Chicken Cacciatore
Italian hunter-style braised chicken with tomatoes, peppers, and herbs.
Total Time
1h 10m
Servings
6
Prep
20 min
Cook
50 min
Ingredients
- 8 pieces chicken thighs (bone-in, skin-on)
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion (sliced)
- 2 medium bell peppers (mixed colors, sliced)
- 8 oz mushrooms (sliced)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 28 oz crushed tomatoes
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 tbsp capers
- 1/2 cup kalamata olives
Instructions
- 1
PREP AND SEASON: Pat chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels - this is essential for crispy skin. Season generously on both sides with salt and pepper. Let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes while you prep vegetables.
- 2
BROWN THE CHICKEN: Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Place chicken skin-side down and cook without moving for 6-8 minutes until the skin is deeply golden and releases easily from the pan. Flip and brown the other side for 3-4 minutes. Work in batches if needed. Transfer to a plate.
- 3
COOK THE VEGETABLES: Reduce heat to medium. Add sliced onion and bell peppers to the pan. Cook 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add sliced mushrooms and cook another 4-5 minutes until mushrooms release their liquid and start to brown.
- 4
BUILD THE SAUCE: Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in white wine and scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom. Let wine reduce by half, about 2-3 minutes - you shouldn't smell alcohol anymore.
- 5
ADD TOMATOES AND SEASONINGS: Pour in crushed tomatoes. Add rosemary sprigs, thyme sprigs, capers, and olives. Stir to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper. The sauce should be well-seasoned since the chicken will absorb flavors.
- 6
BRAISE: Nestle the browned chicken thighs into the sauce, skin-side up (to keep skin crispy). The sauce should come about halfway up the chicken. Cover with a lid and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 35-40 minutes.
- 7
CHECK FOR DONENESS: The chicken is done when it reaches 175°F internal temperature and the meat is nearly falling off the bone. The sauce should have thickened and the vegetables should be very tender. Remove herb stems before serving.
- 8
SERVE: Spoon the saucy vegetables into shallow bowls. Top with chicken thighs, spooning extra sauce over the top. Traditionally served with creamy polenta, mashed potatoes, or crusty bread to soak up the sauce.
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Nutrition Facts
Per serving
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