Chicken cacciatore is a rustic Italian classic that celebrates simple ingredients and deep, comforting flavors. The name cacciatore means “hunter style,” reflecting the dish’s origins in hearty countryside cooking, where chicken was slowly simmered with vegetables, herbs, and tomatoes into a rich, aromatic stew.
The dish begins with chicken pieces lightly browned until golden, creating a flavorful base. Onions, garlic, bell peppers, and mushrooms are then added, bringing sweetness and earthiness to the sauce. Tomatoes, whether crushed or diced, form the heart of the dish, while herbs like oregano, basil, and rosemary infuse it with unmistakable Italian character. A splash of wine is often included, adding depth and gentle acidity that balances the richness.
As the chicken simmers, it becomes incredibly tender, soaking up all the flavors from the sauce. The result is a dish that feels both hearty and elegant, perfect for family dinners or relaxed gatherings. Each bite offers a harmony of savory chicken, soft vegetables, and a bold, herb infused tomato sauce.
Chicken cacciatore is wonderfully versatile when it comes to serving. It pairs beautifully with pasta, creamy polenta, mashed potatoes, or even simple crusty bread that can soak up every drop of the sauce. Leftovers taste even better the next day, making it a favorite for meal prep and cozy reheated meals.
Beyond its flavor, this dish carries a sense of tradition and warmth. It represents the Italian approach to cooking, where patience, quality ingredients, and simplicity come together to create something truly memorable.
Whether you are discovering it for the first time or returning to a familiar favorite, chicken cacciatore always delivers comfort, depth, and timeless appeal in every serving.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil for browning chicken
- 4 pieces chicken thighs bone-in, skin-on
- 1 piece onion sliced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 piece red bell pepper sliced
- 1 cup crushed tomatoes canned
- 1/2 cup chicken broth low-sodium
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano optional
- 1/2 teaspoon salt to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken thighs and brown on both sides. Remove from skillet and set aside.
- In the same skillet, add the onion, garlic, and bell pepper. Sauté until the vegetables are soft.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, oregano, salt, and black pepper to the skillet. Stir to combine.
- Return the chicken thighs to the skillet, making sure they are submerged in the sauce. Reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 30-35 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
- Serve Chicken Cacciatore hot with pasta or crusty bread for a complete meal.
Nutrition
I’m skeptical about the amount of liquid—1/2 cup broth with crushed tomatoes usually cooks off too fast for me. But I followed it and watched the heat, and it turned out okay.
It turned out okay, but I think I prefer having my chicken grilled instead.
Honestly, I don’t see what the hype is about. Just another chicken dish.
I followed the recipe exactly and my thighs came out dry. What did I do wrong?!
OMG this is delicious. I had it with spaghetti and the sauce clung to the noodles perfectly. Will repeat.
Yum!! I added mushrooms and some wine. Makes it so fancy! 🥳
Sounds delicious! Adding wine is a great idea! 🍷
Delicious! Made it for my family and they all loved it! 🥰
This was so good! The chicken was super tender! Definitely making it again!
Isn’t cacciatore supposed to be a tomato sauce type dish? It was too liquidy for me.
Pretty solid, though my pepper was a little too big slices. Next time I’ll mince the garlic a bit finer and maybe add some fresh basil at the end.
I followed it exactly and it was… fine. The flavor is there, but I expected more wow. Maybe I’ll try adding mushrooms.
Wow! This recipe is simple and perfect!! I can’t cook, but this I nailed! Thanks!
Meh. Don’t think I’ll make it again. Too many tomatoes for my taste. My sister makes it better.
I followed the recipe, but my chicken got burnt 🙁. Maybe my skillet was too hot? Will try again!
Oh no! I know how frustrating that can be. Maybe try cooking on medium heat next time? Good luck on your next attempt! 😊
Chicken?? Y was it called cacciatore? Pasta should be the star! Just sayin.
