Chicken Cacciatore (Italian chicken stew)
Chicken Cacciatore, also known as “hunter’s chicken,” is a classic Italian dish cooked in a rich tomato based sauce with garlic, onions, peppers, mushrooms, and herbs. When I was looking for a recipe to follow, I realised that there are so many versions, which means there are no rules and you can make it as you like. This is my hearty and flavourful version, simple to make, cooked on the hob and ready in under an hour.
What goes really well with this dinner?
This is such a versatile dish, you can serve this with a bowl of plain rice, roast or mashed potato with crusty bread or focaccia on the side for mopping.
You can also serve up a simple green salad on the side tossed in a dressing for a simple midweek meal.
Chicken Cacciatore (Italian chicken stew)
Ingredients
- 3 chicken breasts, cut into cubes
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 red pepper, deseeded and cut in to thin slices
- 125 g mushrooms, sliced/halved
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
- 150 ml white wine
- 400 g chopped tomatoes
- 250 ml chicken stock
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- large pinch of salt and pepper
Instructions
- Heat 2 tbsp oil on a low to medium heat in a casserole dish and fry the chicken until browned, does not need to be cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Add the remaining oil, onions and peppers and fry for a few mins until they begin to soften, then add the mushrooms and fry for another few mins. If you think you need more oil you can add a drizzle or a few tablespoons of water.
- Add the garlic and chilli and fry for another minute, then add the wine and allow to reduce by halve.
- Return the chicken to the pan, and add the stock, tinned tomatoes, bay leaves and Italian seasoning. Season and simmer for around 15mins.
- Add the olives and simmer for a further 10mins, or until the chicken is cooked through.
- Serve with some garlic roasted new potatoes and tenderstem. Alternatively, rice and pasta also goes very well.