatore sauce made with San Marzano tomatoes & wine. Serve over polenta, or with rice, potatoes, or pasta, this easy chicken cacciatore recipe is a one-skillet meal that packs a big punch of ‘hunter-style’ flavor!

Refer to the Recipe Notes, below, for oven-braised, slow cooker, & Instant Pot directions!

Ingredients

Scale
  • ⅓ cup olive oil, divided
  • 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (2.5–3 pounds), trimmed of excess fat
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 16 ounces cremini mushrooms (baby bella), halved or quartered
  • 2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
  • 2 medium bell peppers, thinly sliced
  • 8 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
  • 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
  • optional: up to 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon anchovy paste (or 2 fillets)
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 28 ounces diced San Marzano tomatoes
  • 8 sprigs fresh thyme
  • kosher salt & ground black pepper, to season
  • for serving, as desired: creamy polenta (pictured), mashed potatoes, pasta of choice, freshly grated parmesan, crushed red pepper, fresh thyme or fresh basil, etc. Chicken Cacciatore ingredients arranged on a light plaster surface: Bone-in skin-on chicken thighs, red and orange bell peppers, yellow onion, cremini mushrooms, garlic, dried Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper flakes, tomato paste, anchovy paste, dry white wine, diced San Marzano Style Italian Tomatoes, fresh thyme, all purpose flour, & DeLallo Foods Instant Polenta.

Instructions

  1. Chicken prep: Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pan with lid (at least 4-qt capacity) over medium-high heat. As the oil heats, prep the chicken. Use paper towels to pat the chicken thighs as dry as possible. In a shallow bowl, combine all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, & ground black pepper as desired. Lightly dredge the chicken thighs with the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess flour. How to Make Chicken Cacciatore, Step 1: A woman's hands work to lightly dredge & coat bone-in skin-on chicken thighs with seasoned all-purpose flour within a brown & white speckled ceramic bowl. To the right of the bowl rests a paper towel with 3 more non-flour coated chicken thighs and to the left of the bowl is a light pink cutting board with three pieces of flour-coated chicken thighs sitting atop. The cutting board, bowl, & paper towel all rest atop a creamy white plaster surface.
  2. Brown the chicken: Once the oil is hot & simmering, brown the chicken. Work in batches as needed to avoid overcrowding the pan. Carefully place the chicken thighs skin side down. Cook 4-5 minutes, until golden brown & rendered. Flip the chicken & cook 3-4 minutes more, until golden brown. Transfer to a plate & set aside.How to Make Chicken Cacciatore, Step 2: Chicken thighs brown in an oiled cast iron skillet until golden brown and rendered. The cast iron skillet rests atop a creamy white plaster surface.
  3. Cook the mushrooms: If needed, add an additional 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the same a heavy-bottomed pan used to brown the chicken. Once the oil is hot & shimmering, add the mushrooms, stirring to coat in oil. Cook 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are golden brown. Transfer the browned mushrooms to a plate & set aside.How to Make Chicken Cacciatore, step 3: Mushrooms cook until browned in a heavy-bottomed cast iron pan.
  4. Cook the onions & peppers: If needed, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the same a heavy-bottomed pan used to brown the chicken & mushrooms. Once the oil is hot & shimmering, add the sliced onions & bell peppers. Season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt & ground black pepper as desired. Stir to coat. Cook 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened & begin to take on some color.How to Make Chicken Cacciatore, step 4: Peppers and onions cook until browned in a heavy-bottomed cast iron pan.
  5. Add aromatics & deglaze: Working quickly, add the garlic, Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper flakes (if using), tomato paste, & anchovy paste to the pan. Stir to coat the vegetables in the seasoning. Cook, stirring frequently, for 2-3 minutes, until the aromatics are browned & fragrant. Deglaze by pouring in the white wine & using a wooden spoon or spatula to scrape up any browned bits that may have formed at the bottom of the pan. Let the wine simmer 2-3 minutes, until it’s nearly completely reduced.How to Make Chicken Cacciatore, step 5: Browned peppers and onions mixed with aromatics are deglazed in a heavy-bottomed cast iron pan with wine and simmered until nearly completely reduced. The cast iron pan sits atop a creamy white plaster surface.
  6. Build the chicken cacciatore sauce & simmer: Add the diced tomatoes & fresh thyme to the skillet, stirring to combine. Stir in the reserved browned mushrooms from Step 3, above. Nestle the chicken thighs into the skillet such that the crispy chicken skin peeks out of the sauce. Reduce heat to low to maintain a gentle, steady simmer. Cover & simmer for 45-50 minutes, until the chicken is fall-apart tender & cooked through.How to Make Chicken Cacciatore, step 6: Browned chicken thighs are nestled into a cacciatore sauce inside of a heavy-bottomed cast iron skillet. The skillet rests atop a creamy white plaster surface.
  7. Optional: Broil for texture: Preheat your oven’s broiler to its highest setting, ensuring an oven rack is positioned about 6 inches below the broiler. Transfer the chicken thighs to a small baking sheet. Place under the broiler for 4-5 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through, until the chicken skin is crispy & caramelized. As the chicken broils, you can also thicken the cacciatore sauce by increasing the heat under the pan to high. Boil 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until reduced as desired.Cooked chicken thighs arranged on a small aluminum baking sheet after being broiled in the oven. The baking sheet rests atop a creamy white plaster surface.
  8. Serve the chicken cacciatore immediately. We like enjoying chicken cacciatore over creamy polenta (this is my favorite easy polenta!), though you can also serve it over mashed potatoes or with your pasta of choice. I suggest spooning the cacciatore sauce & veggies over the polenta or potatoes, then setting a chicken thigh or two on top. Finish with fresh herbs, grated parmesan, & crushed red pepper flakes, as desired. Enjoy!Two pink ceramic bowls filled with chicken cacciatore served over creamy polenta sit atop a creamy white plaster surface. A few sprigs of fresh thyme, two gold forks, and two glasses of white wine surround the bowl.

