The Best Easy Chicken Cacciatore Recipe for Cozy Dinners

Chicken cacciatore enhances ordinary poultry into a rustic, mouthwatering Italian classic that resonates with home comfort and culinary tradition.

This hearty dish combines tender meat with a robust sauce that tells stories of family kitchens and generations of passionate cooking.

Fragrant herbs and rich tomatoes create a symphony of flavors that dance across your palate with surprising depth and complexity.

Regional variations give this recipe unique character, showcasing how simple ingredients can become something extraordinary.

Each bite carries the warmth of Mediterranean countryside cooking, blending savory elements into a harmonious meal that feels both nostalgic and exciting.

Bold spices and carefully balanced ingredients elevate this dish from basic protein preparation to a truly memorable dining experience.

The magic of chicken cacciatore lies in its ability to turn everyday cooking into something spectacularly delicious.

What Keeps Chicken Cacciatore a Classic

• Savor Rustic Comfort: This chicken cacciatore delivers a hearty, homestyle meal that feels like a warm hug from an Italian grandmother, packed with rich, deeply developed flavors from slow cooking.
• Effortless Gourmet Technique: The one-pot method makes sophisticated cooking simple, allowing home cooks to create a restaurant-quality dish with minimal cleanup and maximum flavor development through layered sautéing and simmering.
• Family-Friendly Crowd-Pleaser: With tender chicken, vibrant vegetables, and a robust tomato sauce, this recipe appeals to both adults and kids, making it perfect for weeknight dinners or casual weekend gatherings where everyone can enjoy a delicious, satisfying meal together.
• Quick Prep, Slow Magic: Despite taking just 15 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to cook, this recipe transforms basic ingredients into a complex, mouthwatering dish that tastes like it simmered all day, proving that great food doesn't always require complicated techniques.

What You’ll Need for This Rustic Chicken Dish

• Chicken Drumsticks: Juicy and flavorful meat that forms the heart of the dish, perfect for creating a hearty meal.

• Olive Oil, Avocado Oil: High-quality oils that help develop rich flavors and ensure smooth cooking process.

• Onion, Carrot, Celery: Classic combination that builds a deep, sweet, and earthy flavor base for the sauce.
• Garlic Cloves: Intense flavor that provides authentic Italian depth to the dish.

• Fresh Thyme, Bay Leaves: Fragrant herbs that add subtle, complex layers of flavor to the chicken.
• Fresh Parsley: Bright, fresh herb that provides a colorful garnish and light, clean finish.

• Whole Tomatoes: Rich, tangy foundation that creates a classic Italian-style sauce.
• Water or Chicken Stock: Helps achieve perfect sauce consistency and enhances overall flavor.

• Kosher Salt, Fresh Ground Black Pepper: Essential for balancing and elevating all the dish's flavors.

Cacciatore Cooking Made Simple

Step 1: Prepare Chicken

Grab chicken pieces and gently pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle generously with salt and black pepper across all surfaces.

Step 2: Sear Golden Goodness

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken pieces and create a beautiful golden-brown crust on each side. Transfer seared chicken to a waiting plate.

Step 3: Veggie Symphony

• Diced onions
• Chopped carrots
• Sliced celery
• Minced garlic

Sauté until vegetables become soft and fragrant, releasing their delicious aromas.

Step 4: Create Robust Sauce

• Crushed whole tomatoes
• Fresh thyme sprigs
• Bay leaves

Gently nestle seared chicken pieces into the bubbling sauce. Pour chicken stock or water to cover partially. Cover and simmer for 45-50 minutes until chicken becomes tender.

Step 5: Final Flavor Flourish

Remove bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Sprinkle freshly chopped parsley over the dish. Let the cacciatore rest for 5-10 minutes, allowing flavors to dance and mingle.

Serve hot with crusty bread or over pasta for a comforting meal that transports you to an Italian kitchen.

Tips to Lock In All That Hearty Flavor

• Dry the Chicken Thoroughly: Use paper towels to remove excess moisture, ensuring a crisp, golden-brown exterior that locks in juicy flavors.
• Brown in Batches: Avoid overcrowding the pot when searing chicken, which prevents steaming and creates a perfect caramelized crust.
• Layer Flavor Gradually: Season at each cooking stage to build depth, starting with the chicken, then vegetables, and finally the sauce.
• Simmer Gently: Keep the heat low and steady during the 45-minute cooking time to tenderize the chicken and develop rich, harmonious flavors.
• Rest Before Serving: Allow the dish to sit for a few minutes after cooking, letting the sauce settle and the flavors intensify for a more delicious meal.

