Chicken Cacciatore {Easy 1 Hour Stovetop Recipe}

Name: Chicken Cacciatore
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (divided); 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; 1 medium yellow onion (chopped); 1 medium green bell pepper (chopped); 3 cloves garlic (minced); 3/4 cup dry white wine or low sodium chicken broth; 1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes; 8 ounces sliced baby bella (cremini) mushrooms; 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning; 1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar; Whole wheat pasta (or brown rice, polenta, rice, zucchini noodles, or baked and shredded spaghetti squash); Chopped fresh parsley or basil; Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Want to head to an Italian restaurant (or better yet, an Italian grandmother’s kitchen) for dinner tonight? Try this Chicken Cacciatore!

Healthy chicken cacciatore in a Dutch oven with a wooden spoon

This easy recipe has the hearty robustness and juicy tenderness of traditional chicken cacciatore, but is far faster to make.

It uses simple, healthy swaps too.

Cacciatore (pronounced Kah-Chuh-Taw-Ree) means “hunter” in Italian.

Thus, chicken cacciatore means chicken that is prepared alla cacciatore or “hunter-style.”
It’s a rustic stew-like dish (like France’s Beef Bourguignon) made with slow-simmered chicken (or rabbit), tomatoes, seasonal vegetables, and a splash of wine or vinegar.

You’ll find as many recipes for chicken cacciatore on the internet these days as there are many Italian grandmothers who make them.

What they all share in common, however, is a richly flavored sauce (Crock Pot Bourbon Chicken is another saucy dish I’d recommend), tender chicken, and copious amounts of love and care cooked into every recipe.

A Dutch oven with fast chicken cacciatore sauce and chicken thighs

5 Star Review

“This recipe has become one of my family’s most favorite. It is easy to prepare, serves well, freezes easily and is great over rice, roasted, or mashed potatoes. And of course pasta.”
— Peter —

How to Make Chicken Cacciatore

You don’t need to be an experienced chef to make this simple chicken cacciatore recipe.

Even if you’ve never made a single chicken recipe before, you can cook this easy recipe with success.

Tip!

Baked Chicken Parmesan and Crock Pot Chicken Marsala are two more excellent easy recipes that offer restaurant-worthy flavor.

The Ingredients

Chicken Thighs. Chicken thighs are a wonderful choice for chicken stews like this (see also Spanish Chicken Stew). Dark meat is especially tender, juicy, and flavorful, and I promise you won’t regret giving it a try. Plus, chicken thighs are lean, and they contain oodles of beneficial protein, vitamins, and nutrients.

Substitution Tip

If you prefer white meat, you can swap for boneless, skinless chicken breasts. They tend to cook faster than thighs (depending on their size) so watch closely and use an Instant-read thermometer to check for doneness.

This Lemon Butter Chicken is another chicken dish that can be made with either breasts or thighs.

Onion + Green Bell Pepper + Garlic. A flavorful trio to kick off our cacciatore sauce.

Substitution Tip

Olives are a common ingredient in cacciatore. If you enjoy them, feel free to toss in 1/4 cup of chopped green olives to add a lovely layer of briny olive flavor to the dish.

Dry White Wine. The addition of wine enhances the other flavors in this recipe (as it does in my Chicken Piccata and these Red Wine Braised Short Ribs). You’ll want to use a dry white wine so that it doesn’t add any unnecessary sweetness. In the “Wine Pairing” section below, you can find some suggested varieties.
Crushed Tomatoes. I used the crushed tomatoes and their juices to build a rich tomato flavor for the sauce.
Mushrooms. As the mushrooms cook, they add a scrumptious, earthy flavor to the sauce.

Market Swap

When making chicken cacciatore with mushrooms, use crimini mushrooms (also called baby bellas). Chopped portobello mushrooms would work too. I do not recommend white button mushrooms, as they are more bland.

Italian Seasoning. Ties everything together with a tasty Italian-inspired bouquet of flavors. Typically consist of a combination of basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, garlic powder, sage, or coriander.

TIP!

Want to add a little kick to your dish? Add 1 tsp or more of red pepper flakes.

Balsamic Vinegar. For deep flavor that makes the sauce taste like it’s been simmering all day.

