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.
1whole chickenbroken down into parts (or 5 bone-in chicken thighs and 4 chicken drumsticks)
2tablespoonsolive oil
Salt and black pepperto taste
1yellow oniondiced
2ribscelerydiced
1yellow bell pepperdiced
2carrotspeeled and diced
3-4clovesgarlicfinely sliced
1cupbaby portabella mushroomssliced
1cupbutton mushroomssliced
1cupwhole kalamata olivespitted
1cupdry red wine
2tablespoonstomato paste
228-ounce canswhole peeled tomatoescrushed by hand (or canned crushed tomatoes)
1tablespoonfresh parsleychopped (plus more for garnish)
1pinchred pepper flakes
2teaspoonsfresh rosemarychopped
1teaspoonfresh thymechopped
Sea salt and fresh cracked black pepperto 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
*This recipe makes extra sauce. We love to eat the leftover sauce with bread or toss it with pasta the next day. If you prefer not to have extra sauce, use 1 can (28 oz) of tomatoes. Enjoy!