Chicken Cacciatore Recipe: Cooking Tips for Braised Chicken
Written by MasterClass
Last updated: Nov 4, 2024 • 2 min read
Quick enough to make on a busy weeknight, a pot of chicken cacciatore is a versatile format for whatever veggies you have on hand.
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What Is Chicken Cacciatore?
Chicken cacciatore is an Italian dish of braised chicken and assorted vegetables cooked in a stock enhanced with aromatics and wine. Most recipes feature tomatoes in some format, whether a spoonful of concentrated tomato paste, diced or crushed tomatoes, or velvety tomato sauce.
“Cacciatore” means “hunter” in Italian, and traditionalists refer to the dish as “hunter-style chicken” or “hunters’ chicken.”
4 Tips for Making Chicken Cacciatore
Make this one-pot chicken dinner on the stovetop and finish it in a low oven; alternatively, use a slow cooker or a pressure cooker. It all depends on how much time you have. Here’s what else to know:
- 1. Change up the ingredients with the seasons. Swap the standard veggies for sweet peppers and zucchini in the summer and quartered mushrooms in the spring and fall.
- 2. Use dark, bone-in meat rather than boneless chicken breasts. To avoid overcooked, tough meat, use chicken parts with more collagen, like the thighs and drumsticks. They can handle more prolonged exposure to heat and remain tender. Use skin-on chicken, which contains more fat, to build a more flavorful base.
- 3. Thicken the broth by coating the chicken in flour. To add a subtle creamy texture to the finished dish, lightly dredge the chicken in all-purpose flour before browning. The extra starch acts as a thickening agent.
- 4. Serve with garnishes and accompaniments. Serve chicken cacciatore on its own, garnished with chopped herbs like fresh basil, parsley, or cilantro. Alternatively, serve the dish over creamy polenta, pasta, steamed rice, or mashed potatoes for a heartier meal.
Basic Chicken Cacciatore Recipe
makes
prep time
10 mintotal time
1 hr 30 mincook time
1 hr 20 minIngredients
- 1
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- 2
In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, heat the oil until it shimmers.
- 3
Place the chicken on a sheet tray and season it all over with salt and pepper.
- 4
Working in batches, sear the chicken skin-side down until deeply golden brown, about 6 minutes.
- 5
Flip the chicken and repeat on the other side.
- 6
Transfer the browned chicken to a clean plate and set it aside.
- 7
Add three-quarters of the sliced onions and the bell pepper to the pot, and season with salt and pepper.
- 8
Sauté the vegetables until softened and lightly browned, then add the garlic, capers, and red pepper flakes.
- 9
Cook until the garlic is fragrant and the capers begin to sizzle, about 1 minute, then add the tomato paste and stir to combine.
- 10
Add the wine to deglaze the pan. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan.
- 11
Add the stock, oregano, and bay leaf, and bring the mixture to a boil.
- 12
Taste and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed.
- 13
Place the chicken pieces back into the pot, nestling them among the onions and bell pepper.
- 14
Cover the pot and place it in the oven.
- 15
Braise in the oven until the chicken is cooked through and falls off the bone easily, about 30–35 minutes.
- 16
Remove the chicken from the oven and serve in wide bowls.
- 17
Garnish the chicken with the reserved sliced onion, chopped herbs, and cheese, if using.
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