Mom's Easy Chicken Cacciatore

A cast iron pan with chicken cacciatore in a red tomato sauce with fresh herbs. The dish is arranged on a tan background with a dark gray napkin and more fresh herbs placed around it.

Mom's Easy Chicken Cacciatore

Learn how to make delicious chicken cacciatore! A rustic Italian stew made of tender braised chicken thighs cooked in tomatoes, a medley of vegetables, fresh herbs, and vibrant aromatics for deep flavor. From my family to yours!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Keyword chicken cacciatore, easy chicken cacciatore

Freezer Friendly Yes

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 1 10

Total Time 1 35

Servings chicken thighs

Calories 280kcal

Ingredients

2 Tablespoon olive oil
6 skinless chicken thighs
1 medium to large onion, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
1 large carrot, diced
1 red bell pepper diced small
4 oz white mushrooms, cleaned and diced very small
4-5 large garlic cloves, minced or pressed
2 Tablespoon tomato paste
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup dry white wine, I used Pinot Grigio
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped (for dried rosemary use 1 teaspoon)
2 teaspoons fresh sage, chopped (for dried sage use 1 teaspoon)
2 Tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 28 oz diced, whole, or crushed tomatoes with the juices
3/4 teaspoon salt divided (plus more salt for seasoning the chicken)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Parmigiano Reggiano, for serving

Instructions

Brown the chicken: Season both sides of the thighs with a healthy pinch of salt and black pepper. Heat a large skillet or braiser (I recommend using a pan that has a lid and is also oven safe). Once the pan is hot, add the olive oil, and brown the chicken thighs on both sides for 3 minutes per side. After they're browned, transfer the chicken thighs to a clean plate.
Saute vegetables: In the same pan as the chicken (without cleaning it), saute the onions, celery, carrot, and pepper for 3 minutes with 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Add the diced mushrooms and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes, then add the minced fresh garlic and cook for the last minute with the vegetables.
Note: if the pan is too dry before adding the vegetables and has a lot of chicken bits on the bottom, you can deglaze the pan with a splash of water or chicken stock before adding the vegetables.
Cook the tomato paste, then add the wine: Once the vegetables are soft, add the tomato paste and cook with the vegetables for about 2 minutes. Then add the fresh rosemary, fresh sage, garlic powder, fresh basil, and red pepper flakes. Add the white wine and cook with the vegetables until the wine has mostly absorbed (about 1-2 minutes).
Note: I have recently updated this recipe to include wine. If you'd prefer to leave it out, you totally can. Instead, deglaze the pan with a splash of chicken stock.
Add the chicken and bake: Stir in the crushed tomatoes, 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Nestle the chicken thighs into the sauce and vegetables, trying to cover them with the sauce as much as possible. Cover the dish with a lid and bake at 350°F for 50 minutes. Then uncover and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven and serve with freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano!

Video

Notes

Serve it with parmesan

One of my favorite toppings to serve cacciatore with is freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano! It adds a salty richness that is the perfect finishing touch for flavor.

Nutrition