Chicken Cacciatore

Recipe last updated on 03/26/2026

Chicken Cacciatore is the kind of rustic, comforting dinner that brings everyone to the table—and keeps them there for seconds. This classic Italian “hunter-style” dish is made with tender chicken simmered in a rich tomato sauce with herbs, vegetables, and often a splash of wine for depth of flavor. Whether you’re cooking for a cozy weeknight meal or gathering family and friends, this easy Chicken Cacciatore recipe delivers bold, hearty flavors with simple, wholesome ingredients you likely already have on hand.

Why I love Chicken Cacciatore

My mom has made this dish for years.  I’m not really sure what we called it, but one day I ran across a similar recipe in a magazine,  I’ve called it Chicken Cacciatore ever since.  Sounds much fancier than yummy tomato chicken. What I love about this recipe is it can be made on the stove top or if I’m pressed for time and need to have dinner done ahead, I use my crock pot on low to finish cooking it. Cooking Chicken Cacciatore in the crock pot  is my preferred method, but I’ll give it to you both ways in the print out below.

Pure comfort food.

It may seem like alot of steps, don’t let that sker ya!  Chicken Cacciatore  comes together quickly, and it’s so worth it!  Your family and friends will think you da bomb diggity!

Gather these ingredients

How to make Chicken Cacciatore

Start with 8 pieces of bone in chicken.  I like to buy a whole chicken and cut it up myself.  If you’ve never cut up a whole chicken and want to learn how it’s really easy.  Here’s a great video you can watch to learn how.  Salt and pepper the chicken pieces.  Then mix 1/2 cup flour with 1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt, dredge chicken in flour.  Then over medium heat melt butter and olive oil in a dutch oven or large skillet, When oil and butter are sizzling add in chicken skin side down. Pan fry over medium heat for 5 minutes, flip chicken cook for an additional 3-5 minutes.

Remove chicken to plate.

Secret weapon….sugar just a dab ul do ya.  Sprinkle one teaspoon of sugar over the sauce.  Stir. Let simmer for a few minutes. 

Now if you want to cook this on your stove, return the chicken to the pan, snuggle it down into the sauce, cover, and turn the heat down low.  Cook for one hour.

Tips & Variations:

Crock Pot version is as follows:

 Snuggle chicken down into crock pot. 

Pour sauce over the chicken in pot.  Turn on High for 2 hours, or if you need more time turn on low for 3-4 hours.

Cover, and let it do it’s thang.  Just make sure your cover is covering your Chicken Cacciatore, unlike mine that is all kitty-wampus on the  crockpot.  I must have been in a hurry or something….imagine that!

There’s something timeless about a pot of Chicken Cacciatore simmering on the stove—simple ingredients transforming into a rich, comforting meal that feels like home. Serve it over pasta, polenta, or with crusty bread to soak up every last bit of that savory sauce. However you enjoy it, this is one of those recipes that only gets better with time, making it perfect for sharing, savoring, and coming back to again and again.

From my table to yours with love, Sheila

Chicken Cacciatore

Sheila

A classic Chicken Cacciatore made with tender chicken simmered in a rich tomato sauce with garlic, herbs, and vegetables. This easy, one-pan Italian dish is hearty, comforting, and perfect served over pasta, polenta, or with crusty bread for a cozy family dinner.

No ratings yet

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going to sleep

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 4 hours hrs

Course dinner

Cuisine Italian

Servings 8 people

Calories 378 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 8 pieces bone in Chicken
• Salt & Pepper
• 1/2 cup Flour
• 1/2 teaspoon Seasoning Salt Morton's Nature Seasoning
• 4 tablespoons Butter
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 medium Sweet Onion chopped
• 8 ounce White Button Mushrooms sliced
• 2 cloves Garlic minced
• 1/2 cup White Wine
• 1 1 lb 12 ounce can Whole Tomatoes
• 1 14 ounce can Tomato Sauce
• 1 Bay Leaf or two small leaves
• 1 teaspoons dried Thyme
• 2 teaspoons dried Basil
• 1 teaspoon Sugar
• 1 pound Spaghetti cooked
• shaved Parmesan cheese for garnish

Instructions

 

• Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper.
• Mix flour and season salt together, melt butter and olive oil in 8 quart dutch oven, dredge chicken pieces in flour. When oil and butter are sizzling add in chicken skin side down. Pan fry over medium heat for 5 minutes, flip chicken cook for an additional 3-5 minutes. Remove chicken to platter.
• Add onions to pan, add dash of salt and pepper. Saute for 3 minutes.
• Add garlic and mushrooms to sauteed onion, sautee for another 3-5 minutes over medium low heat.
• Pour wine over onions and mushrooms, using a spatula scrape any goodies from bottom of pan. Let reduce for a few minutes. Add bay leaf, thyme, and basil, stir.
• Pour tomato sauce and whole tomatoes in pan, with spatula try to break up tomatoes. Sprinkle with sugar, and stir.
• Add chicken back into pan. Nestle chicken down into sauce, cover, turn heat down low, and cook for 1 hour on top of stove.
• Cook spaghetti al dente, serve chicken cacciatore over spaghetti. Garnish with shaved Parmesan cheese.
• Crock Pot: Follow steps as above, except after removing chicken from browning place it in bottom of crock pot.  Don’t be afraid to let the pieces get all cozy in the pot.  Continue with steps 3-6, pour sauce over chicken in crock pot, cover, and cook for 3-4 hours on low or on high for 2.
• Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 378kcalCarbohydrates: 57gProtein: 11gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.001gCholesterol: 17mgSodium: 474mgPotassium: 406mgFiber: 4gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 238IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 32mgIron: 2mg

Keyword comfort food

Tried this recipe?Mention @eat2gather or tag #eat2gather!