Description
A classic Italian Chicken Cacciatore recipe featuring tender chicken wings and drumsticks braised in a rich tomato, red wine, and bell pepper sauce with mushrooms and Kalamata olives. This hearty and flavorful main dish is perfect served over noodles, rice, or polenta for a comforting meal.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Chicken and Seasonings
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 pounds chicken wings and drumsticks
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper (or to taste)
Vegetables
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 medium onion (chopped)
- 1 pound white mushrooms (cleaned and chopped)
- 1 medium green bell pepper (chopped)
- 1 medium red bell pepper (chopped)
- 1 medium yellow bell pepper (chopped)
Spices and Herbs
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
- 2 teaspoons oregano (dried)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley (chopped)
Liquids and Other Ingredients
- 1 cup red wine
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes (1 can)
- 3/4 cup Kalamata olives (pitted)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F to prepare for baking the chicken cacciatore.
- Sauté the chicken: Heat olive oil and butter in a large oven-safe skillet with a lid until the butter melts. Season chicken generously with salt and pepper. Fry chicken on both sides until golden brown, about 4 minutes per side. The chicken does not need to be fully cooked at this stage. Remove chicken and set aside.
- Sauté aromatics and vegetables: Add minced garlic and chopped onions to the skillet and sauté for 2 minutes until onions are translucent and garlic is fragrant. Add the chopped mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes until they soften and begin to brown. Then add the chopped green, red, and yellow bell peppers and cook for a couple more minutes until the peppers soften slightly.
- Add spices and liquids: Stir in turmeric, dried oregano, and bay leaves. Pour in the red wine, tomato paste, and diced tomatoes, stirring well to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil while scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze and loosen any browned bits for extra flavor.
- Bake the chicken: Return the chicken pieces to the skillet, cover with the lid, and place the skillet in the preheated oven. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour until the chicken is fully cooked and tender.
- Finish and serve: Remove the skillet from the oven. Top with pitted Kalamata olives and garnish with chopped fresh parsley. Serve the chicken cacciatore hot over noodles, rice, or polenta.
Notes
- Chicken: Use bone-in, skin-on pieces like wings, drumsticks, or thighs for deeper flavor. Boneless chicken will cook faster but may lack some depth of flavor.
- Mushrooms First: Cooking mushrooms before adding peppers allows them to brown and develop flavor instead of steaming.
- Wine Swaps: Chianti, Pinot Noir, or any dry red wine can be used. If you prefer no wine, substitute with low-sodium chicken broth plus a splash of balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar.
- Make It Ahead: This dish can be prepared ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 4 days. Flavors deepen and sauce improves overnight.
- Deglaze the pan: Be sure to scrape the skillet bottom when adding wine and liquids to lift browned bits for enhanced flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