Tried it with what I think was crushed tomatoes (maybe not crushed? 😅). It was still good, but the texture was more like soup than sauce.
Made this tonight and it’s seriously comforting. Browning the thighs first makes a huge difference—sauce tastes rich and the chicken comes out tender. Would 100% serve with crusty bread again.
Yes!! Browning the thighs is the whole secret. I did that and the sauce tasted super rich too—crusty bread is the move for soaking up everything 😄
Comforting for sure, but I think 30-35 mins was a little quick for bone-in thighs on my stove. I ended up going longer until tender. Still good though, and the bread suggestion is legit.
Five stars. So good 😋
Cacciatore usually has wine, right? I missed that depth but the flavor was still good. Might add a splash next round.
This Chicken Cacciatore recipe is a total winner! The flavors are AMAZING! I added some mushrooms too.
I totally agree! This recipe is super delicious! Mushrooms are a great touch too.
I tried this and it was fine… but I forgot to cover it and my sauce got kinda dry. 😅
Dry sauce is kinda sad… but at least it tasted fine. I always add a splash more broth if I see it getting thick. Also, bone-in skin-on thighs take longer than 30-35 mins sometimes, so keep an eye on it.
Oh no 😅 That sauce is totally the kind of thing that dries out if it’s not covered. Next time, just keep it simmering with the lid on—maybe even crack it just a bit if it gets too thick.
Simple ingredients, solid flavor. The oregano is subtle in a good way. I used fresh oregano and added a pinch of chili flakes—10/10 would do again.
My whole family loved it! 🍽️ I served it over spaghetti and it was gone so fast!
Looks good, but I’m not sure about the chicken thighs. Can you do this with chicken breasts instead? 🤔
That’s awesome! I’ve been looking for a good recipe to try with my family. Thanks for sharing! 😍
Not gonna lie, 30-35 minutes felt a little short for bone-in thighs. Mine was almost there but I had to keep it going another 10 minutes. Still tasty though.
The simmer time worked, but my sauce was kinda thin—probably needed to reduce longer. Still tasty though, and the chicken stayed juicy.
Made this tonight and it’s sooo comforting. Browning the thighs first makes a big difference—sauce tastes rich even without much effort.
Not bad, but it was kinda bland. I thought there’d be more flavor from the tomatoes… might try with more spices next time.
Made this tonight—so comforting. Browning the thighs really kicks it up, and the sauce tastes like it simmered way longer than 35 minutes.
Very tasty! I served it over pasta and it tasted like something from a restaurant. Will make again.
Omg this was amazing. The sauce clings to the pasta in the best way. I added extra pepper bc I like it spicy and it was perfect.
Pretty good! I used dried oregano and it tasted solid. Next time I’ll add a little extra garlic because I’m greedy like that.
The simmer time felt a little short for my thick bone-in thighs, so I went 45 minutes. Still delicious, just plan for your oven/heat.
Cheap and cheerful! I used low-sodium broth and it didn’t taste too salty, which I like. Simple weeknight win.
Looks tasty, but 1/2 cup broth for 30-35 min simmer with bone-in thighs seems kinda tight… I bet it dries out unless your tomatoes are really juicy. I’d probably add a splash more broth/water. Still though, cacciatore is hard to mess up.
Totally agree—this is exactly the kind of weeknight dinner I want. I also use low-sodium broth and just adjust the salt at the end. Came out flavorful without that “over-salted” thing.
Chicken thighs were tender after 30-35 minutes, but my veggies got a little too soft. Still tasted yummy, just less bite.
Not gonna lie, mine came out bland until I salted again at the end. Once adjusted, it was great with bread.
Made this tonight and it was such a cozy, restaurant-style meal. Browning the thighs first really makes the sauce taste deeper.
I tried it but mine came out a little too acidic? Maybe my crushed tomatoes were sharper. Also, I only had chicken breast, so I baked it after browning—still good, but not as tender as thighs. Any tips?
