Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors
  • Recipes
    • All Recipes
    • Breakfast/ Brunch
    • Appetizer
    • Main Dish
    • Side Dish
    • Salad
    • Pasta
    • Dessert
    • Soup
    • Kid Friendly
    • Healthy Recipes
    • 30 Minute or Less
    • Sauces & Condiments
    • Bread
  • About Me
  • Work With Me
  • Contact
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Cookin' with Mima

Easy Delicious Bites

Privacy Policy Accessibility
Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors
  • Recipes
    • All Recipes
    • Breakfast/ Brunch
    • Appetizer
    • Main Dish
    • Side Dish
    • Salad
    • Pasta
    • Dessert
    • Soup
    • Kid Friendly
    • Healthy Recipes
    • 30 Minute or Less
    • Sauces & Condiments
    • Bread
  • About Me
  • Work With Me
  • Contact
  • Generic selectors
    Exact matches only
    Search in title
    Search in content
    Post Type Selectors
Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors
Home » Main Dish » Best Chicken Cacciatore

Best Chicken Cacciatore

5 from 4 votes
Rate this Recipe
Total 1 hr 5 mins
Cook Time 50 mins
Serves 4 servings

By: Mariam Ezzeddine  |  April 14, 2022This post may contain affiliate links, read my disclosure policy for details

Jump to Recipe
Pin88
Share
Yum

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. 

The best chicken cacciatore with chicken thighs, red peppers and olives.

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

Ingredients needed for making easy chicken cacciatore.
  • 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. 
Bone in skin on chicken thighs with seasoning on parchment paper.
  • 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.
Chicken browning in a skillet.
  • 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.
Process of sauteing mushrooms, onions and red peppers.
  • Prepare the sauce. Stir in the stock, tomato paste, diced tomatoes, fresh thyme, Italian seasonings, oregano, salt and pepper. Bring it to a boil.
Process of making the sauce for the best chicken cacciatore.
  • 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.
Chicken cacciatore ready to be served.
  • Garnish and serve. Once done garnish the chicken cacciatore with freshly chopped parsley and serve.
A closeup photo of a skillet of chicken with a chicken thigh on a silver spoon. cacciatore

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. 
A serving on chicken cacciatore on a white plate.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is chicken cacciatore?

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. 

Can I Use Other Cuts of Chicken for Chicken Cacciatore?

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. 

Can I make Crockpot chicken cacciatore?

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.

How do I store and reheat cacciatore?

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. 

Can I freeze skillet chicken cacciatore?

Place the chicken and sauce into a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. 

What to serve with chicken cacciatore?

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. 

Chicken cacciatore with one serving missing.

More Chicken Thigh Recipes

  • Garlic Mushroom Chicken Thighs
  • Lemon Herb Mediterranean Chicken 
  • Creamy Sundried Tomato Chicken Thighs
  • Tuscan Chicken Thighs

I hope you enjoy all the recipes I share with you, including this delicious Chicken Cacciatore recipe. I hope you try it, enjoy it, rate it, and share it with your friends and family!

If you try this recipe and liked it, please leave a star rating and comment below. Use my hashtag to share it with me on Instagram so I can see your delicious recreations! Also, follow me at Cookin’ With Mima on FACEBOOK |INSTAGRAM |PINTEREST for all of my latest social posts and recipes.

Close up photo of easy chicken cacciatore in a skillet.

Best Chicken Cacciatore

5 from 4 votes
Created by Mariam E.
Easy chicken cacciatore pairs stewed chicken thighs with a rich tomato and white wine sauce for a rustic and comforting one-skillet dish.
Print
Pin
Rate
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 50 mins
Total Time 1 hr 5 mins
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4 servings
servings

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.

Nutrition

Calories: 172kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 1298mg | Potassium: 872mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1771IU | Vitamin C: 77mg | Calcium: 115mg | Iron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Rate the recipe below and mention @cookinwithmima and tag #cookinwithmima so I can see your recreations.
Pin88
Share
Yum

Reader Interactions

    Leave A Reply & Rate Recipe Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked with *
    Recipe Rating




  1. Di says

    April 27, 2022 at 10:47 am

    5 stars
    Excellent easy to follow recipe. Great confidence builder dish for a beginner.

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

Welcome, I'm Mariam!

Cookin' With Mima blog is a place where you can find hundreds of easy and delicious family-friendly recipes that are bound to please even your toughest critics. My goal is to make your cooking experience a lot easier and yummier!

More About Mariam

Free Email Bonus!

5 Secrets to Delicious, Easy Meals!

Holiday Recipes

candied sweet potatoes in a baking dish

Candied Sweet Potato Casserole

top down shot of tree cookies on a plate.

Christmas Gingerbread Tree Cookies

close up shot of cranberry sauce served in a while dish

Homemade Cranberry Sauce

spoon in the pot pie skillet scooping the filling mixture

Skillet Chicken Pot Pie

creamy mashed potatoes in a white plate topped with melted butter and chives, with a spoon in the plate

Quick Creamy Mashed Potatoes (Potato Puree)

brown sugar glazed carrots in a white serving dish

Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots

Desserts

a slice of blueberry cake showing the inside.

Super Moist Blueberry Bundt Cake

A slice of chocolate cake without flour on a plate and garnished with raspberries.

Flourless Chocolate Torte

Chocolate dipped pistachio cookies on a tray.

Pistachio Shortbread Cookies

A plate of chocolate peanut butter balls.

Buckeye Candy Balls

Several oatmeal jam cookies on a tray.

Oatmeal Jam Cookies

A slice of cheesecake topped with caramel pecan sauce is lifted.

Pecan Pie Cheesecake Recipe

Huffpost
Forbes
Entrepreneur
The Drum
Inc

Footer

Cookin' with Mima
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Work With Me
  • Contact
  • Accessibility
©2023 Cookin With Mima | Privacy Policy
Back To Top