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freshly made chicken cacciatore in a blue pot.
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4.65 from 28 votes

Chicken Cacciatore

This Chicken Cacciatore is a rustic, hearty chicken dish, a classic Italian comfort food made easy. It's bursting with bright colors and fresh flavor.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time1 hour 20 minutes
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: chicken, chicken cacciatore, italian food, italian recipes
Servings: 6
Calories: 354kcal
Author: Joanna Cismaru

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 pounds chicken wings and drumsticks
  • ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper or to taste
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 1 pound white mushrooms cleaned and chopped
  • 1 medium green bell pepper chopped
  • 1 medium red bell pepper chopped
  • 1 medium yellow bell pepper chopped
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric
  • 2 teaspoons oregano dried
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 cup red wine
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes 1 can
  • ¾ cup Kalamata olives pitted
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400°F.
  • Add the olive oil and butter to a large oven-safe skillet with a lid, and heat until butter has melted. 
  • Add the chicken to the skillet and season generously with salt and pepper. Fry the chicken on both sides until golden, about 4 min per side. The chicken doesn't have to be cooked through, as it will continue cooking while in the oven. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
    process shots showing how to make chicken cacciatore.
  • Add the garlic and onions to the skillet and saute for 2 minutes until the onion is translucent and the garlic becomes aromatic. Add the chopped mushrooms and cook for 5 min until the mushrooms cook down then add the peppers.
    process shots showing how to make chicken cacciatore.
  • I like to cook my mushrooms first, but you could add the mushrooms and peppers all at once. Stir and cook for a couple more minutes until the peppers soften a bit.
    process shots showing how to make chicken cacciatore.
  • Add the turmeric, oregano, bay leaves, red wine, tomato paste, and diced tomatoes. Stir well and bring to a boil. 
    process shots showing how to make chicken cacciatore.
  • Add the chicken back to the pot, cover with a lid and place in the oven. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour.
    process shots showing how to make chicken cacciatore.
  • Top with whole Kalamata olives and garnish with fresh parsley before serving.
    freshly made chicken cacciatore in a blue pot.
  • Serve over noodles, rice or polenta.

Video

Notes

  1. I used drumsticks and wings in this recipe, but you can use whichever part of the chicken you prefer.
  2. You can use any type of wine that you like - white or red.
  3. Season the chicken well. Make sure to generously season the chicken with salt and black pepper when frying it. If you don't, the chicken can turn out bland.  
  4. Deglaze the pan. When adding the wine and other liquid ingredients make sure to scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen all the browned bits. This will make the cacciatore more flavorful.
  5. Alcohol-free version. If you want to make this recipe totally alcohol free you can just omit the red wine and use chicken stock instead. 
  6. Temp the chicken. Use a digital cooking thermometer to make sure that your chicken has reached at least 165°F (75°C) before serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 354kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 103mg | Sodium: 712mg | Potassium: 877mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1196IU | Vitamin C: 90mg | Calcium: 75mg | Iron: 3mg