Chicken Cacciatore AKA Hunter’s Chicken - easy chicken recipe

Chicken Cacciatore AKA Hunter’s Chicken

An Italian family favorite, chicken cacciatore consists of braised chicken in a tomato sauce , mushrooms, peppers and herbs.  It is also known as “hunter’s chicken”, because the word cacciatore means “hunter” in Italian.

This is my take on this famous Italian easy chicken recipe.  I remove the skin and bones, after the chicken is cooked, since I don’t like fussing with the bones.   At times, I have even substituted boneless Chicken thighs and breasts, although cooking the chicken with the bones and skin adds some flavor to the dish.  I recommend making Chicken Cacciatore in a slow cooker or crock pot.  Using the slow cooker, the chicken becomes so tender, it falls off the bone.   Although it takes a long time to cook, it is very much worth the wait.  

Ingredients

·         2 Chickens, quartered. ( Some people prefer all chicken thighs if you do, get 2 to 3 lbs )

·         ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

·         1 package sliced white mushrooms

·         1 large Vidalia onion, chopped

·         2 red bell peppers, diced

·         3 garlic cloves, minced

·         3 cups Tomato Sauce

·         2 teaspoons dried oregano

·         ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

·         2 medium zucchini, cut into ½-inch slices

·         ¼ cup chopped fresh basil

·         1 cup dry Italian Red Wine

·         Salt

 Directions

1.       Brown the chicken in a fry pan with some of the Olive Oil using medium – high heat.   You don’t have to cook it all the way through, but brown it.

2.       Transfer the Chicken to your crock pot.  Put your crock pot on the high setting.

3.       In the same frying pan, sauté the mushrooms, onion, red pepper, and garlic in olive oil. The mushrooms will start to reduce in size a little.  Sauté until veggies begin to soften.   Transfer to crock pot to join the chicken.

4.       Add the wine, tomato sauce, oregano, and red pepper flakes (optional) to the crock pot.

5.       Cook in the crock pot for about 2 hours.  

6.       Add the zucchini.

7.        Continue for about another hour.

8.       By now, the chicken should be tender and pulling away from the bone.

9.       Remove the chicken from the crock pot.   De-bone and skin the chicken and return only the meat to the Crock Pot.

10.   Stir in the basil and cook for 10 minutes.

11.   Season with Salt to taste

12.   Serve over Pasta, Rice or Polenta

That's it!    Chicken Cacciatore is an amazing Italian dinner.   Loved by everyone, this authentic Italian recipe is one that is sure to be a hit with your family.  

Even though it takes a while to make, left overs reheat well, so you can enjoy this Italian dish for a few meals.   

As for a wine pairing, I am partial to Italian Red Wines...  Many like to white wine with chicken, but I still do reds.   So, I am recommending a glass of Chianti.  Many would say Pinot Grigio.   Choose your favorite.

Enjoy my take on this classic Italian recipe.