How to Save Leftovers Without Drying Them Out

• Refrigeration: Transfer cooled chicken cacciatore to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
• Freezing: Carefully pack the dish in freezer-safe containers, removing as much air as possible. Freeze for up to 2 months, ensuring the chicken remains fully covered in sauce.
• Reheating: Warm gently in a covered skillet over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of chicken stock or water to prevent drying out, bringing the dish back to its original delicious moisture and flavor.

What Matches Well with Chicken Cacciatore

• Pair with Rustic Red Wine: Select a medium-bodied Italian red like Chianti or Sangiovese to complement the rich tomato and herb flavors of the chicken cacciatore.
• Serve with Crusty Garlic Bread: Create a perfect side by toasting thick slices of rustic bread with garlic and olive oil, ideal for soaking up the delicious sauce.
• Match with Creamy Polenta: Prepare smooth, buttery polenta as a classic Italian accompaniment that beautifully absorbs the savory chicken and vegetable sauce.
• Enhance with Fresh Herb Salad: Toss a light, crisp salad with mixed greens, fresh parsley, and a simple lemon vinaigrette to cut through the dish's richness and add brightness.

Fresh Takes on an Old-World Favorite

• Mediterranean Seafood Fusion: Replace chicken with tender white fish like cod or halibut, and add kalamata olives and capers for a Greek-inspired version. Incorporate white wine instead of water for deeper flavor complexity.
• Spicy Southwestern Style: Swap traditional vegetables with bell peppers and jalapeños. Include cumin and chili powder in seasoning. Use fire-roasted tomatoes for smoky undertones and garnish with fresh cilantro.
• Vegetarian Garden Medley: Substitute chicken with hearty portobello mushrooms or firm tofu chunks. Keep the vegetable base similar but add zucchini and eggplant for extra substance. Use vegetable stock and maintain the same cooking technique.
• Rustic Italian Rabbit Option: Replace chicken with rabbit pieces for an authentic countryside preparation. Maintain the classic herb profile with thyme and parsley. Add pancetta for extra richness and depth in the sauce.

Easy Chicken Cacciatore Recipe

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4.6 from 20 reviews

• Total Time: 55 minutes
• Yield: 4 1x

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Description

Rustic Italian chicken cacciatore brings hearty country flavors straight from Tuscany’s kitchens. Tender chicken simmered in rich tomato sauce with herbs creates a soul-warming meal you’ll crave again and again.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Proteins:

• 2.5 pounds (1.1 kilograms) chicken drumsticks

Vegetables and Herbs:

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 large carrot, diced (1 cup)
• 2 celery ribs, diced (1 cup)
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 0.25 cup fresh chopped parsley

Liquids and Seasonings:

• 4 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
• 1 (28 ounces / 794 grams) can whole tomatoes
• 0.25 cup water or chicken stock
• Kosher salt (to taste)
• Fresh ground black pepper (to taste)

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Instructions

1. Meticulously pat the chicken pieces until completely dry, ensuring optimal seasoning adherence and promoting enhanced golden-brown exterior through thorough salt and pepper coating.
2. Warm olive oil in a substantial Dutch oven, creating a sizzling environment for chicken. Methodically brown chicken segments, developing rich caramelized surfaces without overcrowding the pan. Transfer beautifully seared pieces to a separate plate.
3. Utilize the residual pan drippings to sauté aromatic vegetables – onions, carrots, celery, and garlic. Allow these ingredients to soften and release their intricate flavors, creating a robust foundational layer for the sauce.
4. Introduce whole tomatoes, gently crushing them to release their vibrant juices. Incorporate fresh thyme and bay leaves, infusing the sauce with herbaceous complexity. Carefully nestle browned chicken pieces into the vegetable mixture.
5. Pour chicken stock or water, ensuring ingredients are partially submerged. Cover and reduce heat, allowing the cacciatore to gently simmer and develop deep, interconnected flavors for approximately 45 minutes.
6. Once cooking completes, remove herb sprigs and bay leaves. Sprinkle freshly chopped parsley across the surface, adding a bright, fresh dimension. Let the dish rest momentarily, permitting flavors to harmonize before serving.

Notes

• Chicken selection matters most for authentic flavor, so choose bone-in, skin-on pieces for richness and depth.
• Browning creates caramelized exterior that locks in juices and develops complex taste profile before simmering.
• Slow cooking transforms tough meat into tender, falling-apart deliciousness while infusing herbs and vegetables throughout the sauce.

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Simmering
• Cuisine: Italian

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 4
• Calories: 350
• Sugar: 5 g
• Sodium: 250 mg
• Fat: 20 g
• Saturated Fat: 3 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 12 g
• Fiber: 2 g
• Protein: 30 g
• Cholesterol: 120 mg