This cozy chicken cacciatore is full of flavor from juicy chicken thighs, red wine, tomatoes, and fresh herbs. It’s cooked low and slow with peppers, mushrooms, and garlic until everything is tender and rich. Perfect for an easy family dinner or a comforting weekend meal.

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Ingredients Needed:

6 chicken thighs bone-in, skin on, trimmed of excess fat
Kosher salt and black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
1 small yellow onion chopped
2 celery ribs chopped
½ red bell pepper chopped
½ green bell pepper chopped
8 ounces mushrooms (white or baby bella) cleaned and sliced
3 garlic cloves minced
1 tsp oregano
3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley more for later
Pinch red pepper flakes.
1 cup red wine
28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes

How To Make Chicken Cacciatore Recipe?

Season the Chicken: Pat the chicken thighs dry using a paper towel. Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides, including under the skin.
Brown the Chicken: Heat olive oil in a large pan or braiser over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken thighs skin-side down. cook until golden and crisp, then flip and brown the other side. This takes about 8 minutes total. Remove the chicken and set aside.
Cook the Vegetables: In the same pan, add chopped onions, celery, peppers, mushrooms, and garlic. Season with salt, pepper, oregano, thyme, parsley, and red pepper flakes. Cook over medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring now and then, until the veggies soften.
Add Wine and Tomatoes: Pour in the red wine and let it simmer for a few minutes until it reduces by half. Then stir in the crushed tomatoes and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes, letting the sauce come together.
Simmer the Chicken: Return the browned chicken to the pan. reduce heat to medium-low. cover the pan and let it cook gently for about 30 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked and tender.
Finish and Serve: Sprinkle more chopped parsley on top before serving. Great with pasta, bread, or mashed potatoes.

Recipe Tips:

Dry the chicken well before cooking: This helps the skin get crispy and golden. If the chicken is wet, it will steam instead of browning nicely.
Brown the chicken properly: Take your time when searing the chicken. It builds flavor in the pan, which makes the sauce taste even better.
Don’t rush the wine step: Let the wine simmer until it’s reduced by half. This step brings out a deep, rich taste in the sauce.
Use fresh herbs if you can: Fresh thyme and parsley really boost the flavor. Dried herbs can work, but fresh make a big difference.
Simmer the sauce gently: After adding the chicken back, keep the heat low and let it cook slowly. this keeps the meat juicy and makes the sauce thick and rich.

How To Store & Reheat Leftovers?

Refrigerate: Let the chicken cacciatore cool down first. Once it’s at room temperature, put it in a sealed container and keep it in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freeze: Cool the chicken cacciatore completely, then place it in freezer-safe containers. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheat: Place the chicken and sauce in a pan over medium heat. Cover and heat for about 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until warmed through.

Nutrition Facts:

Calories: 370 kcal
Total Fat: 22g
Saturated Fat: 5g
Cholesterol: 115mg
Sodium: 520mg
Potassium: 720mg
Total Carbohydrate: 10g
Dietary Fiber: 2g
Sugars: 6g
Protein: 28g

Try More Hairy Bikers Recipes:

Hairy Bikers Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe
Hairy Bikers Chicken Paprika Recipe

Hairy Bikers Chicken Cacciatore Recipe

Course: DinnerCuisine: ItalianDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Calories

370

kcal

Ingredients

6 chicken thighs bone-in, skin on, trimmed of excess fat
Kosher salt and black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
1 small yellow onion chopped
2 celery ribs chopped
½ red bell pepper chopped
½ green bell pepper chopped
8 ounces mushrooms (white or baby bella) cleaned and sliced
3 garlic cloves minced
1 tsp oregano
3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley more for later
Pinch red pepper flakes.
1 cup red wine
28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes

Directions

Season the Chicken: Pat the chicken thighs dry using a paper towel. Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides, including under the skin.
Brown the Chicken: Heat olive oil in a large pan or braiser over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken thighs skin-side down. cook until golden and crisp, then flip and brown the other side. This takes about 8 minutes total. Remove the chicken and set aside.
Cook the Vegetables: In the same pan, add chopped onions, celery, peppers, mushrooms, and garlic. Season with salt, pepper, oregano, thyme, parsley, and red pepper flakes. Cook over medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring now and then, until the veggies soften.
Add Wine and Tomatoes: Pour in the red wine and let it simmer for a few minutes until it reduces by half. Then stir in the crushed tomatoes and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes, letting the sauce come together.
Simmer the Chicken: Return the browned chicken to the pan. reduce heat to medium-low. cover the pan and let it cook gently for about 30 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked and tender.
Finish and Serve: Sprinkle more chopped parsley on top before serving. Great with pasta, bread, or mashed potatoes.

Notes

Dry the chicken well before cooking: This helps the skin get crispy and golden. If the chicken is wet, it will steam instead of browning nicely.
Brown the chicken properly: Take your time when searing the chicken. It builds flavor in the pan, which makes the sauce taste even better.
Don’t rush the wine step: Let the wine simmer until it’s reduced by half. This step brings out a deep, rich taste in the sauce.
Use fresh herbs if you can: Fresh thyme and parsley really boost the flavor. Dried herbs can work, but fresh make a big difference.
Simmer the sauce gently: After adding the chicken back, keep the heat low and let it cook slowly. this keeps the meat juicy and makes the sauce thick and rich.