This really is the best chicken cacciatore recipe! Deliciously rich but simple to make, this easy weeknight meal only takes 30 minutes to create from scratch.
Chicken cacciatore is such a rich and flavorful dish, but it’s so easy to make this restaurant quality meal at home. This needs to make an appearance on your weekly meal rotation for sure!
How to Make Chicken Cacciatore
Be sure to see the recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions/
- In a shallow bowl, combine the flour, salt, pepper, thyme and oregano
- Dredge the chicken in the mixture
- Brown the chicken.
- Saute the onions, carrots, and peppers.
- Make the sauce.
- Add the chicken back to the skillet and garnish.
- Bake in the oven.
- Serve over pasta.
What is Chicken Cacciatore?
Cacciatore is a traditional Italian dish, translated, it means ‘hunter’. Made with red wine and tomatoes, along with other vegetables, this is a dish that is rich and full of flavor.
How to Make Ahead
This is a great recipe to batch cook! You can make it ahead of time and just reheat it when you are ready to serve. Leftovers will last tin the fridge in an airtight container for 2-3 days and it also freezes well.
Serving sugggestions
Traditionally, this chicken dish is served with fresh pasta, like spaghetti or fettuccini, and that’s probably my favorite way.
You can serve it with rice or polenta too alongside some steamed vegetables. You could also serve a simple potato side dish.
Prep the Chicken
Be sure to pat your chicken dry before coating it in the flour. This will help the mixture to stick and create a great crust on the chicken as you brown.
More Top Tips
- Coat the chicken thighs completely in the flour.
- Feel free to add in other veggies to this dish! Mushrooms would work well.
- Use free run/organic chicken that hasn’t been raised on antibiotics.
More Italian Chicken Recipes to try
If you have tried the best chicken cacciatore recipe, or any other recipe on my blog, then please rate it and let me know how it turned out in the comments below!
Chicken Cacciatore Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- ½ cup white all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp salt
- pinch of black pepper
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cups white onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic crushed
- ½ cup carrots sliced thin
- 2 red bell peppers sliced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 14.5 ounces 1 can diced tomatoes
- ¼ cup dry red wine
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup kalamata olives pitted and halved
- 1 pound whole wheat pasta
Instructions
- Pat chicken dry.
- In a shallow bowl, combine the flour, salt, pepper, thyme and oregano.
- Dip the chicken thighs in to the flour mixture one at a time, coat completely.
- Melt the butter in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
- When the butter is melted and skillet is heated add the chicken thighs*.
- Brown on each side, 3-4 minutes per side, set aside.
- Heat the oven to 400°F.
- Reduce heat of the skillet to medium, add olive oil to the skillet.
- Add the onions, sauté 2-3 minutes.
- Add garlic, carrots and red peppers, sauté 2-3 minutes.
- Mix in the tomato paste.
- Add can of diced tomatoes and red wine, bring to a rapid boil.
- Reduce heat to low, pour in the heavy cream.
- Add the chicken back to the skillet, spoon the sauce over the chicken thighs.
- Top with kalamata olives.
- Put skillet in the oven to bake for 10-12 minutes.
- While the skillet is in the oven cook pasta according to package instructions.
- Serve the chicken and sauce over the pasta.
Rachael Yerkes says
this is so good!
Becky Hardin says
Thank you, Rachael! I’m glad you loved it!
Betsy says
Super flavorful! Love all the veggies and the olives (LOVE olives!) Nice and easy and time efficient!
Becky Hardin says
Olives are one of my favorites too!! I’m SO glad you liked it!
April says
Chicken cacciatore is one of my favorite easy meals! I love how quickly it all comes together and it tastes great!
Becky Hardin says
Mine too!! I’m happy to hear you liked it!
Toni says
Everyone at my house loved it!! Can’t wait to make it again!
Becky Hardin says
So glad to hear that!! I’m glad you all enjoyed!
Carla k Skramstad Rauser says
Can you freeze any left overs? Looks delicious and want to make it soon.
Thanks
Becky Hardin says
Yes in an airtight container!
Hans Benkert says
Way cool! Some extremely valid points! I appreciate you writing this article and the rest of the website is also really good.