Quick enough to make on a busy weeknight, a pot of chicken cacciatore is a versatile format for whatever veggies you have on hand. 

Chicken Cacciatore Recipe: Cooking Tips for Braised Chicken

Chicken cacciatore is an Italian dish of braised chicken and assorted vegetables cooked in a stock enhanced with aromatics and wine. Most recipes feature tomatoes in some format, whether a spoonful of concentrated tomato paste, diced or crushed tomatoes, or velvety [tomato sauce](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-homemade-sauce-tomat-classic-tomato-sauce-recipe).

“Cacciatore” means “hunter” in Italian, and traditionalists refer to the dish as “hunter-style chicken” or “hunters’ chicken.”

Make this one-pot chicken dinner on the stovetop and finish it in a low oven; alternatively, use a slow cooker or a pressure cooker. It all depends on how much time you have. Here’s what else to know: 

1. __Change up the ingredients with the seasons__. Swap the standard veggies for sweet peppers and zucchini in the summer and quartered mushrooms in the spring and fall. 
2. __Use dark, bone-in meat rather than boneless chicken breasts__. To avoid overcooked, tough meat, use chicken parts with more collagen, like the thighs and drumsticks. They can handle more prolonged exposure to heat and remain tender. Use skin-on chicken, which contains more fat, to build a more flavorful base. 
3. __Thicken the broth by coating the chicken in flour__. To add a subtle creamy texture to the finished dish, lightly dredge the chicken in all-purpose flour before browning. The extra starch acts as a thickening agent.
4. __Serve with garnishes and accompaniments__. Serve chicken cacciatore on its own, garnished with chopped herbs like fresh basil, parsley, or cilantro. Alternatively, serve the dish over creamy [polenta](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-classic-italian-polenta), pasta, steamed rice, or [mashed potatoes](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-pureed-and-mashed-potatoes-with-thomas-keller) for a heartier meal. 

Quick enough to make on a busy weeknight, a pot of chicken cacciatore is a versatile format for whatever veggies you have on hand. 

Chicken cacciatore is an Italian dish of braised chicken and assorted vegetables cooked in a stock enhanced with aromatics and wine. Most recipes feature tomatoes in some format, whether a spoonful of concentrated tomato paste, diced or crushed tomatoes, or velvety <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-homemade-sauce-tomat-classic-tomato-sauce-recipe' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-homemade-sauce-tomat-classic-tomato-sauce-recipe","linkCopy":"tomato sauce","category":null}'>tomato sauce</a>.“Cacciatore” means “hunter” in Italian, and traditionalists refer to the dish as “hunter-style chicken” or “hunters’ chicken.”

What Is Chicken Cacciatore?

Make this one-pot chicken dinner on the stovetop and finish it in a low oven; alternatively, use a slow cooker or a pressure cooker. It all depends on how much time you have. Here’s what else to know: <ol class="mc-m-4"><li class="mc-my-4"> 1. Change up the ingredients with the seasons. Swap the standard veggies for sweet peppers and zucchini in the summer and quartered mushrooms in the spring and fall. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 2. Use dark, bone-in meat rather than boneless chicken breasts. To avoid overcooked, tough meat, use chicken parts with more collagen, like the thighs and drumsticks. They can handle more prolonged exposure to heat and remain tender. Use skin-on chicken, which contains more fat, to build a more flavorful base. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 3. Thicken the broth by coating the chicken in flour. To add a subtle creamy texture to the finished dish, lightly dredge the chicken in all-purpose flour before browning. The extra starch acts as a thickening agent. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 4. Serve with garnishes and accompaniments. Serve chicken cacciatore on its own, garnished with chopped herbs like fresh basil, parsley, or cilantro. Alternatively, serve the dish over creamy <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-classic-italian-polenta' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-classic-italian-polenta","linkCopy":"polenta","category":null}'>polenta</a>, pasta, steamed rice, or <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-pureed-and-mashed-potatoes-with-thomas-keller' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-pureed-and-mashed-potatoes-with-thomas-keller","linkCopy":"mashed potatoes","category":null}'>mashed potatoes</a> for a heartier meal. </li></ol>

4 Tips for Making Chicken Cacciatore 

Basic Chicken Cacciatore Recipe

Quick enough to make on a busy weeknight, a pot of chicken cacciatore is a versatile format for whatever veggies you have on hand.

Quick enough to make on a busy weeknight, a pot of chicken cacciatore is a versatile format for whatever veggies you have on hand. 
