Chicken Cacciatore
Servings: 4
Calories: 1386kcal
This Chicken Cacciatore is the kind of dinner that feels comforting and special without requiring complicated ingredients or hours standing at the stove. Bone-in chicken thigh cutlets are browned until golden, then slowly simmered in a rich tomato-based sauce with soffritto, mushrooms, olives and capers until meltingly tender. Served over creamy parmesan polenta, it's a beautiful sit-down family meal that still feels realistic enough for an ordinary weeknight. Even better, the leftovers taste incredible the next day.
Ingredients
Chicken Cacciatore
- 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thigh cutlets (see note 1 for boneless thighs)
- 1½ tsp sea salt flakes, plus extra to taste
- ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper, plus extra to taste
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 brown onion, finely diced
- 1 carrot, finely diced
- 1 celery stalk, finely diced
- 200 g baby mushrooms
- 1 tbsp freshly minced garlic
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 125 ml dry white or red wine (optional)
- 700 g passata
- 250 ml chicken stock
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 4 fresh thyme sprigs
- 2 bay leaves
- 80 g olives (kalamata or green), pitted
- 1 tbsp capers
- Finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, to serve
Creamy Parmesan Polenta
- 1 litre chicken stock or water
- 40 g unsalted butter
- 150 g instant polenta
- 75 g finely grated parmesan
- 60 ml thickened (whipping/heavy) cream
- 375 ml warm full-cream (whole) milk (optional)
- Sea salt flakes, to taste
- Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Chicken Cacciatore
- Season the chicken – Season the chicken generously all over with the salt and pepper.
- Brown the chicken – Heat the olive oil in a large deep heavy-based pan or shallow casserole dish with a lid over medium–high heat. Cook the chicken skin-side down (if using skin-on cutlets) for 6–8 minutes, or until deeply golden and crisp. Turn and cook for a further 2–3 minutes. (The chicken does not need to be cooked through at this stage.) Remove from the pan and set aside on a plate.
- Cook the base vegetables – Reduce the heat to medium–low. Add the onion, carrot and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 6–8 minutes, or until softened and beginning to melt into the pan.
- Add the mushrooms – Add the mushrooms and cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden and softened.
- Add the garlic and tomato paste – Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook, stirring continuously, for 1–2 minutes, or until fragrant and the tomato paste darkens slightly in colour.
- Build the sauce – Pour in the wine, if using, and simmer for 2 minutes, scraping up any caramelised bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the passata, chicken stock, oregano, thyme and bay leaves. Fill the empty passata bottle or jar with 250 ml (1 cup) of water, shake well, then pour into the sauce. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Simmer the chicken – Return the chicken to the pan, skin-side up (if using skin-on cutlets), along with any resting juices. Cover with a lid, reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 1 hour, turning the chicken once, or until the chicken is extremely tender and beginning to fall away from the bone. Add 125 ml (½ cup) of water as needed if the sauce starts to stick to the base of the pan. The chicken is ready when it can be pulled apart easily with two forks, if not, continue cooking.
- Reduce the sauce – Remove the lid, add the olives and capers, and cook for a further 15 minutes, skin-side up, allowing the sauce to reduce and thicken slightly. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Remove the bay leaves and thyme sprigs.
Creamy Parmesan Polenta
- Make the creamy parmesan polenta – Towards the end of the cooking time, place the chicken stock or water in a medium saucepan over medium heat and bring to a gentle boil. Gradually whisk in the polenta in a steady stream to prevent lumps forming. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring with a spoon regularly, for 5–6 minutes or until thick and creamy. Add the butter, parmesan and cream, stirring until melted and smooth. If you prefer a looser polenta, gradually whisk in the warmed milk until your desired consistency is reached. Season with salt and pepper.
- Serve – Spoon the creamy parmesan polenta into bowls and top with the chicken cacciatore and plenty of sauce. Finish with fresh parsley to serve.
Notes
Note 1 – Boneless, skinless chicken thighs – My preference is bone-in for the flavour, but boneless chicken thighs work beautifully too. Reduce the simmering time to 20–25 minutes, or cook until the chicken is tender and the sauce has thickened. You won't get quite the same depth of flavour that bone-in chicken provides, but it's still incredibly delicious and a great option if you prefer boneless cuts or want a slightly faster cook time.
Make Ahead
This is one of those recipes that tastes even better the next day, making it perfect for easy entertaining. The sauce deepens in flavour overnight and the chicken becomes even more tender. You can prepare the entire chicken cacciatore up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate in an airtight container. Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave until piping hot. See Leftovers below for the polenta.Leftovers
Refrigerate leftover chicken cacciatore for up to 3 days in an airtight container, or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw completely overnight in the fridge before reheating. Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave until heated through. Add a splash of water or stock if the sauce has thickened too much during storage. Leftover polenta will firm significantly once chilled but can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in a saucepan or microwave with extra milk, water or stock, stirring well until smooth and creamy again.Nutrition Facts
Chicken Cacciatore
Serving Size
1 g
Amount per Serving
Calories
1386
% Daily Value*
Fat
87
g
134
%
Saturated Fat
29
g
181
%
Trans Fat
1
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
13
g
Monounsaturated Fat
36
g
Cholesterol
357
mg
119
%
Sodium
2415
mg
105
%
Potassium
2439
mg
70
%
Carbohydrates
76
g
25
%
Fiber
7
g
29
%
Sugar
23
g
26
%
Protein
73
g
146
%
Vitamin A
4926
IU
99
%
Vitamin C
28
mg
34
%
Calcium
428
mg
43
%
Iron
8
mg
44
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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