Want to head to an Italian restaurant (or better yet, an Italian grandma’s kitchen) for dinner tonight? Try this simple Chicken Cacciatore! Tender chicken thighs stewed with vegetables in a robust tomato sauce, this traditional rustic Italian stew is hearty, juicy, and surprisingly easy to make!
An Italian tradition that’s easier than expected.
Cacciatore (pronounced Kah-Chuh-Taw-Ree) means “hunter” in Italian. Thus, chicken cacciatore means chicken that is prepared alla cacciatore or “hunter-style.” Like Chicken Piccata, you can find as many recipes for chicken cacciatore as there are Italian grandmothers who make them!
To make this recipe as easy as possible, I skip dredging the chicken in flour—it’s really not needed. I also streamlined the process. Traditional chicken cacciatore recipes simmer for hours; this recipe speeds things to make it weeknight attainable. (For a low-and-slow, check out my Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore.)
Key Ingredients
You’ll find the full list of ingredients in the blog post below, but here are some notes to keep in mind.
- Chicken Thighs. Chicken thighs are a wonderful choice for chicken stews like this (see also Spanish Chicken Stew). Dark meat is especially tender, juicy, and forgiving. If you prefer white meat, you can make this chicken cacciatore with chicken breasts.
- Dry White Wine. The addition of wine enhances the other flavors in this recipe. In the “Wine Pairing” section below, you can find some suggested varieties.
- Crushed Tomatoes. I use crushed tomatoes and their juices to build a rich tomato flavor for the sauce.
- Mushrooms. As the mushrooms cook, they add an earthy flavor to the sauce. I recommend cremini (baby bella) mushrooms or chopped portobello mushrooms, which have more depth than white button mushrooms.
How to Make Chicken Cacciatore
How to Make Chicken Cacciatore
Season and Brown the Chicken. Give it a nice sear, then transfer it to a plate.
Sauté the Aromatics. Once the veggies are tender, pour in the wine to deglaze the pan. Scrape up all the browned bits so they can be incorporated into the sauce.
Simmer. Stir in the tomatoes, mushrooms, seasoning, and vinegar, then simmer to reduce.
Add the Chicken. Lay the chicken thighs in the sauce. Simmer partially covered until the chicken is cooked through. Dice or shred the chicken, if you’d like, or keep the thighs whole. Serve with herbs like parsley or fresh basil leaves, Parmesan, and any desired sides. ENJOY!
How to Serve Chicken Cacciatore
- With Pasta. Chicken cacciatore with pasta is one of the best ways to enjoy this rustic dish. You could opt for long tendrils of spaghetti or a short-cut pasta, like rigatoni or penne. I like whole wheat for its higher fiber content.
- Cooked Orzo. Fora rice-pasta hybrid in terms of taste, texture, and consistency.
- Mashed Potatoes. Try serving with my Crockpot Mashed Potatoes or Garlic Mashed Potatoes.
- Brown Rice. Not as traditional, but nonetheless delicious. See Instant Pot Brown Rice and How to Cook Brown Rice for methods.
- Creamy Polenta. A classic Italian pairing for cacciatore (see this Creamy Polenta for a recipe).
- Risotto. A simple parmesan risotto would be lovely with cacciatore. You could also try it with my Mushroom Risotto or Instant Pot Risotto.
