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Flavorful, robust and foolproof, Chicken Cacciatore! This terrific hunter-style Chicken Cacciatore is one of the most satisfying, delicious and comforting Italian dishes you can make at home.
Really great authentic Italian Chicken Cacciatore!
Flavorful, rich, earthy and hearty are just a few of the characteristics that come to mind when describing this rustic dish. Often served with spaghetti or over polenta, there’s no way you won’t love this amazing braised skillet chicken.
I’ve been making Chicken Cacciatore for more years than I care to admit, but this latest version is by far the best I’ve ever had.
Classic Chicken Cacciatore triggers warm and fuzzy memories
This dish reminds me of good times and the warmth of family, and it also gives me great anticipation for dinner. I have great memories of my mom’s sister June with her fabulous, authentic Italian Chicken Cacciatore.
Some people have signature go-to dishes, you know, something they can make with eyes closed. Aunt June could make Chicken Cacciatore like nobody else in our family. She and Uncle Ralph could also make some seriously eye-popping homemade egg nog, but that’s another story.
I’ve had Aunt June’s recipe in my little index box for years, and years, and made it more times than I can count. But over time I’ve tweaked it and loved it into the slightly different version shared here today. The only thing I need now is a big hunk of crusty Artisan bread.
Many Chicken Cacciatore recipes call for assorted chicken pieces
We’ve found that using similar sized chicken pieces makes this dish a lot easier to cook, perfectly. No worries about undercooked chicken breasts or overcooked legs. For this recipe we start with bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs.
Chicken thighs are tender, juicy and considered the most flavorful part of the chicken. If you prefer white meat, use all chicken breasts but be sure to add a little extra time to ensure they’re cooked through.
PRO TIP: Brown the chicken skin to build flavor
Since we don’t care for soggy chicken skin, it’s removed and discarded once browned in the first step of the recipe. This is such a simple but effective step that makes all the difference in the flavor of the sauce and tender juiciness of the chicken.
The little bit of rendered fat from the skin and all those crusty bits on the bottom of the pan is where you start to build the rich flavor. You can use skinless, boneless chicken pieces if desired. However, I encourage you to try this recipe first, as written, for easy but exceptional flavor.
Overview of Ingredients:
- bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs or chicken breasts
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
- onion
- mushrooms – any small, fresh mushroom will do like button or cremini mushrooms
- garlic
- crushed red pepper flakes – for an extra zing in the sauce
- all-purpose flour
- dry white wine – for deglazing the pan and building flavor in the sauce. Any dry white wine will do. If you like to drink it, use it in this sauce. If you don’t want to use wine, substitute with chicken broth
- canned diced tomatoes – do not drain
- tomato paste
- bay leaves
- Parmesan rind – for adding flavor and body to the sauce. Parmesan rinds can be purchased in the cheese department at any large grocery store.
- fresh thyme leaves – or dried thyme
- oregano – fresh or dried
- red bell pepper
For serving:
- fresh chopped parsley
- hot cooked spaghetti, polenta or your favorite pasta
- crusty bread to sop up the sauce
How to make Chicken Cacciatore
1. First cook the chicken
Season the chicken then cook in a hot skillet until the skin is crisp and well-browned. Turn and continue cooking for another 5-minutes. Remove to a plate and keep warm.
2. Build the sauce
Next, add the onions and mushrooms to the pan drippings and cook until browned. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté until fragrant. Add flour and cook for another minute.
Deglaze the pan with the wine and add the tomatoes, tomato paste, bay leaves, Parmesan rind, thyme, oregano and red bell pepper.
3. Return the chicken to the pan
Remove the skin from the chicken pieces and discard. Add the chicken back to the pan and cook until the chicken is tender and cooked through. Taste the sauce to check the seasoning and remove the Parmesan rind and bay leaves. Add salt or pepper as needed.
4. Serve
Serve over hot cooked spaghetti or polenta garnished with parsley. This chicken stew is also great served with zucchini noodles for a low-carb option. Enjoy!
