Cacciatore means “hunter” in Italian. When referring to the dish, it means the dish is prepared “hunter-style” with fresh herbs, onions, tomatoes, peppers, and sometimes wine. This Chicken Cacciatore is a true Italian classic, exploding with rich flavor. Try pairing your finished Chicken Cacciatore with mashed potatoes, polenta, or roasted potatoes.
Ingredients
- 6 chicken thighs, bone-in and skinless
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
- 1 small yellow bell pepper, diced
- 1 small red bell pepper, diced
- 1 large carrot, peeled and sliced
- 10 ounces mushrooms, sliced
- 8 sprigs thyme
- 2 tablespoons parsley, freshly chopped, plus more for garnish
- 2 tablespoons basil, freshly chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 cup red wine
- 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 7 ounces Roma tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup black olives, pitted
Directions
Step 1 –Firstly, season the chicken with salt and pepper.
Step 2 –Heat up 2 tablespoons of the oil into a heavy cast-iron skillet.
Step 3 –Sear the chicken on each side until they are golden brown, about 3-4 minutes on each side.
Step 4 –Transfer them from the skillet and set it aside.
Step 5 –Add in the remaining 1 tablespoon of the olive oil into the pan.
Step 6 –Add the onion and saute until it is transparent and soft, about 3-4 minutes.
Step 7 –Add in the garlic and cook until it is fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Step 8 –Add in the peppers, carrot, mushrooms, thyme, parsley, basil, and oregano and cook until all of the vegetables start to soften, about 5 minutes.
Step 9 –Pour in the wine and scrape up the browned bits of food from the bottom of the pan.
Step 10 –Cook until the wine has reduced, about 2 minutes.
Step 11 –Add in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, Roma tomatoes, and chili flakes. Taste the liquid for seasoning.
Step 12 –Return the chicken pieces to the skillet and cook it over the stovetop,
Step 13 –Cover the dish with a lid.
Step 14 –Lower the heat to a low and let it simmer, stirring every once in a while, until the meat is falling off the bone, about 40 minutes.
Step 15 –Add in the olives and allow the dish to simmer for another 10 minutes.
Step 16 –Sprinkle the top with some parsley and serve immediately.