Dietary Note

If you’re looking for a gluten free chicken cacciatore recipe, you’ve found it. The recipe, as it is written, is gluten free. Simply pair with your favorite gluten free pasta, rice, or potatoes and enjoy!

The Directions

Season the chicken with salt and pepper in pan.

Brown the chicken on both sides, then remove it to a plate.

Peppers and onions being sauteed in a Dutch oven

Sauté the onion and pepper. Add the garlic. Pour in the wine, scraping any browned bits off the bottom, and let it simmer over medium heat.

Mushrooms being added to a Dutch oven with red sauce

Stir in the tomatoes, mushrooms, Italian seasoning, and vinegar. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.

Chicken thighs in a red sauce in a Dutch oven

Lay the chicken thighs in the sauce. Simmer partially covered until the chicken is cooked through. Dice or shred the chicken (if desired), or keep the thighs whole. Serve with herbs like parsley or fresh basil leaves, Parmesan, and any desired sides. DIG IN!

An easy chicken cacciatore recipe in a Dutch oven

How to Serve Chicken Cacciatore

Chicken cacciatore is typically served with some sort of starch. There’s really no wrong way to do it, but here are a few of my favorite options.

Whole Wheat Pasta. You could opt for long tendrils of spaghetti or a short-cut pasta, like rigatoni or penne.
Cooked Orzo. Fora rice-pasta hybrid in terms of taste, texture, and consistency.
Mashed Potatoes. Try serving with either my Crockpot Mashed Potatoes or Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes.
Brown Rice. Not as traditional, but nonetheless delicious.
Creamy Polenta. A classic Italian pairing for cacciatore (see this Creamy Polenta for a recipe).
Risotto. A simple parmesan risotto would be lovely with cacciatore. You could also try it with my Farro Risotto or Barley Risotto.
Bread. Soak up the yummy sauce with slices of No Knead Focaccia or Rosemary Olive Oil Bread.

Wine Pairing

For white wine, a dry Riesling, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, or Chardonnay would pair nicely with this dish.
If you prefer red, try a Chianti or Sangiovese. Since this recipe calls for 3/4 cup of wine, I like to cook with a white wine that’s good enough to drink. Add a little to the dish, and drink the rest of the bottle with dinner.
Not a wine person? Pair an Italian Margarita with your chicken cacciatore instead.

Storage Tips

To Store. Place leftovers in fridge in an airtight storage container for up to 4 days.
To Reheat. Gently rewarm this dish in a Dutch oven on the stovetop over medium-low heat. You can also microwave, until steaming, if desired.
To Freeze. Freeze leftovers in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

What to Serve with Chicken Cacciatore

Salads

Arugula Salad

10 mins

Salads

Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad

25 mins

Salads

Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad

45 mins

Stovetop Chicken cacciatore in a Dutch oven with a wooden spoon

Recommended Tools to Make Chicken Cacciatore

Skillet. An essential tool in my kitchen for making delicious recipes like this chicken cacciatore.
Sharp Chef’s Knife. Easily chop vegetables, meat, fruit, and more with a high-quality knife like this one.
Instant Read Thermometer. If you cook meat often, I highly recommend adding one of these to your kitchen.

The Best Braiser

This 3.5-quart Le Creuset braiser is a perfect for sautéing and for stovetop-to-oven dishes. Its smooth enamel finish promotes caramelization, prevents sticking, and resists stains.

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I hope this quicker, healthier version of chicken cacciatore brings the same warmth and satisfaction to your kitchen as it did to ours.

As always, if you try this recipe, please leave a comment below to let me know how it turned out. Your comments and ratings are so important to this site, and I love hearing from you!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Use Bone-in Chicken for Cacciatore?

Sure! Note that the chicken will take longer to cook, however. Use an instant-read thermometer to check the temperature of the chicken as it cooks. When it hits 165-170 degrees F it is fully cooked.

Could Fresh Tomatoes be Used Instead of Canned?

Readers have reported success swapping the canned tomatoes for fresh tomatoes. If you do this swap, I would suggest tasting the sauce and seasoning with additional salt, to taste, since fresh tomatoes do contain less sodium than canned.

Can I Make Slow Cooker or Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore With This Recipe?

For the crock pot yes! See this Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore. I have not tested this stovetop chicken cacciatore recipe in a pressure cooker so the Instant Pot would be an experiment.

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