Chicken Cacciatore
Ingredients
- 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on, chicken thighs (about 8)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt
- pepper
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 8 ounces fresh mushrooms sliced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional – more or less to taste)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 14.5 ounce canned diced tomatoes do not drain
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 small Parmesan rind
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 large red bell pepper ribs and seeds removed, chopped
Instructions
- Heat a large Dutch oven or skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Add half the chicken and cook, skin side down, until crisp and browned. Turn the pieces over and cook another 5 minutes. Remove to a plate and continue browning in small batches until all chicken is browned. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the drippings in the pan.
- Add the onions, mushrooms and a pinch of salt to the pan with the reserved drippings. Cook over medium-high heat until the vegetables begin to brown and the moisture evaporates.
- Add the garlic and red pepper flakes to the pan and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the flour and continue cooking and stirring for 1 more minute. Add the wine, tomatoes, tomato paste, bay leaves, Parmesan rind, thyme, oregano and red bell pepper.
- Remove the skin from the chicken and discard. Add the skinless chicken pieces to the pan, pressing them down into the sauce so they are covered. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer until the chicken is tender, about 40-45 minutes. Halfway through cooking, move the chicken pieces around and/or turn them over to ensure even cooking.
- Remove the bay leaves and Parmesan rind and discard. Check seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley leaves. Serve over hot cooked spaghetti or polenta.
Recipe Notes
- You can purchase Parmesan rinds in the cheese section of most grocery stores.
Nutrition
The BEST Chicken Cacciatore recipe you can make at home
This is an outstanding recipe for Chicken Cacciatore loaded with sweet red bell pepper, fresh herbs, tomatoes, wine and plenty of mushrooms.
Make it an Italian themed dinner party and serve Chicken Cacciatore with a nice crisp green salad and our creamy Italian Dressing Recipe loaded with fresh and dried herbs, Parmesan cheese, shallots and garlic.
We always serve cacciatore with a big hunk of crusty Artisan bread or fluffy Garlic Butter Breadsticks to sop up all the sauce.
Finally, don’t forget to wrap up this luscious Italian themed meal with our Classic Tiramisu Recipe. It’s so good and easy to make, too! Perfect for company as you can make it a day ahead.
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View this RecipeOriginally published January 2012, updated April 2025
Geri
Can you make this recipe in the instant pot?
Tricia Buice
I don’t see why you couldn’t Geri. I would use skinless, boneless thighs or breasts. It may not taste the same since you won’t be rendering the fat from the chicken skin, but I bet it would still be good! Enjoy and let us know how it turns out for you!
rccola
Made this yesterday for dinner and my wife and i really enjoyed it. The flavours were great and the chicken was nice and tender. The only thing I added was 2 celery sticks chopped and added it in with the mushroom and onions. Celery is under appreciated for the flavour it adds. I might try boneless chicken thighs next time but unfortunately I’ll lose the flavour the skin adds.
Has anyone else tried it with boneless thighs?
Tricia Buice
Thanks so much for the comment! I also love the flavor celery brings to dishes – I’ll have to give this a try. I’ve thought about making this recipe with boneless, skinless thighs and think it will be good and quick. The sauce may taste a little different without the skin but the ease of making the recipe may be worth it. Thanks again.
Carol
Well, thighs have skin also. So I don’t see a problem with using thighs. Actually I think it might even be better.
Can this be made in a slow cooker???? I like to make some dinners in the slow cooker when I’m having company so I don’t always have to keep running in the kitchen to check on a dish.
Tricia Buice
Hi Carol. Reader Rccola was saying they would like to try this with boneless, skinless chicken thighs next time but would lose the flavor you get from the skin. I was replying to the comment above my response. I have not made this is the slow cooker but understand about company coming. I hate to be in the kitchen at the last minute with a big mess trying to get it to come together. Since I have not tested it in the slow cooker I cannot give you an estimated time.
Mimi
Now this is my kind of comfort food! Love all of the ingredients! So hearty and flavorful. Thanks. I don’t think I’ve ever made this!
Tricia Buice
Thanks Mimi – hope you give it a try!
Amanda
How many does this serve?
