Easy Chicken Cacciatore

So, the title of this recipe is somewhat misleading. I suppose it makes it seem as if Chicken Cacciatore, as a food, is not easy to make, and my version is the easy way. Not true. Chicken Cacciatore is typically always simple to make, and this is part of the appeal, in my opinion. I’ve just taken a few small things and streamlined it all just a little bit – deleted a couple of ingredients that weren’t totally necessary – and I’m excited to share it with you today.

But again, Chicken Cacciatore is an easy thing by nature. Lovably so. My Irish grandma made it a lot for my Italian-American Grandfather, and there were various iterations of Cacciatore peppered throughout my childhood visits to their home. I think today’s recipe is honoring that, a little bit.

What does “Chicken Cacciatore” mean?

In Italian, the recipe’s title translates to “hunter’s style,” as that’s what Cacciatore means (hunter), and you definitely get a feel for why this recipe would be given such a monicker as you make it. It’s rustic and simple and built on the bones of the fresh meat and produce that happens to be around. Initially, it was made with whatever game happened to have been shot in the surrounding woodlands, and whatnot.

This very country-style Italian dish – this “hunter’s stew” of Cacciatore – reminds me, in a way, of how Cioppino, the Italian-American fish stew came to be. It’s a very “best of what’s around” sort of meal situation, and I’m fully and happily here for it.

Tips and tricks for making a killer pan of Chicken Cacciatore:

1. Make sure to really get that chicken skin nice and brown before you flip it, in the first browning stage of the recipe. Additionally, when you finish the dish by broiling it, just focus on getting the skin browned but not blackened. The broiling step here is something I like to do because it helps achieve the crispy skin that’s so delicious, and it also sort of caramelizes the tomato sauce. Just keep an eye on things so the browning doesn’t turn into blackening.
2. Speaking of caramelizing, sometimes I like to add a pinch of sugar to my tomato sauces, just to cut the acidity and balance it out to a degree. It also helps in the caramelizing part of the process, but is totally optional. The carrots also provide a bit of sweetness, and/or you could reach for a sweeter red wine when you deglaze, as well. Up to you! I’m mostly just rambling, now.
3. The heart of this recipe is the beautiful, flavorful, veggie-packed sauce. Make sure you have some sort of starchy sopping vehicle on hand to scrape it up with – crusty bread, pasta, rice etc.

How I like to use my leftover Cacciatore Sauce

Now, even if I employ the help of some solid sopping tools when I serve this cacciatore, I still usually have a decent amount of tomato sauce left. I * highly * recommend saving the sauce and using it in a baked eggs dish for breakfast the next morning. Similar to shakshuka or Eggs in Purgatory, this tomato sauce is a perfect, cozy bed for some eggs to be cracked right down into and baked until set.

What you’ll need to make my version of Chicken Cacciatore:

INGREDIENTS

1 TBSP olive oil

4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 cup diced onion

2 sliced bell peppers, any color(s)

12 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced

1 large carrot sliced, or about 1 cup shredded carrots

1 tsp dried oregano

3 garlic cloves, minced or grated

2 TBSP tomato paste

½ cup red wine (whatever you like)

15-oz pitted black olives (I used canned)

28-oz. can crushed tomatoes

How to make this easy Chicken Cacciatore

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. 

Add the oil to a large skillet set over med-high heat. Season the chicken thighs generously with salt and pepper, and place them in the hot pan, skin side down. Allow the skin to get nice and brown (takes about 3 to 4 minutes, give or take) before turning and searing on the other side, about 2 or three more minutes. Transfer the chicken to a tray and set aside for now. Don’t wipe out the pan!

Add the onion, bell pepper, mushrooms, carrot, and oregano to the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender; about 4 or 5 minutes. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook for one minute more. 

Deglaze with the wine and let that cook away for a couple of minutes, stirring. Lastly, add the olives and crushed tomatoes, stir, and then add the chicken back into the pan, just laying them on top of the tomato sauce mixture. Cook in the preheated oven for 20 minutes and then broil until the skin is browned and crispy on top – takes just a minute or two. 

Serve with crusty bread or pasta to help sop up the sauce (see note in post for a great way to use up any leftover sauce).

If you like the looks of this easy Chicken Cacciatore, you might also enjoy:

Cajun Style Chicken Fricassee with Andouille

Chipotle Garlic Butter Chicken

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