The Best Chicken Cacciatore of Your Life

Homemade Chicken Cacciatore is an Italian classic! Succulent chicken in a flavorful tomato sauce – Comfort food at its finest!

Serve on a bed of pasta or with a side of roasted potatoes for a delicious home-cooked meal.

Growing up with an Italian grandmother, this is one of those dishes I’ve been making for most of my life. This classic Italian favorite combines tender chicken thighs with a rich tomato-based sauce accented by aromatic herbs and vegetables. Whether you’re an experienced cook or just starting out, this recipe will guide you through the process step by step.

Ingredient Notes

• Chicken: Skin-on fresh chicken thighs or legs are preferred for their rich flavor and tenderness. You can substitute them with chicken breasts if needed, though they may be less juicy.
• Flour: Use all-purpose/plain flour. You can also use whole wheat flour as a substitute.
• Olive Oil: Extra virgin olive oil provides the best flavor. Canola oil can be a substitute.
• Pancetta: Adds a salty richness to the dish. It can often be found in the deli section of your grocery store. Bacon can be used as a substitute.
• Vegetables: I use onions, carrots, and celery in my recipe, but if you prefer the more traditional addition of peppers, they can be added to the other vegetables if desired. They add a sweet or slightly spicy note depending on the variety used. Any color of bell pepper works well. 
• Garlic: Use fresh garlic for the best flavor profile, but jarred or garlic powder can be a last-minute alternative.
• Mushrooms: Brown mushrooms, such as cremini, baby bella, or chestnut mushrooms, all add an earthy flavor, but white mushrooms can also be used.
• Herbs: This recipe calls for fresh parsley, dried oregano, and a bay leaf, but fresh basil, thyme, or rosemary can also be used.
• Wine: We prefer a dry white wine like pinot grigio, but red wine can be an alternative if you prefer a richer sauce. You can use extra stock and a splash of vinegar for a nonalcoholic option.
• Chicken Stock: Found in the soup aisle, vegetable stock can be used as a substitute.
• Crushed Tomatoes: Adds texture and flavor to the sauce. Diced or chopped tomatoes can be used as a substitute, but tomato paste may be needed to thicken the sauce.

What Chicken Is Best

It’s always best to use chicken on the bone for braising chicken. Chicken thighs or legs work best as they don’t dry out as much as breasts.

How To Make Chicken Cacciatore

Preparing The Chicken

Blot 6 to 8 chicken thighs with a paper towel to remove excess moisture, then season with salt on both sides. This ensures the skin becomes crispy during frying.

Mix ½ cup (120 ml) all-purpose flour with salt and pepper, and coat the chicken in this mixture, shaking off the excess. The flour helps to create a golden crust and adds texture.

Once all the chicken is coated, set it aside until it’s needed.

Cook The Pancetta

In a large stockpot, heat 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil and cook 4 oz (113 g) pancetta until golden brown. This step adds a salty, rich flavor to the dish.

Using a slotted spoon or spatula, remove the pancetta and set aside on a plate lined with paper towels.

Browning The Chicken

If needed, add the remaining olive oil to the pot. Brown the chicken thighs skin side down until golden (about 5-7 minutes). Flip and brown the other side for 1-2 minutes. In this step, you’re only browning the chicken. It will finish cooking in the sauce.

Transfer the chicken to a plate and drain the excess fat, leaving about 2 tablespoons in the pot.

Making The Sauce

Reduce heat to medium-low, and add 1 chopped medium yellow onion, 2 small carrots, and 2 ribs of celery. Cook until softened and starting to brown (about 5 minutes).

Increase heat to medium and add 1 lb/500g of sliced mushrooms.

Cook the mushrooms for an additional 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 3 minced garlic cloves and sauté until fragrant (about 1 minute).

Stir in 2 tablespoons (30g) chopped fresh Italian parsley and 2 teaspoons (10g) dried oregano. These ingredients bring aromatic and herbaceous notes to the dish.

Pour ½ cup (120 ml) white wine, increase the heat to high, and bring it to a boil. Make sure to scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Continue to cook until the wine mostly evaporates, about 5 to 6 minutes.

Add ½ cup (120 ml) chicken stock, a 28 oz (800 g) can of crushed tomatoes, salt, and freshly ground pepper to taste. Stir to combine everything.

