Italian Chicken Cacciatore Recipe

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Easy Italian Chicken Cacciatore recipe, an authentic hunter style chicken stew in red wine sauce with Italian San Marzano tomatoes and wild mushrooms. You can finish it on the stovetop, bake it in the oven or slow cooker.

Big Pot of Italian Chicken Cacciatore with Wild Mushroom in Red Wine Gravy

I brought us an easy, authentic Italian chicken cacciatore recipe straight from Italy. How could I not, right?! Especially since this is a regular at the shack, healthier, light, gluten free and oh so easy to make. Not to mention perfect for a crowd too! There Is no browning, no frying and no flour involved either.

What is Chicken Cacciatore and Where Did it Originate From?

In a nutshell it’s an authentic Italian hunter style chicken stew, which originally was made with whatever the peasants would hunt that day: pheasant, rabbit, wild stuff, you name it! Nowadays it is more commonly made with chicken or hen and some type of wild mushrooms, simmered down in a wine tomato sauce with herbs and aromatics.

Big Pot of Italian Chicken Cacciatore with Wild Mushroom in Red Wine Gravy

About the Wine

  • Option a) – A red wine sauce base
  • Option b) – A white wine sauce.

Being that I’m using sweet flavorful San Marzano tomatoes to create a thick sauce without any flour addition, I opted for the red wine in my recipe. Feel free to go for a dry white if your heart so desires. I’m particularly fond of red, and look at that beauty, right? Whatever the case, the more you reduce the wine sauce the more it will thicken.

Orange Pot of Authentic Hunter Style Chicken Cacciatore

I absolutely swear by this easy recipe, it’s not just delicious but also healthier. I skipped browning the meat and skipped on the flour, it really isn’t necessary and not at all that healthy.

When you braise the drumsticks or thighs, you won’t end up with crispy skin regardless if you brown it first or not. This is a tender fall of the bone stew after all.

Ideally this would be served over creamy polenta, but egg noodles pasta, potatoes and rice are also common side dishes.

Orange Pot of Authentic Hunter Style Chicken Cacciatore

Tips for Making the Best Chicken Cacciatore

  • Mushrooms – Splurge just a little bit on wild mushrooms at the market. Because flavor, flavor and more flavor! These will change with the seasons of course, but usually you’ll be able to find some variety throughout the year. I like using the Oyster variety as a base as they are readily available year round, however on the rare occasions when I do find Chanterelles at a decent price, I’m all over those!
  • Olives – Traditionally you would throw a handful of black olives on top just before serving, but you can add some steamed artichoke hearts instead as I did.
  • Bruschetta – To take your Italian chicken cacciatore over the top you’ll want to serve it over creamy polenta with lots of garlic rubbed bruschetta to melt into that red wine tomato sauce. Forget about it! Mangia Bene! 
Italian Chicken Cacciatore Recipe ( Hunter Style Chicken )
4.93 from 14 votes

Italian Chicken Cacciatore Recipe

Authentic Italian Chicken Cacciatore Recipe or Hunter Style Chicken cooked in a rustic red wine sauce with San Marzano tomatoes and wild mushrooms. Sprinkle with black olives or artichokes to your preference.
Print Recipe
Prep Time:10 minutes
Cook Time:1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time:1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 4.5 lb chicken legs drumsticks or thighs or a mix
  • 1 oz x28 can San Marzano tomatoes lightly crushed
  • 1 1/4 c red wine or dry white wine
  • 1 lb oyster mushrooms
  • 1/2 lb wild mushrooms mixed
  • 1 large leek sliced
  • 8 cloves garlic whole
  • 1 bell pepper sliced
  • 1 carrot chopped
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 tsp sea salt + more to taste
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes + more to taste
  • 2 tbsp Sicilian oregano crumbled or 1 sprig rosemary 10 thyme sprigs
  • 2 leaves bay
  • 1/3 c Italian parsley roughly chopped
  • 2 c Artichoke hearts steamed, optional
  • 1 c black olives optional

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 375”F
  • Slice the leek in half lengthwise and then thinly slice it crosswise. Rinse well in a bowl of cold water, allowing all the dirt to fall to the bottom of the bowl. Gently scoop out all the leeks and lightly pad dry on paper towels.
  • Heat up a large cast iron dutch oven over medium flame. Add the olive oil and the garlic cloves and sear them until golden all over. Add the leeks with a pinch of sea salt. Sautee for about 10 minutes then stir in the oyster mushrooms and carrots. Toss to coat and cook for a couple of more minutes to create layers of flavor.
  • Add the chicken legs to the pot and sprinkle with the sea salt, then toss to coat well. Pour in the red wine and bring to a simmer. Allow it to reduce a little, about 5 minutes. Add the sliced bell pepper, bay leaves, thyme, red pepper flakes, and tomatoes to the pot. Bring to a simmer and cover with a tight lid.

Oven Method:

  • After you brought the chicken cacciatore to a simmer on the stove top cover it with a tight lid.Transfer the pot to the preheated oven and cook for 50 minutes. Remove the lid and add in the remaining mixed wild mushroom. Adjust seasonings to your taste and cook an additional 20 minutes uncovered, until the gravy has reduced to your liking and the chicken falls of the bone, tender.
  • Serve hot garnished with the Italian parsley and sprinkled with the olives or steamed artichokes on top.

Stove Top Method:

  • Continue cooking the chicken cacciatore covered, on low flame for 50 minutes. Remove the lid, add the remaining mushrooms and continue cooking an additional 20 minutes until the chicken falls off the bone and sauce has reduced to your liking.Taste and adjust seasonings and serve.

Slow Cooker Method:

  • Add all the ingredients to a slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours. Remove the chicken and mushrooms and continue reducing the sauce until concentrated to your liking. Adjust seasonings and serve sprinkled with fresh parsley.

Notes

Serve with nice rustic chunks of garlic bruschetta or over a bed of polenta.

Nutrition

Serving: 2g | Calories: 229.4kcal | Carbohydrates: 18.1g | Protein: 17.2g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1.7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5.7g | Cholesterol: 46.8mg | Sodium: 1.798mg | Fiber: 5.1g | Sugar: 6.4g
Course: Main Dishes
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 6
Calories: 229.4kcal
Author: Florentina

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73 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Truly appreciate the way you made this delicious recipe. Everything is so nicely described that really helped. I am looking forward for more such recipes in future too.