SaveChicken Cacciatore
Hunter's-style braised chicken with tomatoes, peppers, olives, and rosemary. Sunday-gravy depth, weeknight-friendly time.
Edited by Brian Kaplan·Last updated April 12, 2026
Servings
Est. total: $20.00 · $3.33/serving
Cost estimates are approximate and vary by location, store, season, and brand. Actual prices may differ.
Ingredients
- 4 piece bone-in chicken thighs
- 4 piece bone-in chicken drumsticks
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion (diced)
- 1 piece red bell pepper (sliced)
- 8 oz cremini mushrooms (sliced)
- 5 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup dry red wine (Chianti)
- 28 oz San Marzano tomatoes (crushed by hand)
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1/2 cup Castelvetrano olives (pitted)
- 2 tbsp capers
- 2 sprig fresh rosemary
- 4 sprig fresh thyme
- 2 piece bay leaves
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley (chopped)
Instructions
- 1
Pat chicken dry, season hard with salt and pepper. Sear skin-down in oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high 6 minutes until deeply golden. Flip 2 minutes, remove.
Don't rush the sear — that's where 70% of the flavor comes from.
- 2
Pour off all but 2 tbsp fat. Add onion, bell pepper, mushrooms, 1/2 tsp salt. Cook 8 minutes until mushrooms release and re-absorb liquid, browning.
- 3
Add garlic, tomato paste. Cook 90 seconds until paste darkens brick-red.
Toasting tomato paste is non-negotiable — raw paste tastes like tin.
- 4
Deglaze with wine, scrape fond. Reduce 3 minutes.
- 5
Add tomatoes, stock, olives, capers, herbs, bay. Return chicken skin-up, nestling but not submerging the skin.
Skin above sauce = stays crisp. Submerged skin = flabby.
- 6
Simmer uncovered 35-40 minutes until thighs hit 175°F and sauce reduces. Baste occasionally.
- 7
Pull herb stems and bay. Stir vinegar into sauce for brightness. Scatter parsley. Serve with polenta or crusty bread.
A splash of vinegar at the end makes Italian red-sauce dishes sing. Acid — always acid.
Pairs With
Sangiovese, aged
Sour cherry and tobacco echo the rustic braise.
Medium-bodied Italian
Plummy fruit, soft tannins, budget-friendly.
Tart, ruby-red
Tannin + tart matches the tomato-wine sauce.
Make It Yours
Tap a dietary need to see exactly what to swap.
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Cooking Soundtrack
Dean Martin, Italian jazz, and bossa nova. The soundtrack to every great pasta night.
Nutrition
Per serving. Estimated values. Not a substitute for professional dietary advice.
Tips
- •Make it a day ahead — flavors deepen overnight, sauce clings better.
- •Crush whole tomatoes by hand — cans of 'crushed' are often mealy.
- •Castelvetrano olives are sweet and mild — don't sub with briny kalamatas unless you want a much saltier dish.
Substitutions
- bone-in thighs/legs → a whole cut-up chicken
- Castelvetrano olives → green olives + 1 tsp sugar
Leftovers
Refrigerate 4 days — better on day 2. Freezes 3 months.
Leftover Ideas
Nutrition values are estimates calculated per serving and may vary based on brand, preparation method, and serving size. Not a substitute for professional dietary or medical advice. Consult a registered dietitian for specific nutritional needs.
Allergen Notice: Recipes may contain or come into contact with major allergens including milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soy, and sesame. Always verify ingredient labels for allergen information specific to the brands you use.
Drink pairing suggestions are for adults of legal drinking age only. Please drink responsibly.
Food Safety: Follow USDA safe minimum internal temperatures: Poultry 165°F (74°C), Ground meats 165°F (74°C), Beef/pork/lamb steaks 145°F (63°C) with 3-min rest, Fish 145°F (63°C). Use an instant-read thermometer — do not rely on visual cues alone. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.