Equipment

Notes

  • Storage & Freezing:
    • Storage & Reheating: Leftover chicken cacciatore will keep, stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to 5 days. It’s the kind of thing that gets even better as it sits & its flavors meld together. Reheat in the microwave until warmed through.
    • Freezing: You can also freeze leftover chicken cacciatore. Transfer cooled chicken cacciatore to a freezer container or divide between multiple freezer containers for smaller portions – these are my favorite! Freeze up to 3 months. To thaw, place the frozen chicken cacciatore the refrigerator overnight or submerge the freezer container in room temperature water for a quicker thaw. Easily reheat on the stovetop. The cacciatore sauce may be a little watery from freezing, simply simmer excess water off.
  • Alternate Cooking Methods:
    • Oven-Braised Chicken Cacciatore: Prep the recipe according to Steps 1-6, above. Rather than cooking on the stovetop, transfer the covered pot to a 350 degree F oven. Braise in the oven for 45 minutes – 1 hour, until the chicken is fall-apart tender. Complete the recipe according to Steps 7 as desired, & serve.
    • Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore: Prep the recipe according to Steps 1-6, above, then transfer to your slow cooker. Slow cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 5-6 hours until the chicken is fall-apart tender. Finish as directed in Steps 7 as desired. If your slow cooker has a searing/browning feature, you can use it to cook the entire recipe, Steps 1-7.
    • Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore: Prep the recipe according to Steps 1-6, above, assembling the chicken cacciatore in your Instant Pot. Cover & seal the Instant Pot. Cook the chicken cacciatore on manual high pressure for 15 minutes. Carefully quick release by flicking the valve to its “venting” position. Switch the Instant Pot to its “Sauté” setting, & finish the chicken cacciatore as directed in Steps 7. Or, try this Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore recipe!
  • 15-Minute Meal Prep: Nearly all the active prep work for this chicken cacciatore recipe comes from prepping the veggies. Take care of this in advance – it takes 15 minutes, tops – & you can jump straight in to cooking during the week:
    • Thinly slice 2 yellow onions & 2 bell peppers. Transfer to an airtight container & store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. (5 minutes active)
    • Wipe clean 16 ounces cremini mushrooms, then trim & halve. Transfer to an airtight container & store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. (10 minutes active)

Find it online: https://playswellwithbutter.com/chicken-cacciatore-recipe/