Chicken Cacciatore – Hunter Style Chicken

Chicken Cacciatore, also known as Hunter-Style Chicken, presents itself as a hearty dish that enjoys immense popularity throughout Italy. Other countries, including France, boast their own versions as well. Each region of Italy showcases its unique take on this dish. Yet all share common ingredients like chicken, tomatoes, onions, and garlic. The remaining ingredients may vary. One of the appealing aspects of such a recipe lies in its versatility. It allows you to utilise any vegetables you have readily available. In my recipe, I use peppers, carrots, mushrooms, and celery.

While some recipes include capers, I chose not to include them in my version. I opted for white wine. But some regions of Italy prefer red wine. I also use some with chicken stock. If you don’t wish to use wine doubling the chicken stock works well too.

Rustic Dish

As you can see, this dish carries a rustic charm. It is also very forgiving in terms of preparation. It is typically prepared in a large pan or casserole on the stovetop. My casserole is shallow, with a 12inch/30centimetre diameter, which works exceptionally well for such dishes.

For my Chicken Cacciatore, I favour thighs and drumsticks. Chicken breasts can be use too. I just prefer the thighs and drumsticks. Nevertheless, any chicken pieces will work perfectly.

Cooking Chicken Cacciatore

I start by coating the chicken pieces in seasoned flour. Then I brown them all over and set them aside. After that, I sauté the onions, peppers, celery, and carrots for about 10 minutes until they turn soft, and the onions become translucent.

I add the mushrooms and continue cooking, introducing the garlic during the final minute. Next, I pour in the wine and stock, along with oregano, and reduce it slightly.

Then, I add canned chopped tomatoes, along with their juice, and bring the mixture to a boil, adjusting the seasoning as necessary. I place the chicken pieces into the sauce and cook them for approximately 30 minutes, ensuring they are thoroughly cooked. I actually cover my pan during cooking.

To gauge doneness, I prefer to use a thermometer, and the chicken should reach a minimum internal temperature of 75°C/168°F. You can serve this dish with pasta, rice, potatoes, or any accompaniment of your choice.

Enjoying the Chicken Cacciatore

My Chicken Cacciatore was an absolute delight, with a perfectly balanced sauce featuring the enriching flavours of oregano and garlic enhancing the tomato base. The chicken turned out perfectly succulent, which works so well with the sauce to make a great meal.

Another great dinner recipe is Beef Stroganoff – Quick & Easy.

Chicken Cacciatore – Hunter Style Chicken

Recipe by geoffcooCourse: DinnerCuisine: ItalianDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

50

minutes

Ingredients

• 1kg(2.2 lb) chicken pieces

• 12g(2 tsp) salt

• 3g(1 tsp)pepper

• 75g(1/2 cup) flour

• 225g(8 oz) sliced mushrooms

• 225g(8 oz) onion, roughly chopped

• 200g(7 oz) peppers, roughly chopped

• 140g(5 oz) celery, roughly chopped

• 140g(5 oz) carrot, finely diced

• 180ml(3/4 cup) white wine

• 180ml(3/4 cup) chicken stock

• 800g(28 oz) canned tomatoes, chopped

• 1g(1 1/2 tsp) dried oregano

• 3 cloves of garlic finely chopped

• 45ml(3 tbsp) vegetable oil

• additional salt and pepper to taste

Directions

• Mix the salt and pepper into the flour and place it into a large dish.
• Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour, coating them all over.
• Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a large pan.
• Brown the chicken all over in the hot oil, then set aside.
• Add the onions, pepper, carrots and celery into the pan on a medium heat and cook them for about 10 minutes, until softened some and the onions are translucent.
• Add the remaining oil and then the mushrooms and cook them until they have sweated down too, adding the garlic for the final one minute.
• Pour in the white wine and the chicken stock and sprinkle the oregano over the top.
• Bring the liquid to a boil and reduce it for a couple of minutes.
• Add the chopped tomatoes and the juice and bring them to the boil.
• Place the chicken pieces into the sauce and cook them for about 30 minutes, until the temperature of the meat reaches 75C/168F. Cover the pan during cooking