Chicken cacciatore recipe
Make this easy chicken cacciatore recipe in under an hour! Juicy chicken, bold Italian flavor, and simple steps anyone can follow.
Ingredients
- For the Chicken
- 2 lbs chicken thighs or drumsticks bone-in for best flavor
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- For the Vegetables & Sauce
- 1 medium yellow onion sliced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 red bell pepper sliced
- 1 green bell pepper sliced
- 8 oz button mushrooms sliced
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes optional
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
- ¼ cup dry white wine optional but fantastic
- For Finishing
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- Extra salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prep & Season the Chicken
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. This helps with browning the chicken. Season both sides generously with salt and pepper.
- Brown the Chicken
- Heat extra virgin olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Place chicken skin side down and cook 5–7 minutes, until golden and crisp. Flip and cook another 3 minutes.
- Remove and set aside. (Feel free to sneak a quality-control taste of the crispy skin—I always do.)
- Sauté the Vegetables
- In the same pot, add the onions and sauté 3 minutes.
- Stir in bell peppers and mushrooms; cook until softened and slightly caramelized, about 5 minutes.
- Add garlic and red pepper flakes, cooking 1 minute more until fragrant.
- Build the Sauce
- Pour in white wine (if using) to deglaze, scraping up browned bits—this is pure flavor gold.
- Add crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, oregano, thyme, and bay leaf. Stir well.
- Add the Chicken Back
- Nestle the chicken pieces back into the pot. (Yes—add the chicken right back in. It’s where all the magic happens.)
- Simmer on medium-low for 25–30 minutes, partially covered, until the chicken is tender and the sauce has thickened.
- Finish & Serve
- Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove bay leaf.
- Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve warm.
Notes
- Browning the chicken well is the key to developing deep flavor.
- Bone-in thighs create the richest, most tender results.
- For a chunkier sauce, substitute diced tomatoes for crushed.
- Dish reheats beautifully and tastes even better the next day.
- Serve with pasta, rice, crusty bread, or creamy polenta for a complete meal.