Just made this too—so cozy is exactly right. Browning the thighs first totally brings it to restaurant level. I served mine with crusty bread and the sauce was perfect for scooping.
I don’t get the “bone-in, skin-on” thing—can’t I use boneless? Seems like extra work for no reason.
Not sure about the oregano amount—1 tsp seemed like a lot? Maybe it’s just my taste, but I thought it overpowered the tomatoes a bit.
Pretty good but I think 30-35 minutes was a little short for my bone-in thighs. I had to simmer closer to 45 minutes. Next time I’ll also taste for salt at the end because “to taste” really means it.
Pretty good! I used what I had (no fresh garlic) so it was a little less punchy, but the oregano and crushed tomatoes combo is solid. Next time I might simmer a bit longer for thicker sauce.
Chicken cacciatore… with bell pepper. Hmm. I expected more “Italian village” vibes but it was still good. Also I measured salt by vibes and it might’ve been a bit much lol.
Not gonna lie, bell pepper in cacciatore is a bit iffy to me… but if it worked for you then whatever. Also 1/2 tsp salt might be fine depending on broth—low-sodium or not. Did you taste the sauce before simmering?
Haha “salt by vibes” is so real 😄 I do the same thing. Still, the bell pepper and oregano combo is pretty classic for cacciatore—glad it landed as tasty even without full village-energy.
Honestly this was easier than I expected. Chicken stayed tender and the whole thing smelled amazing while simmering.
Totally agree! Mine came out super tender too, and that simmer smell is unreal. Definitely making this again.
I followed it exactly and it was bland. I think the salt needs more (my “to taste” went nowhere lol). Maybe also a pinch of chili flakes would help.
Made this tonight and it’s honestly restaurant-level. Browning the thighs first makes a huge difference—sauce tastes rich even with low-sodium broth. We served it with pasta and it was perfect for soaking up the sauce.
Yes!! Browning the thighs is the key—mine also gets super rich even when I’m using whatever broth I have. Serving with pasta for soaking the sauce is the move. Thanks for sharing!
I’m skeptical about 30-35 minutes for bone-in thighs. Mine took closer to 45, but it still turned out tender. Sauce was good though!
Pretty solid recipe. I added a pinch of chili flakes and used fresh oregano because I had it, and it turned out great.
My chicken cooked through but the skin didn’t get as nice as I wanted. Browning should be longer with higher heat, I think.
I followed it closely but my sauce came out a bit thin. Next time I’ll simmer uncovered at the end or use thicker crushed tomatoes.
I followed it but mine came out kinda watery. I think I didn’t reduce the sauce enough after simmering. Also, the chicken skin didn’t crisp much—still tasty though.
Chicken cacciatore is supposed to be spicy right? Mine wasn’t at all, so I added some hot sauce at the table. Still, the tomato-bell pepper combo is really good.
Mine never gets “spicy” either. I think people confuse pepper with actual heat. Next time I’ll just add crushed red pepper to the sauce while it simmers—hot sauce is good but it’s not the same.
Yeah, cacciatore can be spicy, but it totally depends on the cook and region. Your tomato + bell pepper base sounds spot-on—hot sauce at the end is the move!
This was a miss for me. The flavor was bland and I kept checking the salt. Maybe my oregano was old or my tomatoes weren’t sweet enough. Won’t hate it, but I doubt I’ll repeat.
Sorry it didn’t hit for you! Canned crushed tomatoes can be hit-or-miss—if they weren’t sweet/bright, it can make the whole sauce taste flat. I usually add a pinch of sugar or a splash of vinegar and taste after it simmers a bit.
I don’t know, 1/2 tsp salt sounds low if you’re using low-sodium broth and then still need the tomatoes to carry flavor. Maybe next time salt in stages—like while it simmers—so you don’t keep guessing. Also oregano can go stale fast.