Chicken Cacciatore
Try this quick and easy Chicken Cacciatore with pasta and a slice of homemade bread for a warm and comforting meal!
Mushrooms, onions, peppers, and the most tender chicken are simmered to perfection in a fragrant tomato sauce and served over pasta.
Chicken Cacciatore Recipe Highlights
- ONE-POT MEAL – The Chicken Cacciatore is one of those amazing recipes you can make in one skillet (or a Dutch oven).
- SIMPLE INGREDIENTS – All ingredients are easy to get at any supermarket, or you may already have them in your fridge and pantry.
Ingredient Notes
Please check the recipe card below for a detailed, printable ingredient list.
CHICKEN – Boneless, skinless chicken thighs work best. They stay juicy and tender. But you can also use chicken breast.
GARLIC & ONIONS – Fresh minced cloves or minced garlic. A sweet or yellow onion is a great choice for this recipe.
VEGETABLES – Onion, Garlic, Red Bell Peppers, and Mushrooms.
OLIVES – I use kalamata olives.
WINE – Fortified marsala wine adds a subtle, nutty sweetness to your sauce.
MARINARA SAUCE – You can, of course, use any marinara sauce you like. But I will say that the recipe comes out extra delicious if you’re going to use Rao’s Marinara. It’s linked to the recipe card and is a beautiful marinara sauce, one I highly recommend.
Variations
WINE – If you don’t like fortified wine, you can customize the recipe and use your favorite red or white wine. If you don’t want to use any wine, you can substitute the wine with chicken broth.
How To Make This Chicken Cacciatore Recipe
Please check the printable recipe card below for more detailed instructions.
- Season and brown chicken in a large skillet or Dutch oven.
- Saute. Remove chicken and add diced vegetables. Stir and sauté for 10 minutes.
- Simmer. Add marinara sauce, wine, oregano, olives, and capers. Add chicken back in and continue to simmer until the chicken is tender.
TIP: Serve with fresh basil or parsley.
Leftovers
STORE – Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
FREEZE – Yes, you can freeze this Chicken Cacciatore dinner. Allow the cooked dish to cool completely before transferring the chicken, vegetables, and sauce to a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 3 months.
More Chicken Recipes
Serving Ideas
Chicken Cacciatore is delicious because tender chicken is smothered in a richly flavorful wine sauce. You’ll need a delicious side dish to soak up all of this delicious sauce. Here are some amazing options.
PASTA – Choose your favorite style of pasta. I mostly serve the Chicken Cacciatore over fettuccine, linguine, or spaghetti pasta. But any short pasta would work well, too.
TIP – Try this chicken dish with Spaetzle noodles.
POLENTA – You might be more familiar with Hungarian Goulash being served over polenta. And trust me, Chicken Caciatore with polenta is the most satisfying combination.
RICE – Another option is to serve the chicken and sauce over plain white or brown rice.
POTATOES – If pasta and rice are not up your alley, try serving this dish over mashed potatoes.
GLUTEN-FREE – This dish is naturally gluten-free because we are not dredging the chicken in flour but simply browning the chicken. Choose gluten-free pasta or zucchini noodles to stay gluten-free.
More Easy Chicken Dinner Recipes
Chicken Parmesan – Juicy, tender, and crispy breaded chicken is baked to perfection in flavorful tomato sauce and topped with mozzarella and parmesan cheese!
Paprika Chicken – Tender and juicy chicken smothered in a rich and creamy paprika sauce served over tender egg noodles!
Chicken Stroganoff – Tender beef sauteed in butter and spices simmered in simple mustard and sour cream sauce.
Chicken Schnitzel– Tender chicken breast fried to golden-brown perfection. Juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside.
Roasted Lemon Chicken – Pan-fried chicken breast cooked to perfection and served in a tangy and savory caper and olive butter sauce and topped with roasted lemons.
Chicken Cacciatore
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken cut into 6 pieces
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 large red bell peppers diced
- 1 pound mushrooms sliced
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 1½ cup marinara sauce
- ⅔ cup marsala wine
- ¼ cup kalamata olives
- 1 tablespoon capers optional
Instructions
- Heat olive oil over medium-high in a large skillet. Meanwhile, season chicken thighs on both sides with salt and pepper. Add chicken into the skillet and brown on both sides. About 5 minutes per side.
- Remove chicken and transfer onto a plate. Cover with aluminum foil.
- Add onions, garlic, and oregano into the same skillet, stir and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add bell pepper, and mushrooms to the same skillet and sauté for 10 minutes. Cover the skillet with a lid.
- Add in marinara sauce, marsala wine, capers and olives. Bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, reduce a simmer and add the chicken back into the skillet. Cover and simmer on medium-low heat for 20-25 minutes until the chicken is tender.
Equipment
Nutritional Information
Nutritional Disclaimer
Cheerful Cook team members are not trained nutritionists or medical professionals. Calorie information and nutritional values are estimates. If you have nutritional concerns, we recommend using a nutritional calculator.
Maike Corbett is the founder and food blogger of Cheerful Cook, a popular recipe website featuring comfort food recipes from the US and Germany. She has been featured in numerous media outlets, including the AP Wire and MSN.