Finishing The Dish

Place the pancetta back into the pot along with the bay leaf and nestle the chicken thighs and any accumulated juices into the sauce.

Reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it simmer for 30-35 minutes. Make sure the chicken reaches a temperature of 165°F (71°C) to 170°F (76°C), indicating that it’s fully cooked.

Just before serving, you may choose to remove the chicken skin. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if needed. Serve the Chicken Cacciatore over cooked pasta, rice, or with crusty bread.

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Let’s Make The Best Chicken Cacciatore of Your Life

Indulge in the richness of our Chicken Cacciatore recipe. Tender chicken, savory pancetta, and aromatic vegetables are simmered to perfection in a robust tomato sauce.

5 from 16 votes

Prep25 minutes minutes

Cook1 hour hour

Total1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Serves: 6

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Ingredients

• ▢ 6 to 8 chicken thighs skin on
• ▢ ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ▢ Salt and pepper to taste
• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ 4 oz pancetta
• ▢ Salt and freshly ground pepper
• ▢ 1 yellow onion medium sized, chopped
• ▢ 2 carrots chopped
• ▢ 2 celery ribs chopped
• ▢ 1 lb mushrooms cleaned, trimmed and sliced
• ▢ 3 large garlic cloves minced
• ▢ 2 tbsp fresh Italian parsley chopped
• ▢ 2 tsp dried oregano
• ▢ 1 bay leaf
• ▢ 1 cup white wine
• ▢ ½ cup chicken stock
• ▢ 28 oz can crushed tomatoes

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Blot the chicken thighs with a paper towel to remove excess moisture, then season them with salt on both sides.
• Place the flour on a large plate and season with salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken thighs in the flour, shaking off excess. Set aside.
• In a large stockpot, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and cook the pancetta until golden brown. Remove pancetta and set aside.
• If needed, add the remaining olive oil to the pot. Brown the chicken thighs in batches, skin side down, until golden (5-7 minutes). Flip and brown the other side for 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
• Drain excess fat, leaving about 2 tablespoons in the pot.
• Reduce heat to medium-low. Add onions, carrots, and celery. Cook until softened and starting to brown (about 5 minutes).
• Increase heat to medium and add mushrooms. Cook for 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add minced garlic and sauté until fragrant (about 1 minute).
• Add chopped parsley and dried oregano, cooking for an additional 1-2 minutes.
• Increase heat to high, pour in white wine, and boil while scraping browned bits from the bottom. Reduce until wine mostly evaporates (5-6 minutes).
• Add chicken stock, crushed tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
• Return pancetta to the pot, along with the bay leaf. Nestle the chicken thighs and any accumulated juices into the sauce.
• Reduce heat to low, bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 30-35 minutes until chicken is cooked through and reaches 165°F (71°C) to 170°F (76°C).
• Just before serving, remove the chicken skin if desired. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 526 (26%)| Carbohydrates: 27g (9%)| Protein: 28g (56%)| Fat: 32g (49%)| Saturated Fat: 8g (50%)| Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g| Monounsaturated Fat: 15g| Trans Fat: 0.1g| Cholesterol: 124mg (41%)| Sodium: 448mg (19%)| Potassium: 1106mg (32%)| Fiber: 5g (21%)| Sugar: 10g (11%)| Vitamin A: 3962IU (79%)| Vitamin C: 19mg (23%)| Calcium: 95mg (10%)| Iron: 4mg (22%)

Nutritional Data Disclaimer

Erren’s Kitchen is written and produced for informational intentions only. We are not certified nutritionists, and the nutritional information found on this site has not been assessed or authorized by a nutritionist or the FDA. The nutritional information found in our recipes is offered as an estimate and should not be considered a guarantee or fact. The estimated data is provided as a courtesy and calculated through a third-party online nutritional calculator, spoonacular API. Although we do our best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered rough estimates. Many factors, such as brands or products purchased and the nutritional fluctuations that naturally occur in fresh produce, can alter the effectiveness of the nutritional information in any recipe. Furthermore, various online calculators provide different results depending on their particular algorithms and nutrition fact sources. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.

Author:Erren Hart

Course:Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine:Italian, Italian American

Keyword:Chicken Cacciatore, Chicken Cacciatore recipe, The Best Chicken Cacciatore

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