Chicken cacciatore is one of my favorite classic Italian dinners to make for my family. I simmer tender chicken thighs in a rich and creamy sauce made with heavy cream, red wine, bell peppers, carrots, tomatoes, and kalamata olives. It’s incredibly flavorful and so easy to make in just about 30 minutes! I love to serve it with whole wheat pasta for a wholesome meal.
Top Reader Reviews
Everyone at my house loved it!! Can’t wait to make it again!
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Super flavorful! Love all the veggies and the olives (LOVE olives!) Nice and easy and time efficient!
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Italian Cacciatore Chicken with Pasta
Cacciatore means “hunter-style” in Italian, and this dish is fit for any hunter! Similar to chicken chasseur, it’s a hearty stew-like chicken dish made with tomatoes, wine, and whatever vegetables are abundant–in this case, carrots and bell peppers. Cooked low and slow, this cacciatore chicken is creamy, savory, and tangy. Kalamata olives add a perfect briny punch! Serve over pasta or rice to soak up every last bit of that yummy cacciatore sauce.
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How to Tell When the Chicken is Done
One of the trickiest parts of stovetop-to-oven chicken dishes is knowing exactly when the chicken is done. Instead of slicing into a thigh and losing all those juices, you can tell it’s done when the thighs feel firm but still springy when gently pressed with tongs.
For extra accuracy, I recommend an instant-read thermometer. These chicken thighs are ready to go anywhere between 165-175°F. They have extra wiggle room because they are fattier than chicken breasts, making them extra forgiving.
Chicken Cacciatore Recipe
Equipment
- Cast Iron or Oven-Safe Skillet
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (patted dry*)
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 pinch ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (¼ stick)
For the Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups chopped white onion
- 4 cloves garlic (crushed)
- ½ cup carrots (thinly-sliced)
- 2 red bell peppers (sliced)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes (1 can)
- ¼ cup dry red wine (**)
- ¼ cup heavy cream (room temperature)
- ¼ cup kalamata olives (pitted and halved***)
For Serving
- 16 ounces dry pasta (1 box)
Instructions
Brown the Chicken
- In a shallow bowl, combine the flour, salt, pepper, thyme and oregano.½ cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, 1 pinch ground black pepper
- Dip the chicken thighs in to the flour mixture one at a time, coating completely.
- Melt the butter in a large cast iron skillet set over medium-high heat.2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- When the butter is melted and the skillet is heated, add the chicken thighs (working in batches of 2 if needed).2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- Brown for 3-4 minutes per side, or until crisp. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Make the Sauce
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Reduce the skillet heat to medium, add the olive oil, and sauté the onions for 2-3 minutes.2 cups chopped white onion, 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Add the garlic, carrots, and red peppers, and sauté for 2-3 minutes, or until softened.4 cloves garlic, ½ cup carrots, 2 red bell peppers
- Stir in the tomato paste until it coats everything.2 tablespoons tomato paste
- Add the diced tomatoes and red wine, then bring the sauce to a rapid boil.14.5 ounces diced tomatoes, ¼ cup dry red wine
- Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, and pour in the cream.¼ cup heavy cream
Bake
- Add the chicken back to the skillet, and spoon the sauce over the chicken thighs.
- Top with kalamata olives, and place in the oven to bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.¼ cup kalamata olives
Serve
- While the skillet is in the oven, boil the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.16 ounces dry pasta
- Serve chicken and sauce over pasta.
Notes
- Use a large, oven-safe skillet. I used a 12-inch cast iron skillet and was able to sear all of my chicken thighs in one batch.
- Work in batches if needed so the chicken has enough room around it to sear rather than steam.
- Make sure to just sear the chicken, not cook it all the way through. It will continue to cook in the oven.
- Add mushrooms in with the onions for a more classic cacciatore.
- When you add the wine (or broth), scrape up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan; they act like built-in seasoning.
- Make sure to use room-temperature heavy cream; otherwise, the sauce could curdle.
- If the sauce feels too thick, add a splash of pasta water or broth. Too thin? Let it simmer for a few minutes before adding the chicken back.
- Properly cooked chicken should reach 165°F internally.
Note: Water, salt, pepper, oil, and broth are not counted as ingredients on this site.
How to Make Chicken Cacciatore Step by Step
Dredge the Chicken: Pat 2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken thighs dry. In a bowl, combine ½ cup of all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon of kosher salt, a pinch of ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon of dried thyme, and 1 teaspoon of oregano. Coat each chicken thigh in the flour mixture.
Cook the Chicken: Melt 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the chicken thighs and sear on both sides until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes per side.
Sauté the Onion: Reduce the heat to medium and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the same pan (no need to wipe out). Add 2 cups of chopped white onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes, or until translucent.
Add the Veggies: Add 4 crushed cloves of garlic, ½ cup of thinly sliced carrots, and 2 sliced red bell peppers, and sauté for another 2-3 minutes, or until softened. Stir in 2 tablespoons of tomato paste to coat. Then, add 14.5 ounces (1 can) of diced tomatoes and ¼ cup of red wine, stirring to release any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Bring the sauce to a boil.
Mix in the Cream: Reduce the heat to low and mix in ¼ cup of room-temperature heavy cream slowly to avoid curdling it. Add the chicken back to the skillet, spooning sauce over top of each piece. Top with ¼ cup of pitted and halved kalamata olives. Place in the preheated oven to bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through to 165°F.
Cook the Pasta and Serve: While the chicken is in the oven, cook 16 ounces of dry pasta according to the package directions. Drain and set aside until the chicken is done. Serve your chicken cacciatore on a bed of cooked pasta.
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat
You can store leftover chicken cacciatore in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat chicken on the stovetop, or in the microwave in 30 second intervals, until warmed through. Add a bit of broth or water if needed to rehydrate the sauce.
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Note: This recipe is one of those few exceptions on our site that has more than 10 ingredients. We try to keep things VERY easy around here, and limiting ingredients and time spent is one of our favorite ways. That being said, this recipe is too delicious to leave out of our recipe box! It’s an exception that is so flavorful and worth the extra ingredients if you have the time and resources to make it.
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