Chicken Cacciatore is a straightforward Italian recipe where very few ingredients result in abundant flavor. This is the proper preparation if you want Italian aromas to spread throughout your kitchen.
Prepare the Vegetable Soffritto: Cut carrots, celery, onion, and garlic into very small (2-3 mm) cubes of the same size so they will cook evenly.
Prepare the Mushrooms: Clean them and cut them about the same size as the vegetables.
Season the Chicken: Place the thighs on a plate and add a pinch of salt and pepper and a drizzle of oil. Massage the surface of the chicken and repeat the same process on the other side.
Brown the Chicken Thighs: Heat a saucepan with oil (just a drop is enough because the chicken skin will release its fat) and add the chicken thighs, skin side down. Cook them over high heat until the skin is nicely browned. At this point, remove the thighs from the pan and let them rest separately.
Add the vegetables in the same saucepan and sauté them over high heat.
Flavor the vegetables with the seasonings and add salt, pepper, and chili, while stirring them with a wooden spoon until browned.
Return the chicken thighs to the pan. Add the olives, then deglaze the pan with the red wine, allowing the alcohol to evaporate.
Add the peeled tomatoes. Cover with a lid and cook over medium-low heat for about one hour 20 minutes (or about 80 minutes), until chicken is cooked through and tender. Serve immediately.
Notes
Variations:
*Chicken Breasts may be used instead of thighs.
Chicken Cacciatore in bianco: This recipe has tomato, but you can also make chicken cacciatore in a white sauce, “in bianco” as we call it, which is a great variation. Just cut out the tomatoes.
Add Anchovies in oil or salt, and then reduce the amount of salt used in the recipe.
The Herbs: you can add or substitute sage, thyme, marjoram, oregano, and tarragon, eithe fresh or dried.
Add Potatoes halfway through cooking to make this dish more comforting;
Add Bacon Bits (about 100g) , when sautéing the vegetables, to make the recipe more flavorful.
Make Ahead Instructions: Chicken Cacciatore can be prepared a day ahead, as the taste and flavors get stronger, and taste even better. We prepared it on Saturday afternoon, refrigerate overnight and reheated it to share on Sunday for lunch.Storage Instructions: Leftover Chicken Cacciatore for a few days in the refrigerator, tightly covered with plastic wrap. If any sauce is left over, make “scarpetta” with rustic bread- this is the best way to enjoy it. And if more is left in the pot, keep it in the freezer to make a special pasta sauce.Freezing Instructions: Place chicken cacciatore in a freezer safe container and freeze for up to 30 days. Thaw completely in the fridge before re-warming on the stove.