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This Chicken Cacciatore has the robust flavor this Italian favorite is known for but is far easier to make than traditional chicken cacciatore. This stovetop one-skillet chicken stew is simmered with tomatoes, and vegetables. The pleasing aroma will have your family gathered around the table.
Skillet Chicken Cacciatore cooks quickly but has that slow-cooked flavor you crave. The rustic sauce and tender fall apart chicken will melt in your mouth and have you coming back for seconds. This chicken cacciatore is pure comfort.
If you love classic Italian flavors, try my Creamy Tomato Basil Chicken Pasta, Creamy Chicken Florentine, and Creamy Tuscan Chicken.
Why You’ll Love This Easy Chicken Cacciatore Recipe
- It’s fast. You’ll get that all-day slow cooked flavor in under an hour.
- Cleanup is easy. This one-skillet dish makes cleanup a breeze.
- It’s robust and comforting. Juicy meat, rich tomatoes and briny capers create a dish that is robust in flavor and comforting to the mind and body.
Chicken Cacciatore Ingredients
- Chicken thighs: skin on and bone in chicken thighs are affordable and flavorful.
- Seasoning for chicken: liberally season the chicken with Italian seasoning, salt and ground pepper.
- Olive oil: use a light, neutral oil to brown the chicken and saute the onions, minced garlic and mushrooms
- Vegetables: slice a yellow onion, baby Bella mushrooms and red bell pepper into strips.
- Garlic: fresh minced garlic has a lot of flavor.
- Chicken Stock: use low sodium.
- Tomatoes: tomato paste and diced tomatoes will create a flavorful base for the sauce.
- Seasonings for sauce: the sauce will be seasoned with fresh thyme, Italian seasoning, oregano, salt and pepper.
- Olive and capers: both olives and capers add a salty zing to the sauce.
- Parsley: garnish with parsley to add brightness and color to the dish.
How to Make Chicken Cacciatore
- Season the chicken. Season the chicken thighs with Italian seasonings, salt and pepper.
- Sear the chicken. Heat a large skillet with oil on a medium flame, add the chicken thighs and cook for 5-6 minutes until they turn golden. Transfer them to a plate and set them aside.
- Saute the vegetables. To the same skillet add onions, minced garlic and mushrooms. Saute for 4-5 minutes and then add the sliced bell pepper and cook for 2 more minutes.
- Prepare the sauce. Stir in the stock, tomato paste, diced tomatoes, fresh thyme, Italian seasonings, oregano, salt and pepper. Bring it to a boil.
- Cook the chicken. Arrange the chicken thighs back to the skillet and add olives and capers. Cover and cook for 30-40 minutes until the chicken thighs are cooked through on a low flame.
- Garnish and serve. Once done garnish the chicken cacciatore with freshly chopped parsley and serve.
Tips To Make The Best Chicken Cacciatore Recipe
- Bone-in chicken is so incredibly flavorful. I like to keep the skin on for even more flavor, but you can remove it.
- Sear the chicken until the skin is brown but do not cook it all the way through. The chicken will cook as it braises in the sauce.
- Sauté the onions and peppers to help them develop flavor but don’t allow them to become mushy.
- Not a fan of mushrooms? Leave them out and increase the onions and peppers.
- You can substitute chicken broth for white wine.
- Toss in a teaspoon of red pepper flake if you like a little heat.
- If you prefer white meat, use bone in chicken breast instead of chicken thighs.
- Olives and capers add a briny, saltiness to the dish. You can leave them, but the final flavor of the dish will be altered.
- Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness. Chicken should be cooked to 165 degrees F.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cacciatore means “hunter” in Italian and is cooked “hunter-style,” which means the chicken is slow-cooked with tomatoes, onions and other vegetables until tender.
I love the flavor and juiciness of chicken thighs; however, you can make this dish with chicken legs and chicken breast if you prefer white meat. Adjust the cooking time as directed and always use a thermometer to check for doneness.
To cook this in a slow cooker, brown the chicken in a skillet before transferring it to the crockpot. Layer in the vegetables and seasonings followed by the wine and tomatoes. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours.
Store leftovers in an air-tight container for up to 4 days. Leftovers can be reheated over low heat on the stovetop or microwaved until warmed through.
Place the chicken and sauce into a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
You will want something to soak up the flavorful sauce. We recommend that you serve this rustic stew with Homemade Roasted Garlic Bread, pasta, Easy Homemade Mashed Potatoes, rice or cauliflower rice.
More Chicken Thigh Recipes
- Garlic Mushroom Chicken Thighs
- Lemon Herb Mediterranean Chicken
- Creamy Sundried Tomato Chicken Thighs
- Tuscan Chicken Thighs
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Best Chicken Cacciatore
Ingredients
- 4 whole chicken thighs, skin on and bone in
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, sliced
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 8 oz baby Bella mushrooms, sliced
- 1 large red pepper, sliced
- ½ cup chicken broth, low sodium
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ½ tsp Salt , to taste
- ¾ tsp black pepper
- ½ cup black olives, pitted
- 2 tablespoon capers
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped, to garnish
Instructions
- Season the chicken thighs with Italian seasonings, salt and pepper.
- Heat a large skillet with oil on a medium flame, add the chicken thighs and cook for 5-6 minutes until they turn golden. Transfer them to a plate and set aside.
- To the same skillet add onions, minced garlic and mushrooms. Saute for 4-5 minutes and then add the sliced bell pepper and cook for 2 more minutes.
- Stir in the stock, tomato paste, diced tomatoes, fresh thyme, Italian seasonings, oregano, salt and pepper. Bring it to a boil.
- Arrange the chicken thighs back to the skillet and add olives and capers. Cover and cook for 30-40 minutes until the chicken thighs are cooked through on a low flame.
- Once done garnish the chicken cacciatore with freshly chopped parsley and serve.
Notes
- Bone-in chicken is so incredibly flavorful. I like to keep the skin on for even more flavor, but you can remove it.
- Sear the chicken until the skin is brown but do not cook it all the way through. The chicken will cook as it braises in the sauce.
- Saute the onions and peppers to help them develop flavor but don’t allow them to become mushy.
- Not a fan of mushrooms? Leave them out and increase the onions and peppers.
- You can substitute chicken broth for white wine.
- Toss in a teaspoon of red pepper flake if you like a little heat.
- If you prefer white meat, use bone in chicken breast instead of chicken thighs.
- Olives and capers add a briny, saltiness to the dish. You can leave them, but the final flavor of the dish will be altered.
- Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness. Chicken should be cooked to 165 degrees F.
Excellent easy to follow recipe. Great confidence builder dish for a beginner.