Chicken Cacciatore
Cozy chicken cacciatore when you want dinner to feel like a real meal, not a project.
If you want something comforting but still doable on a tired weeknight, this chicken cacciatore is a smart pick. It keeps the classic tomato, pepper, and mushroom flavors, but uses a simple skillet method so dinner stays under 45 minutes. You get a saucy, cozy chicken dinner that feels complete with pasta, rice, or crusty bread. It is not a dump-and-forget meal, but it also does not ask for much: brown the chicken, soften the vegetables, simmer everything together, and eat. Leftovers hold up well, which makes this even nicer if you want tomorrow’s lunch handled too.
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs — Pat dry and cut into large pieces
- 1 tsp salt
- 0.5 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 unit yellow onion — Thinly sliced
- 1 unit red bell pepper — Thinly sliced
- 1 unit green bell pepper — Thinly sliced
- 8 oz mushrooms — Sliced
- 4 unit garlic cloves — Minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup crushed tomatoes
- 0.5 cup chicken broth
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes — Optional
- 2 tbsp parsley — Chopped, for serving
Method
- 1 Season the chicken with salt and black pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken for 3 to 4 minutes per side, then move it to a plate; it does not need to cook through yet.
- 2 Add the onion, bell peppers, and mushrooms to the skillet. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring now and then, until they start to soften and pick up some color. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste for 30 seconds.
- 3 Pour in the crushed tomatoes and chicken broth, then add oregano and red pepper flakes if using. Stir up any browned bits from the pan.
- 4 Return the chicken and any juices to the skillet. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover partly, and cook for 12 to 15 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened.
- 5 Taste and adjust salt or pepper. Spoon over pasta, rice, or polenta, and finish with parsley.
Variations
- Vegetarian swap — Replace the chicken with two cans of drained cannellini beans or chickpeas and simmer just until heated through.
- Faster swap — Use thin chicken cutlets instead of thighs and reduce the simmer time to 8 to 10 minutes.
- Substitutions — Use zucchini instead of one bell pepper, or swap parsley for basil if that is what you have.
Notes
For the fastest version, use pre-sliced mushrooms and serve with microwaved rice. If the sauce gets too thick, loosen it with a splash of broth or water. Chicken is done when the thickest piece reaches 165°F.
Equipment that helps
- Large skillet with lid — It gives the chicken room to brown and lets the sauce simmer without splashing.
- Tongs — They make it easy to turn the chicken and move it back into the sauce without tearing it.
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