CHICKEN CACCIATORE
This recipe for chicken cacciatore is a classic dish made with braised chicken and an assortment of vegetables, all cooked together in a flavorful tomato sauce. It’s an easy dinner that the whole family will love!
When it comes to dinner time, chicken dishes are always at the top of my list. My kids adore chicken and green beans, chicken casserole and this hearty chicken cacciatore.
Cacciatore means hunter in Italian, and alla cacciatora translates to a ‘hunter-style’ meal with chicken (or rabbit), onions, tomatoes, herbs, vegetables, and usually wine or vinegar.
This is one of those recipes I found years ago in an old, tattered Italian cookbook. Every time I’d remake it through the years, I’d adjust something in it to eventually reach a cacciatore recipe so perfect, it’s one recipe your entire family will look forward too!
WHAT IS CHICKEN CACCIATORE?
The word cacciatore means “hunter” in Italian, which refers to a dish being prepared in a hunter style. Hunter style dishes typically contain onions, herbs, bell peppers, tomatoes and wine. Chicken cacciatore contain all of these ingredients, plus other flavors such as olives and mushrooms.
HOW DO YOU MAKE CHICKEN CACCIATORE?
This dish starts with bone in chicken thighs, which are seared to golden brown perfection. The thighs are removed from the pan, and a combination of onions, peppers, mushrooms and olives get cooked until tender. The chicken goes back into the pan with the vegetables, along with tomatoes, white wine and tomato sauce. Everything cooks together in the oven until the chicken is tender. The finishing touch is a sprinkle of fresh parsley, then you’ll be ready to eat.
Ingredients
Directions
When it comes to dinner time, chicken dishes are always at the top of my list. My kids adore chicken and green beans, chicken casserole and this hearty chicken cacciatore.
Cacciatore means hunter in Italian, and alla cacciatora translates to a ‘hunter-style’ meal with chicken (or rabbit), onions, tomatoes, herbs, vegetables, and usually wine or vinegar.
This is one of those recipes I found years ago in an old, tattered Italian cookbook. Every time I’d remake it through the years, I’d adjust something in it to eventually reach a cacciatore recipe so perfect, it’s one recipe your entire family will look forward too!
WHAT IS CHICKEN CACCIATORE?
The word cacciatore means “hunter” in Italian, which refers to a dish being prepared in a hunter style. Hunter style dishes typically contain onions, herbs, bell peppers, tomatoes and wine. Chicken cacciatore contain all of these ingredients, plus other flavors such as olives and mushrooms.
HOW DO YOU MAKE CHICKEN CACCIATORE?
This dish starts with bone in chicken thighs, which are seared to golden brown perfection. The thighs are removed from the pan, and a combination of onions, peppers, mushrooms and olives get cooked until tender. The chicken goes back into the pan with the vegetables, along with tomatoes, white wine and tomato sauce. Everything cooks together in the oven until the chicken is tender. The finishing touch is a sprinkle of fresh parsley, then you’ll be ready to eat.
Ingredients
- 1 broiler/fryer chicken (3-1/2 to 4 pounds), cut up
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 celery ribs, sliced
- 1 large green pepper, cut into strips
- 1/2 pound sliced fresh mushrooms
- 1 can (28 ounces) tomatoes, cut up and juice reserved
- 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
- 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
- 1 cup dry red wine or water
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- Hot cooked pasta
- Grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
- Dust chicken with flour. Season with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, brown chicken on all sides in oil and butter over medium-high heat. Remove chicken to platter.
- In the same skillet, cook and stir the onion, celery, pepper and mushrooms for 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, wine, herbs, garlic and sugar. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Return chicken to skillet. Cover and simmer for 45-60 minutes or until chicken is tender. Serve over pasta and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
- Freeze option: Cool chicken mixture. Freeze in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through slowly in a covered skillet until a thermometer inserted in chicken reads 165°, stirring occasionally.