Chicken Cacciatore with Olives and Capers

Chicken Cacciatore is a Sunday pot of food. It doesn’t require precision or expensive ingredients, just time, a good Dutch oven, and bone-in chicken that can handle a long, low simmer. Worth it. The name translates as hunter’s-style, and the dish has the character of something cooked outdoors: hearty, unpretentious, and deeply satisfying. This is a recipe that perfumes the whole kitchen while it braises, and the second day is arguably the better one. This version pulls from all the right elements: Kalamata olives and capers for briny depth, red and green peppers for sweetness, cremini mushrooms for earthiness.

A half cup of dry red wine to deglaze all that fond after browning the chicken. Take your time with the initial sear. The skin should be deeply golden before anything else goes into the pot. That browning is what gives the sauce its depth. Pair it with polenta, crusty bread, or a simple pasta to soak up every drop. It reheats from the fridge as well as almost any dish in Italian cooking.

Brown Chicken Thoroughly

Season chicken pieces generously with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in large Dutch oven or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Brown chicken in batches, skin-side down first, until deeply golden, about four to five minutes per side. Do not rush this step. The browned skin provides richness and the fond left in the pan becomes the sauce base. Remove and set aside.

Build the Sauce

Reduce heat to medium. Add sliced onion and bell peppers to pot. Cook for six to seven minutes until softened, scraping up fond from chicken. Add sliced garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Stir for thirty seconds until fragrant. Pour in red wine and simmer for two minutes, deglazing bottom thoroughly. Add crushed tomatoes, olives, and capers. Stir and bring to simmer.

Braise and Finish

Nestle chicken pieces back into sauce, skin-side up. Chicken should be partially submerged. Cover and simmer on low heat for thirty-five to forty minutes until chicken is cooked through and very tender. Uncover and simmer five to ten minutes more to thicken sauce if needed. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve chicken with sauce spooned over top, garnished with fresh basil. Pair with crusty bread, polenta, or pasta.

Chicken Cacciatore with Olives and Capers

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• Author: veronica lavenia
• Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings

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Description

Chicken Cacciatore — “hunter’s-style chicken” — is a no-fuss Italian braise that has fed families for generations. Chicken pieces are browned and then simmered with tomatoes, peppers, onions, olives, and herbs until the meat is falling off the bone and the sauce is thick and concentrated. Every region of Italy has its own version, but they all share the same rustic character.

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Ingredients

Units USM

• 1 whole chicken (about 4 lbs), cut into 8 pieces, or 3 lbs bone-in thighs and drumsticks
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives
• 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, quartered
• 2 tablespoons capers, drained
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Fresh basil leaves for garnish

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Instructions

1. Season the chicken pieces generously with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken in batches, skin-side down first, until deeply golden, about 4-5 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
2. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion and peppers to the pot. Cook for 6-7 minutes until softened, scraping up the fond from the chicken.
3. Add the garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Stir for 30 seconds until fragrant.
4. Pour in the red wine and let it simmer for 2 minutes, deglazing the bottom of the pot thoroughly.
5. Add the crushed tomatoes, olives, and capers. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer.
6. Nestle the chicken pieces back into the sauce, skin-side up. The chicken should be partially submerged. Cover and simmer on low heat for 35-40 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and very tender.
7. Uncover and simmer for 5-10 minutes more to thicken the sauce if needed. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
8. Serve the chicken with the sauce spooned over the top, garnished with fresh basil. Pair with crusty bread, polenta, or pasta to soak up the sauce.

Notes

• Use bone-in, skin-on chicken — the bones add body to the sauce and the skin provides fat and flavor during the braise.
• The olives and capers add a briny, savory depth that rounds out the sweetness of the tomatoes and peppers.
• This dish is even better reheated the next day. The sauce thickens and the flavors become more unified.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 60 minutes
• Category: Main Course
• Cuisine: Italian

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 serving
• Calories: 855
• Sugar: 12
• Sodium: 1050
• Fat: 52
• Carbohydrates: 28
• Fiber: 6
• Protein: 58

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