Chicken Cacciatore (Italian Chicken Stew Recipe)
Updated Mar 15, 2025, Published Jan 20, 2025
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A comforting and rustic Italian dish, Chicken Cacciatore combines tender chicken, rich tomato sauce, and hearty vegetables for a flavorful one-pot meal perfect for any occasion. This hearty Italian stew is a warm, inviting hug in a bowl.
Serve with crusty bread, polenta, or pasta.
Why you’ll love this recipe…
This classic Italian meal reminds me of winter in Italy at my nonna’s house. Chicken Cacciatore is the epitome of rustic Italian comfort. Tender, fall-off-the-bone chicken simmered in a rich tomato sauce infused with the deep, earthy flavors of mushrooms, garlic, and fresh herbs. The briny kick of kalamata olives adds a burst of brightness, while the red wine deepens the sauce, making it velvety and flavorful.
You will also love my braised chicken with plums, mustard chicken, and creamy baked chicken thighs.
Table of Contents
Recipe Ingredients
- Chicken: You’ll need a whole chicken cut into parts or a mix of bone-in thighs and drumsticks. Using bone-in pieces helps keep the meat juicy and adds depth of flavor to the stew.
- Olive oil: Helps brown the chicken and sauté the vegetables for a flavorful base.
- Yellow onion: Adds sweetness and depth to balance the tomatoes.
- Celery: Provides a subtle crunch and earthy flavor.
- Yellow bell pepper: Adds a touch of sweetness and a pop of color.
- Carrots: Sweet and soft, they blend beautifully with the sauce.
- Garlic: Brings bold, aromatic flavor to the dish.
- Baby portabella mushrooms: Earthy and meaty, adding rich texture.
- Button mushrooms: Lighter, they absorb the flavors of the sauce.
- Kalamata olives: A salty, briny contrast to the rich stew.
- Red wine: Adds depth and enhances the tomato flavor.
- Tomato paste: Thickens the sauce and intensifies the tomato flavor.
- Whole peeled tomatoes: Crushed for a hearty, rustic sauce.
- Fresh parsley: Adds brightness and freshness at the end.
- Red pepper flakes: A subtle touch of heat to warm the dish.
- Rosemary and thyme: Infuse the stew with classic Italian herb flavors.
- Sea salt and black pepper: Adjust to taste for the perfect seasoning.
See the recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Chicken Cacciatore
With simple ingredients and straightforward steps, this chicken cacciatore recipe brings authentic Italian flavors to your table with minimal effort. Everything comes together in one pot for an easy cleanup. See the recipe card for printable instrcutions.
Heat the oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven and cook the chicken skin side down.
After browning the chicken pieces, remove it from the pan.
Add the onions, carrots, celery, and peppers.
Add the mushrooms and garlic.
Deglaze with the dry red wine.
Add the tomatoes to the pot.
Return the chicken to the pot.
Let the mixture cook so flavors can marry, and then add the fresh herbs (about 30 minutes).
This one-pot meal is perfect for cozy dinners that bring everyone together, whether it’s a weeknight dinner or a special family gathering. This hearty dish is a comforting crowd-pleaser.
More Chicken Recipes You Will Love
- Another chicken recipe drowned in a creamy sauce that you will love is this chicken with mushroom sauce!
FAQs
Chicken Cacciatore is a classic Italian stew featuring chicken braised in a rich tomato sauce with vegetables, herbs, and sometimes wine. It’s a rustic, hearty dish perfect for cozy meals.
You can substitute the wine with chicken broth or vegetable broth for a lighter, non-alcoholic version. It still adds depth and flavor to the sauce.
Yes, boneless chicken breasts or thighs work well, but they may cook faster. Keep an eye on them to prevent overcooking, as they tend to be less juicy than bone-in pieces.
“Cacciatore” means “hunter” in Italian, referring to a rustic, hunter-style preparation, traditionally made with wild game or poultry, simmered with vegetables and herbs.
My Pro Tip
Recipe Tips
- Brown the chicken well: Don’t rush the browning process—it adds deep, savory flavor to the stew. Don’t overcrowd the pan. Cook in batches in needed.
- Let it simmer: Low and slow cooking ensures the chicken becomes tender and the flavors meld beautifully.
Substitutions and Variations
- Chicken: Use all thighs or drumsticks for extra juiciness, or substitute with boneless chicken thighs or chicken breast if preferred.
- Vegetables: Add zucchini or eggplant for a heartier stew, or swap green bell peppers with red for a sweeter flavor.
- Wine: Replace red wine with white wine or chicken broth for a lighter sauce.
- Mushrooms: Use any variety you like, or leave them out for a more traditional version.
- Olives: Green olives can replace kalamata for a milder taste.
- Herbs: Dried herbs work in a pinch; use about half the amount.
Storage and Reheating Instrcutions
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freezing: Freeze the chicken cacciatore in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Thaw in the fridge overnight if frozen, then reheat on the stove over medium heat until warmed through. Add a splash of water or broth if needed to loosen the sauce.
What to Serve With This Recipe
These are my favorite dishes to serve with classic Chicken Cacciatore:
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Chicken Cacciatore Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken, broken down into parts (or 5 bone-in chicken thighs and 4 chicken drumsticks)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 ribs celery, diced
- 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 3-4 cloves garlic, finely sliced
- 1 cup baby portabella mushrooms, sliced
- 1 cup button mushrooms, sliced
- 1 cup whole kalamata olives, pitted
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 28-ounce cans whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand (or canned crushed tomatoes)
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped (plus more for garnish)
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
- 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
- Sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Brown the chicken: Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and brown on all sides, cooking for 5-7 minutes per side. Once golden, remove from the pan and set aside.
- Sauté the vegetables: Reduce the heat to medium and add the diced onion, celery, yellow bell pepper, and carrots to the same pan. Sauté for about 5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic, baby portabella mushrooms, and button mushrooms, and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes until the mushrooms release their moisture.
- Deglaze the pan: Pour in the red wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let the wine simmer for 3-5 minutes until it reduces a bit.
- Make the sauce: Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another minute. Add the crushed tomatoes, rosemary, thyme, red pepper flakes, and more salt and pepper to taste. Mix well to combine.
- Cook the chicken: Nestle the browned chicken back into the sauce and add the kalamata olives. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and let it cook for about 30 minutes until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
- Finish and serve: Stir in the chopped parsley before serving. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Garnish with extra parsley and serve with crusty bread, polenta, or pasta.
- Enjoy this comforting, rustic Italian dish!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Growing up in Italy, this was one of my favorite chicken recipes!