Tricia Buice
Hi Amanda – this dish serves 4 to 6 people. There are about 8 thighs in 3 pounds. If each person has two, then there will be 4 servings. Thanks!
Susan
Yes to both the chicken thighs and unwanted soggy chicken skin! This looks so delicious, Tricia, and I am in the mood for Italian food right now 🙂
Tricia Buice
I always seem to be in the mood for Italian food. Thanks Susan 🙂
Pat
I’ve just finished making this and it smells scrumptious. Looking like a keeper.
Tricia Buice
Great Pat! Hope you enjoyed this recipe and thanks for the feedback.
Julie
I made this tonight and while it’s delicious, it’s very watery. Not thick looking like yours! Any suggestions?
Tricia Buice
I’m not sure what happened Julie. Maybe it needed to simmer a little longer. Did you add the flour? Did you cook the vegetables until the moisture evaporated? Maybe add a little more flour next time? I’m sorry it didn’t thicken up for you. I’ve never had that problem. Maybe you have really juicy chicken 🙂 Thanks for the feedback.
Carol
Or put in more tomato paste like that other person and you comment how it was probably nice and thick.
Just a thought.
Liz
Oh, man, I wish this was for dinner tonight! Perfect, delicious comfort food!
Wishing you and your lovely family a wonderful Thanksgiving! xoxo
Tricia Buice
Thanks Liz – and Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!
handmade by amalia
Oh my, Tricia, this looks amazing! Yummy and, as always, so beautifully photographed and styled. Thanks so much for sharing.
Amalia
xo
Tricia Buice
Thank you Amalia. Hope you are doing well!
Tamara
Hi Tricia, I came across your blog, when I was looking for chocolate mousse cake. My family is excited whenever I made on of your delicious desert.
Thank you.
Tricia Buice
Thanks Tamara – glad you found me! Let me know if I can ever help you in any way. Have a wonderful holiday season!
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers
Chicken Cacciatore is so delicious, and I’m long overdue for a feed. Thanks for reminding me I need this soon 🙂
Tricia Buice
It’s a classic everyone loves. Thanks Jennifer!
Chris Scheuer
This does look like REALLY good chicken cacciatore! I too, have memories of growing up with this wonderful dish. My mom thought she was quite an exotic cook the first time she made it and we enjoyed it for many years after. But I’d kind of forgotten about it and now I can’t wait to try your delicious looking version, Tricia!
Tricia Buice
My Aunt June married an Italian man so she quickly learned to make all his favorites. She was my non-Italian Italian aunt! Haha. Thanks Chris.
angiesrecipes
So yummy and flavoursome! I am thinking a huge chunk of roasted garlic Parm. bread would go really nicely with this comforting dish.
Tricia Buice
I’m thinking you are right Angie! Thank you so much. Hope you have a terrific week.
Autumn@Good Eats Girl
This looks delicious!
Em (Wine and Butter)
YUM!!!! WEve recently discovered chicken piccata and this looks a bit like the red wine (or slightly richer/ less sharp) sister. Very keen to try this ASAP! You know I was thinking of you and your little expected one when I woke up this morning… wondering if the big day had come – exciting!
Andrea
This looks so very delish. I will have to try this soon.
Mary
This looks SOO good, Tricia! I just added it to next week's menu. Thanks!
Tanna at The Brick Street Bungalow
Oh, my!! This one sounds like comfort food on steroids!! YUMMMMMMM! Thank you so much for sharing the Aunt June/tweaked version!!<br /><br />Woo hoo! getting closer (BTW, nice successful c-section you did)!! Waiting on the news.<br /><br />Tricia, I was able to get a nice discount on the granite because they had one slab leftover from a job they had done and it was enough to do our weekender
Big Dude
Aunt June's signiture dish sounds delicious and will have to be tried here. I've made the dish just one time a couple of years ago and when I went back and looked we loved it but I'd commented to use all thighs next time.
Gerry @Foodness Gracious
Mmmm, this is home cookin' I can almost smell all of those herbs and spices!<br />Great post, I love dishes like this!