How to Make Chicken Cacciatore With a Rich Tomato Sauce at Home

Chicken Cacciatore is an Italian braised chicken dish that has earned its place in home kitchens around the world. The name translates to hunter’s chicken, and it is made by slowly simmering bone-in chicken pieces in a rich tomato sauce with olives, capers, garlic and fresh herbs until the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender and deeply flavoured. It is a one-pot dish that requires very little effort but delivers the kind of results that taste like they took all day.
The key to a great cacciatore is patience and a good base. The chicken is browned first to develop colour and flavour, then braised low and slow in the tomato sauce until everything comes together into a thick, glossy, deeply savoury dish. Serve it with crusty bread, pasta or polenta to make the most of every drop of the sauce.

Chicken Cacciatore made with Zorabian Chicken Curry Cut braised in a rich tomato sauce with black olives, capers, red peppers and fresh basil in a dark skillet

Chicken Cacciatore Recipe

Serves: 4
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 50 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Ingredients

For the Chicken:

  • 800g Chicken Curry Cut (bone-in pieces)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 3 tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil
  • 3 tbsp plain flour (for dusting)

For the sauce:

  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 1 red or yellow bell pepper, sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken stock
  • 400g tinned crushed tomatoes
  • 2 medium fresh tomatoes, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup pitted black or green olives
  • 2 tbsp capers, rinsed
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp sugar (to balance the acidity)
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

For serving:

  • Fresh basil or flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
  • Crusty bread, pasta or polenta

Steps

  1. Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels and season them generously with salt and black pepper on all sides. Dust each piece lightly with flour, shaking off any excess. The flour helps create a golden crust when the chicken is browned and also thickens the sauce slightly during braising.
  2. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches if necessary, brown the chicken pieces for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until golden brown. Do not crowd the pan as this will cause the chicken to steam rather than brown. Transfer the browned chicken to a plate and set aside.
  3. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the same pan. Add the chopped onion and sliced bell pepper and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  4. Pour in the white wine or chicken stock and stir to lift any browned bits from the base of the pan. Let it bubble and reduce for 2 minutes.
  5. Add the tinned crushed tomatoes, fresh tomatoes, olives, capers, oregano, thyme and sugar. Stir everything together and season with salt and black pepper. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.
  6. Return the browned chicken pieces to the pan, nestling them into the sauce. Spoon the sauce over the top of each piece. Cover the pan with a lid and reduce the heat to low. Braise for 30 to 35 minutes, turning the chicken once halfway through, until it is cooked through and tender. The internal temperature should reach 75 degrees Celsius or 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
  7. Remove the lid and increase the heat to medium. Simmer uncovered for 5 to 8 minutes to reduce and thicken the sauce slightly. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.
  8. Transfer to a serving dish and scatter fresh basil or parsley over the top. Serve hot with crusty bread, pasta or polenta.

Tips for Best Results:

  • Brown the chicken properly before braising. This step builds the foundational flavour of the dish. Take the time to get a good golden crust on each piece and do not rush this step.
  • Use bone-in chicken pieces for the best results. The bones add richness and body to the sauce as the chicken braises. Boneless pieces can be used but the sauce will be lighter.
  • Do not skip the wine or stock. Deglazing the pan after browning the chicken lifts all the caramelised bits from the base, which adds enormous depth to the sauce. If you prefer not to use wine, chicken stock works equally well.
  • Olives and capers are essential to an authentic cacciatore. They add a briny, savoury note that balances the sweetness of the tomatoes. Rinse the capers before using to remove excess salt.
  • This dish tastes even better the next day. The flavours develop and deepen overnight, making leftovers genuinely worth looking forward to. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheat gently on the stovetop.

Chicken Cacciatore is the kind of dish that proves slow cooking is always worth it. The sauce is rich, the chicken is tender and the whole thing comes together with very little effort. It is a recipe that works equally well for a quiet weeknight dinner or a meal you want to share with people you care about.

Order Zorabian’s Chicken Curry Cut from shop.zorabian.com and try this recipe at home.

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