Description
Hearty Chicken Cacciatore is a classic Italian comfort dish featuring tender, bone-in chicken thighs simmered in a savory tomato sauce with bell peppers, onions, garlic, and herbs. This rustic stew combines robust flavors with a comforting, home-cooked feel, perfect served over pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (or mix of thighs and drumsticks)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 small onion (sliced)
- 1 red bell pepper (sliced)
- 1 green bell pepper (sliced)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- ½ cup sliced mushrooms (optional)
Sauce
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ½ cup dry red wine (optional – substitute with more broth if preferred)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
Garnish
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Season the chicken: Pat the chicken thighs dry and season them evenly with salt and black pepper to enhance the flavor.
- Sear the chicken: Heat olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Place the chicken thighs skin-side down and cook until golden brown, about 4–5 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
- Sauté vegetables: In the same pan, add sliced onions and bell peppers. Cook for 4–5 minutes until softened and fragrant. Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute to release its aroma.
- Add sauce ingredients: Stir in crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, and dry red wine if using. Mix in dried oregano, dried basil, and red pepper flakes for a hint of spice. If you’re including mushrooms, add them now.
- Simmer the chicken: Return the seared chicken thighs to the pan, nestling them into the sauce. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and let everything simmer gently for 30–35 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
- Thicken the sauce: Remove the lid and continue simmering uncovered for another 5–10 minutes to reduce and thicken the sauce to your desired consistency.
- Garnish and serve: Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley over the chicken cacciatore just before serving. Enjoy it hot over your choice of pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes.
Notes
- Using bone-in chicken thighs adds more depth of flavor compared to boneless.
- Leftovers taste even better the next day as the flavors continue to meld.
- For a gluten-free version, ensure broth and other ingredients are certified gluten-free.
- Dry red wine can be omitted or replaced with additional chicken broth for a non-alcoholic option.
