Chicken Cacciatore

This Chicken Cacciatore is so comforting and cozy with its simple ingredients. This stew is also known as Hunter’s Stew and has a rich tomato sauce with Kalamata Olives, red wine, and herbs.

Prep: 15 Minutes

Cook: 55 Minutes

Servings: 4 – 6

There are many regional variations, but capsicums (bell peppers), mushrooms, and fennel are the most common vegetable additions. Over mash, polenta or any other mash will make a perfect evening meal.

Ingredients of Chicken Cacciatore

Notes on Chicken (Note 1)

4 large bone-in chicken thighs (1 kg/ 2 lbs)
4 chicken drumsticks
Half a teaspoon of cooking salt or kosher salt
1/4 tsp Black Pepper
1 tbsp olive oil

Cacciatore:

1 onion, finely sliced halves
2 rosemary sprigs (about 6”/15 cm long) or 1 tsp. dried rosemary
Fresh or dried bay leaves are preferred.
3 finely minced garlic cloves
Optional: 3 anchovy filets (or a teaspoon of anchovy paste)
250g / 8 oz mushrooms, sliced
Red capsicum, 8 mm thick, medium size (not giant).
1/3 cup tomato paste
1/4 cup pinot noir (or other dry red wine)
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth/stock
Can crushed tomato 400g/14oz
16 whole Kalamata Olives, pitted and drained
1/4 tsp of cooking/kosher/salt
1/4 tsp Black Pepper
1 tsp dried Oregano

Serving

Mashed potato or polenta
For sprinkling, finely chop parsley (optional).

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Instructions of Chicken Cacciatore

Chicken:

Season – Place the chicken on a tray. Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides.
Brown skin: Heat oil on high heat in a heavy-bottomed, large pan with a deep base, preferably with a lid. Place the chicken thighs skin-side down in the pan and cook for 6 minutes or until the skin turns golden brown. Then flip the chicken over and cook for 1 minute on the flesh side. Remove the chicken to the same tray. Add the drumsticks and brown them on both sides as much as you can. This should take about 1 1/2 minutes per side. Remove the drumsticks from the tray.

Cacciatore:

Remove and discard the fat from the onion, except for about 2 tablespoons. Reduce the heat to medium, and allow the pan to cool slightly. Add the bay leaves, dried Oregano, rosemary, and bay leaves. Cook the onion for 3 minutes or until it starts to soften.
Garlic and Anchovies: Clear space in the center of the pan. Add the anchovies to the pan and mash up the anchovies until they are lightly golden. Stir in the onion.
Increase the heat to high. Add the capsicum and mushroom. Stir for about 5 minutes until the mushrooms are soft (they will become watery and then evaporate). Cook the tomato paste for two minutes to remove the sour taste. Do not rush this step.
Sauce – Pour in the wine. Stir, bring the sauce to a simmer and then reduce it by about 75%. Add the tomato sauce, stock and salt. Stir and bring to a boil.
Pour any juices onto the tray. Cover the pan, lower the heat to medium, and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove the lid, add the olives and simmer for 10 more minutes without a lid. This will thicken and reduce the sauce.
Serve – Spread the sauce generously over polenta or mashed potatoes, and sprinkle with parsley as desired.

Recipe Notes

1. The best chicken to use is skin-on, bone-in chicken. This will ensure that the meat is juicy and tender at the end of cooking time. Also, the sauce gets its flavor from the rendered fat of the skin. Use 4 chicken marylands or quarters.

Boneless cuts: If you choose to use boneless thighs, first sear the surface and then add them to the sauce during the last 10 minutes. Use 4 to 6-pound chicken breasts, pound them to 1.5cm/0.6″ thickness and sear. Then, return the breasts to the sauce to simmer for 5 to 8 minutes until the temperature reaches 67C/153F. Remove the chicken from the sauce and let it rest for three minutes before adding the sauce.

2. When used properly (like in this recipe), anchovies add a lot of flavor to dishes. You won’t even taste anything fishy. You can trust me! If you can’t, try substituting 2 tsp of fish sauce with the canned tomato, or, as a last option, add 1/2 tsp of salt to the sauce.

3. Use more chicken stock for non-alcoholic wine.

4. This Pyrolux pot (Australia) is 30cm (12”) wide. You can use a baking sheet instead of a lid if you do not have one. If the chicken is not fully submerged in the water, it’s fine. Just do your best. Steam will cook any exposed parts.

In the refrigerator, leftovers can be stored for up to 4 days or in the freezer for 3 months.

Nutrition per serving, assuming 6 portions. Excludes mashed potatoes.

Nutrition Information:

Calories:495 cal (25%)Carbohydrates:15g (5%)Protein:37g (74%)Fat:30g (46%)Saturated Fat:8g (50%)Polyunsaturated Fat:6gMonounsaturated Fat:13gTrans Fat:0.1gCholesterol:185 mg (62%)Sodium:976mg (42%)Potassium:1035mg (30%)Fiber:4g (17%)Sugar:8g (9%)Vitamin A:1747IU (35%)Vitamin C:63mg (76%)Calcium:68mg (7%)Iron:3mg (17%)

Chicken Cacciatore

Chicken Cacciatore