Chicken Cacciatore, also sometimes known ‘Italian hunter’s stew’ is made with onions, herbs, wine and tomatoes. This family friendly-one pot meal, uses chicken thighs and drumsticks, keeping it in budget. A warming meal that will fill your kitchen with delicious aromas, perfect for Autumn.

As the nights get darker and colder, there is nothing like coming home to a bowl of this stew with a big chunk of crusty bread.
It’s even better if you make a double batch and save some for the next night too!
How to make it
Full recipe with detailed steps in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Season and fry the chicken until browned, then remove from the pan
- Sauté the onions and celery, then add the peppers and garlic, herbs and spices
- Then add the wine, tinned tomatoes, tomato puree and sugar and bring to the boil
- Return the chicken to the pan and simmer for 10 mins before adding the olives and sprinkling with parsley.

👩🍳PRO TIP If you’re not keen on bone-in chicken, replace with boneless chicken thighs instead. It will cook a little quicker too!
🍽️ What to serve it with
- Potatoes! Creamy mashed potatoes, crispy roast potatoes or how about some oven-baked chips?
- Garlic green beans, sauteed asparagus or roasted broccoli
- Boiled rice or pasta also works well
- Or simply serve it up with a nice wedge of crusty bread, garlic bread or toasted sourdough bread for mopping up that sauce

🍲 More fantastic Chicken recipes
Stay updated with new recipes!
Subscribe to the newsletter to hear when I post a new recipe. I’m also on YouTube (new videos every week) and Instagram (behind-the-scenes stories & beautiful food photos).

Chicken Cacciatore
Ingredients
For frying the chicken:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 4 chicken bone-in thighs
- 4 chicken drumsticks
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
For the sauce:
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion peeled and finely diced
- 1 stick of celery finely diced
- 1 red bell pepper sliced
- 1 yellow bell pepper sliced
- 3 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp dried rosemary
- 2 tsp sweet paprika (use regular if you can't find sweet)
- ½ tsp chilli flakes
- 2 bay leaves
- 120 ml (1/2 cup) red wine
- 2 x 400 g (2 x 14 oz) tins finely chopped tomatoes
- 2 tbsp tomato puree (paste in USA)
- 1 tsp sugar
- 45 g (1/4 cup) black or green olives pitted and sliced in half (I like to leave a few whole)
To Serve:
- 1 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
- black pepper
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat.1 tbsp olive oil
- Season the chicken thighs and drumsticks with the salt and pepper and add to the pan, skin-side down.4 chicken bone-in thighs, 4 chicken drumsticks, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper
- Fry the chicken for 3-4 minutes, until browned, then turn over and fry for a further 3-4 minutes. Remove from the pan and place on a plate (it won’t be fully cooked at this point).
- Add the olive oil to the pan you fried the chicken in. Add the onion and celery, and cook for 3 minutes, stirring often, until softened.2 tbsp olive oil, 1 onion, 1 stick of celery
- Add the red and yellow sliced peppers, garlic, salt, pepper, oregano, rosemary, paprika, chilli flakes, and bay leaves and cook for 3 minutes, stirring often.1 red bell pepper, 1 yellow bell pepper, 3 cloves garlic, ¼ tsp salt, ¼ tsp black pepper, 1 tsp dried oregano, ½ tsp dried rosemary, 2 tsp sweet paprika, ½ tsp chilli flakes, 2 bay leaves
- Add the wine and let it bubble for 2 minutes.120 ml (1/2 cup) red wine
- Add in the tinned tomatoes, tomato puree, and sugar and stir together.2 x 400 g (2 x 14 oz) tins finely chopped tomatoes, 2 tbsp tomato puree, 1 tsp sugar
- Bring to the boil, then add the chicken pieces back to the pan, skin-side up.
- Turn down the heat, so the sauce is simmering. Place a lid or some foil on the pan and allow the sauce to simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add in the olives and cook for a further 5 minutes (without the lid), until the chicken is completely cooked through, and the sauce has thickened slightly.45 g (1/4 cup) black or green olives
- Turn off the heat and sprinkle on the fresh parsley and a little black pepper before serving.1 tbsp freshly chopped parsley, black pepper
Notes
- Potatoes – roasted, sautéed, mashed, baked – all work great!
- Slices of butter bread or even better, toasted buttered bread or garlic bread.
- Rice or pasta
- Green beans, asparagus or sliced kale.
- Add in whole or sliced mushrooms (at the same time you add the onions). This is a common addition to an authentic chicken cacciatore.
- Add in halved cherry tomatoes (at the same time as the olives) for a fresh burst of flavour.
- Swap the bone-in chicken for boneless chicken thighs.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links – which means if you buy the product I get a small commission (at no extra cost to you). If you do buy, then thank you! That’s what helps us to keep Kitchen Sanctuary running. The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors. For more information please see our Terms & Conditions.
I’d like to make this in my slow cooker using skinless chicken breast. How long on medium setting please?
So ,delicious and good for entertainment,if sudden visitors came around 😋
Can I make this in the Slow Cooker please?
Delicious. I’ll make this for dinner on Monday evening. I always love your one pan / pot recipes, they’re so tasty, quick and easy to do. This one looks superb.