Description
Chicken Cacciatore is a classic Italian dish featuring bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces simmered in a rich tomato and red pepper sauce with aromatic garlic, onions, and herbs. This hearty, comforting stew is oven-braised to tender perfection, blending savory chicken with bright flavors of white wine, fresh herbs, and sweet bell peppers. It’s perfect served over pasta, polenta, or crusty bread.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 3 to 4 pounds (1.4 to 1.8 kg) bone-in, skin-on chicken legs, thighs and drumsticks split
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 medium (8-ounce; 225 g) yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 1 large (8-ounce; 225 g) red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and thinly sliced
- 5 medium cloves garlic, thinly sliced
Liquids and Herbs
- 3/4 cup (175 ml) dry white wine
- 1 (28-ounce; 795 g) can peeled whole tomatoes, drained and crushed by hand
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) reserved tomato juices from the can
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, sage, or thyme
- 1 bay leaf
Garnish
- Minced flat-leaf parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat and Season: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Generously season the chicken pieces all over with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to enhance their flavor.
- Brown the Chicken: Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a Dutch oven or a large, straight-sided sauté pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, add the chicken pieces and cook, turning occasionally, until they are browned on all sides, approximately 6 minutes per side. Transfer browned chicken to a platter and set aside.
- Sauté Vegetables: In the same pan, add the sliced yellow onion, red bell pepper, and garlic. Cook while stirring and scraping up any browned bits from the chicken, until the vegetables soften and become aromatic, about 8 minutes.
- Deglaze and Add Tomatoes: Pour in the dry white wine and bring it to a simmer, allowing the alcohol to cook off and flavors to concentrate. Stir in the hand-crushed whole tomatoes along with the reserved tomato juices. Add your choice of fresh herb sprigs (rosemary, sage, or thyme) and the bay leaf. Bring the mixture back up to a simmer and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Combine Chicken and Braise: Nestle the browned chicken pieces and any accumulated juices back into the tomato and vegetable mixture. Ensure the chicken is partially submerged in the sauce.
- Oven Cook: Transfer the Dutch oven or pan uncovered to the preheated oven. Cook until the chicken is fully cooked through, tender, and the sauce has slightly reduced and thickened, about 30 minutes.
- Finish and Serve: Remove the herb sprigs and bay leaf. Plate the chicken with the sauce and vegetables, and garnish with minced flat-leaf parsley if desired. Serve immediately, ideally with pasta, polenta, or crusty bread.
Notes
- For extra depth of flavor, you can add sliced mushrooms along with the onions and peppers.
- If you prefer a thicker sauce, simmer the tomato mixture on the stovetop before baking to reduce it further.
- White wine can be substituted with dry vermouth or chicken broth in a pinch.
- Bone-in chicken pieces ensure juicy, flavorful meat but can be substituted with boneless thighs if preferred, although cooking time may vary.
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated for up to 3 days and can be reheated gently on the stovetop.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 180-200g chicken with sauce)
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 550mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 40g
- Cholesterol: 130mg
