Why You’ll Love This this Rustic Italian Chicken Cacciatore
This rustic chicken cacciatore is the kind of comfort food that makes your kitchen smell like an Italian grandmother’s, even if you’re just winging it on a Tuesday night.
The recipe practically cooks itself – you brown some chicken, toss everything in a casserole dish, and let the oven do the heavy lifting while you binge-watch whatever’s calling your name.
With tender chicken falling off the bone and a rich, saucy base loaded with peppers and onions, it’s the perfect dish for when you want something that tastes fancy but requires zero culinary wizardry.
Ingredients List
For this rustic chicken cacciatore, you’ll need just a handful of simple ingredients that probably won’t require a special grocery store trip.
- 6 skinless chicken legs
- 4 skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 green bell pepper, sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 26 ounces ragu tomato and basil pasta sauce
- 1 (14 1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- This recipe already starts with skinless chicken pieces, which cuts down on saturated fat compared to skin-on versions
- The generous amount of bell peppers and onions adds fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants to balance out the hearty protein
- You’re getting a solid dose of lycopene from both the pasta sauce and canned tomatoes, which is great for heart health
- The olive oil provides healthy monounsaturated fats, though the amount here is pretty modest
- Overall, it’s a well-rounded dish that sneaks vegetables into a comfort food package without making anyone feel deprived
Step by Step Directions
Making this rustic chicken cacciatore is straightforward and requires just basic cooking techniques that anyone can master.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet or chicken fryer over medium heat.
- Add the sliced green bell pepper, red bell pepper, diced onion, and minced garlic to the hot oil.
- Sauté the vegetables until the onion becomes tender and translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
- While vegetables cook, season the chicken legs and thighs with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Add the seasoned chicken pieces to the skillet with the vegetables.
- Brown the chicken on both sides, turning once to guarantee even cooking.
- Transfer the browned chicken, bell peppers, and onion to a large casserole dish.
- Pour the ragu tomato and basil pasta sauce over the chicken and vegetables.
- Add the can of diced tomatoes, distributing evenly throughout the dish.
- Cover the casserole dish and bake for 1 hour, or until chicken is completely cooked through and juices run clear.
- Check doneness by confirming internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit before serving.
For those who frequently prepare homemade sauces and marinades, a professional stand mixer can streamline the preparation process and ensure consistent results every time.
Substitutions and Variations
- Add some mushrooms – Sliced button or cremini mushrooms sautéed with the peppers will give you that earthy flavor that makes everything taste more sophisticated.
- Make it spicier – A pinch of red pepper flakes or a diced jalapeño will wake up your taste buds, assuming you can handle the heat without crying.
- Go boneless – Cut boneless chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces for faster cooking, though you’ll lose some of that rich flavor that comes from cooking with bones.
- Vegetable additions – Zucchini, eggplant, or even some chopped carrots can bulk up the dish and sneak in extra nutrition without anyone complaining.
Additional Things to Serve With This Dish
This hearty chicken cacciatore pairs beautifully with so many sides that you’ll never run out of delicious combinations.
- Pasta is the classic choice – Spaghetti, penne, or rigatoni will soak up that gorgeous sauce like little edible sponges, and honestly, who doesn’t love twirling pasta around their fork.
- Creamy polenta – This smooth, corn-based side dish practically begs for that rich tomato sauce to be spooned over it, creating the kind of comfort food that makes you forget your troubles.
- Crusty Italian bread – Perfect for mopping up every last drop of sauce because leaving any behind should probably be illegal in most civilized countries.
- Rice or risotto – Plain white rice works great if you want something simple, but a mushroom risotto will make this meal feel downright fancy.
- Roasted vegetables – Zucchini, asparagus, or green beans roasted with a little olive oil and garlic complement the Mediterranean flavors without competing for attention.
- Simple side salad – A crisp mix of greens with a light vinaigrette cuts through the richness and adds that fresh crunch your mouth craves after all that saucy goodness.
Cooking Tips & Tricks (Chef’s Notes)
Making great chicken cacciatore isn’t rocket science, but a few smart moves will take your dish from good to absolutely divine.
- Brown that chicken properly – Don’t crowd the pan or you’ll end up steaming instead of getting those gorgeous golden spots that pack serious flavor.
- Let the vegetables get a little caramelized – Those bell peppers and onions should have some nice color before the chicken goes back in, because bland vegetables make for bland sauce.
- Use a meat thermometer if you’re unsure – Chicken thighs should hit 165°F internally, and trust me, nobody wants to serve rubber chicken to their family.
- Don’t skip the garlic sautéing step – Raw garlic thrown into the sauce tastes harsh and bitter, while properly cooked garlic becomes sweet and mellow.
- Check for doneness by wiggling the drumstick – If it moves easily in the joint, your chicken is ready to come out of that oven.
- Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving – This gives the juices time to redistribute instead of running all over your cutting board like a crime scene.
- Taste and adjust seasoning at the end – Sometimes that sauce needs an extra pinch of salt or pepper to really sing, and your taste buds are the best judge.
Nutritional Facts
This hearty Italian dish delivers solid protein while keeping calories reasonable for a complete meal.
- Calories per serving: Approximately 320-350 calories (based on 6 servings)
- Protein: 28-32 grams per serving from the chicken legs and thighs
- Fat: 12-15 grams, primarily from the olive oil and natural chicken fat
- Carbohydrates: 18-22 grams, mainly from the tomato sauce and vegetables
- Fiber: 3-4 grams from the bell peppers, onions, and tomato sauce
- Sodium: 680-720 mg per serving, largely from the pasta sauce and canned tomatoes
- Vitamin C: Excellent source thanks to the bell peppers and tomatoes
- Iron: Good source from both the chicken and tomato-based sauce
- Potassium: 450-500 mg from the chicken and vegetables
- No added sugar: The natural sweetness comes from the vegetables and tomatoes
- Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free when served without pasta or bread
Fun “Did You Know?”
Although chicken cacciatore literally translates to “hunter’s chicken,” the dish wasn’t originally created by hunters roaming the Italian countryside.
I find it fascinating that Italian housewives actually developed this recipe as a practical way to use leftover vegetables and stretch tough cuts of meat. The slow braising method they employed transformed inexpensive ingredients into something delicious.
What’s really interesting is that each Italian region has its own variation—some add wine, others include mushrooms or olives.
This rustic dish proves that necessity truly is the mother of invention, turning humble pantry staples into a beloved comfort food classic.
