How to Make Chicken Cacciatore
Take a trip to Tuscany with this authentic chicken cacciatore recipe. This classic Tuscan dish is cooked nice and slow, so you’ll have moist chicken at the end that will practically fall off the bone.
It’s covered in a simple yet wholesome tomato sauce made from passata, red wine, vegetables, and fresh herbs. The sauce is so good; you’ll be scooping up any extra with fresh crusty bread and definitely going back for seconds.
Watch the Chicken Cacciatore video recipe:
How To Make CHICKEN CACCIATORE RECIPE like an Italian
Vincenzo’s Top Tips To Make Chicken Cacciatore
Any chicken part will do
You can also use boneless chicken thighs, chicken breasts, skinless chicken breasts, and skinless chicken thighs for this recipe.
Low and Slow
This is a low and slow process to keep the chicken moist.
Keep the strong flavor
Keep the leaves on the celery because it has a strong flavor that will add another element to your dish.
Stick with wine or may use alternatives
The alcohol will cook out, so only the flavors of the wine will stay. Use chicken broth or water instead if you don’t want to use wine.
Chicken Cacciatore
Equipment
- 1 Large casserole dish
- 1 Kitchen mallet
- 1 Tongs
Ingredients
- 4 pcs Chicken drumsticks
- 5 pcs Chicken wings
- 5 pcs Chicken thighs
- 1 Bottle of passata or homemade tomato sauce
- 1 Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
- 1 Fresh rosemary
- 1 Celery stick Chopped
- ½ Onion Chopped
- 2 Carrots Chopped into small pieces
- 1 Bunch of parsley Chopped finely
- 1 Glass of red wine
- 2 Garlic cloves
- 1 Salt & pepper
Instructions
- We're making this chicken cacciatore recipe traditional, without the slow cooker or crock pot. Start with a large casserole dish, add four tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, and turn on the heat to medium-low.
- Add in all the chicken pieces, braising them on all sides until they start to turn golden brown.
- While they are browning, use a kitchen mallet to smash the garlic (skin on) and add it to the pan with the chicken.
- Add the lid to the pan and cook for a few minutes. Remove the lid, flip the chicken then cover it again and cook for 10 more minutes.
- Now, the meat is cooked on both sides and moist. Add the chopped carrots, onion, and celery to the pot for this chicken cacciatore recipe.
- Move the pieces of chicken around so the vegetables don’t just stay on top and everything cooks through well.
- Now cover and cook for about 10 minutes until the vegetables are softer.
- Next, move the chicken around once more before adding fresh rosemary, and then pour the wine on top.
- Again, cover and cook for another 10 minutes. Then, uncover the chicken and flip the pieces one more time before cooking this chicken cacciatore recipe without a lid until the wine evaporates.
- Add the homemade tomato sauce (or store-bought passata) and mix it through as best you can.
- Be generous with the salt and freshly ground black pepper. Sprinkle a little bit of parsley on top and stir.
- Slow cook everything for 10 minutes with a lid to help create a super flavorful chicken cacciatore recipe, then remove the rosemary and garlic.
- Cook the chicken cacciatore uncovered for the last 10 minutes. Once finished, add the rest of the parsley on top.
- E ora si mangia, Vincenzo’sPlate….Enjoy!
Video
How to serve Chicken Cacciatore
Add the desired amount of chicken to a plate with an extra scoop of sauce. You’ll want a nice piece of bread to accompany this dish so you can clean up your plate.
Enjoy the melt-in-your-mouth flavors with this chicken cacciatore recipe that’s falling off the bone. You can even serve chicken cacciatore with oven roasted potatoes, bell peppers, or zucchini. It’s the perfect dish for a Sunday lunch or to simply spoil yourself.
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Just had four chicken thighs and cut the rest of the recipe in half. It’s very delicious! Bread is a must to mop up the sauce.
It tastes as good as it looks
The taste of a dish is just as important as its appearance. I always strive to create recipes that not only look appetizing but also deliver on flavor.
This chicken cacciatore recipe is amazing! The dish as a whole is so flavorful, and the chicken is so tender. The whole family loved it and I will be putting this in our regular meal rotation. It definitely is a low and slow process, but is worth the wait. Thank you, Vincenzo!
The dish’s rich flavors and tender chicken are indeed delightful, and I’m glad it has earned a place in your regular meal rotation. The slow cooking process may require patience, but the end result is undoubtedly worth it. Thank you for your kind words, and happy cooking with many more delicious meals to come!
What are your thoughts on using bacon fat instead of EVOO?
I’ve done it a few times and enjoyed the result, but I’d like to have your opinion.
That’s interesting, using bacon fat instead of EVOO is fine. Bacon fat could infuse the meat with a unique smokiness, complementing the other flavors in the recipe. Just be mindful of the saltiness of the bacon fat, as it might impact the overall seasoning of the dish.
Absolutely delicious, tender and flavorful! Vincenzo, you never disappoint! Grazie!
Grazie mille for your kind words! I’m thrilled to hear that you enjoyed the chicken cacciatore. Cooking with passion and sharing these recipes is a joy for me.
Amazing recipe, turned out so delicious, flavourful and the chicken was very moist! The husband was very happy to eat the cacciatore i made using this recipe. Grazie mille Vincenzo!
Grazie mille for trying out the recipe and sharing your wonderful feedback. Nothing brings more joy than knowing my recipes make delicious moments in your kitchen. Buon appetito!
Made this dish just over a week ago, and it was absolutely lovely. My wife was dipping bread in the pan before I could even get it to the table. Beautiful dish, thanks for the recipe, Vincenzo. Yum!
Hey there, thank you so much for trying out my Chicken Cacciatore recipe. The idea of dipping the bread in the pan adds a creative twist into this dish, your wife knows what she’s doing. Buon appetito, and looking forward to more delicious moments with you in the kitchen!
Passata is mostly unknown in the US, so readers will not know the volume of 1 bottle. Also it would help to know how much total chicken you used by weight.
In the US, a standard bottle of passata is around 24 ounces. I used about 3 to 4 pounds of chicken for this recipe. Hope that helps!
14 pieces of chicken for serving 4? Or was this 4 drumsticks Or 5 thighs Or 5 wings? It wasn’t clear to me!
Thanks in advance for clarifying!
Thanks for asking! Absolutely, I used 14 pieces of chicken for this recipe. Feel free to adjust the quantity to your liking. Enjoy!
Made this today and my wife and I agree, it’s wonderful. She of course added kale so there was more green. The chicken was tender and the sauce was wonderful. Left overs tomorrow and may plate over pasta. Thanks
Wow, adding kale for a pop of green sounds like a delicious twist! Serving it over pasta sounds like a perfect idea for tomorrow’s meal. Grazie for trying the recipe. Can’t wait to hear what you cook up next!