The Pantry
Italian-American

Chicken cacciatore

Chicken cacciatore here is a rustic skillet braise for 2 hearty servings. Boneless chicken thighs are browned first, then simmered with onion, red bell pepper, mushrooms, garlic, white wine, tomatoes, and green olives until the sauce turns rich and spoonable. The result is savory, bright, and thick enough to cling to the chicken without flooding the plate.

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Chicken cacciatore
~650 calper person · ~1300 total
~$13.50meal total · ~$6.75 per person

Estimated calories and US ingredient costs.

For 4 servings, use a 14-inch skillet or a wide Dutch oven so the chicken and vegetables still brown instead of steaming. Keep the browning and simmer times close to the original, but leave the sauce uncovered a few extra minutes if needed so it reduces properly after doubling. The nutrition values count the oil actually used in the pan and the chicken itself; they do not subtract any sauce left behind in the skillet, so the absorbed-fat estimate is approximate rather than lab precise.

The Pantry way

Your whole cook, in one place.

Ingredients, steps and a live timeline. Ready for 2 people.

Step timeline

Cooking order

9 left
Step 1

Season and brown the chicken

~8 min

Season and brown the chicken.

Pat the 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs dry, then season them with 1/2 tsp kosher salt and all of the black pepper.

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.

Add the chicken in a single layer and sear for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until well browned but not cooked through.

Ingredients
  • 4 total for recipeBoneless, skinless chicken thighs (20 oz)
  • 1/2 tspKosher salt
  • 1/2 tspBlack pepper
  • 1 tbspOlive oil
Step 2

Cook the vegetables

~8 min

Cook the vegetables.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil.

Add the sliced yellow onion, red bell pepper, sliced cremini mushrooms, and the remaining 1/4 tsp kosher salt.

Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally and scraping the pan, until the onion softens and the mushrooms release their liquid and start to brown.

Ingredients
  • 1/4 tspKosher salt
  • 1 tbspOlive oil
  • 8 oz total for recipeYellow onion
  • 6 ozRed bell pepper
  • 6 oz total for recipeCremini mushrooms
Step 3

Build the base

~1 min

Build the base.

Stir in the minced garlic, tomato paste, dried oregano, and crushed red pepper flakes.

Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly so the tomato paste darkens slightly and the garlic loses its raw edge without scorching.

Ingredients
  • 2 tsp total for recipeGarlic
  • 1 tbsp total for recipeTomato paste
  • 1/2 tspDried oregano
  • 1/4 tspCrushed red pepper flakes
Step 4

Deglaze with wine

~1 min

Deglaze with wine.

Pour in the dry white wine and stir, scraping up any browned bits from the skillet bottom.

Simmer for about 1 minute, just until the wine no longer smells sharp and the pan looks glossy again.

Ingredients
  • 1/4 cupDry white wine
Step 5

Add tomatoes and return chicken

~4 min

Add tomatoes and return chicken.

Stir in the diced tomatoes with their juices and the chicken broth, then nestle the browned chicken back into the sauce along with any accumulated juices from the plate.

Bring the pan to a gentle simmer over medium heat.

Ingredients
  • 1/2 cupLow-sodium chicken broth
Step 6

Simmer until tender

~25 min

Simmer until tender.

Lower the heat to medium-low, partially cover the skillet, and simmer for 15 minutes.

Uncover, add the sliced green olives, and continue simmering for 8 to 10 minutes more, until the chicken reaches 165°F and the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon.

If the sauce looks thin, keep it uncovered; if it tightens too much, add a splash of broth.

Ingredients
  • 4 total for recipeBoneless, skinless chicken thighs (20 oz)
Step 7

Finish and serve

~5 min cook

Finish

Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the chopped fresh parsley.

Let the chicken rest in the sauce for 5 minutes so the juices settle

then spoon the vegetables and sauce over the thighs

Ingredients
  • 2 tbspFresh parsley
Step 8

Check chicken

After ~5 min

Check Chicken cacciatore and continue when ready.

Step 9

Serve meal

~1 min

Once all dishes are cooked and ready, plate and serve the meal together.

Chicken cacciatore: Transfer to a plate.

Chicken cacciatore: serve.

Chicken cacciatore: serve immediately from the pan or on warm plates.

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Ingredients

For 2 people

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (20 oz)
  • 3/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 8 oz yellow onion, sliced
  • 6 oz red bell pepper, sliced
  • 6 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 tsp minced garlic
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine
  • 1 can (14 1/2 oz) diced tomatoes, with juices
  • 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1/4 cup pitted green olives, sliced
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Method

  1. Season and brown the chickenPat the 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs dry, then season them with 1/2 tsp kosher salt and all of the black pepper. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the chicken in a single layer and sear for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until well browned but not cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
  2. Cook the vegetablesReduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil. Add the sliced yellow onion, red bell pepper, sliced cremini mushrooms, and the remaining 1/4 tsp kosher salt. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally and scraping the pan, until the onion softens and the mushrooms release their liquid and start to brown.
  3. Build the baseStir in the minced garlic, tomato paste, dried oregano, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly so the tomato paste darkens slightly and the garlic loses its raw edge without scorching.
  4. Deglaze with winePour in the dry white wine and stir, scraping up any browned bits from the skillet bottom. Simmer for about 1 minute, just until the wine no longer smells sharp and the pan looks glossy again.
  5. Add tomatoes and return chickenStir in the diced tomatoes with their juices and the chicken broth, then nestle the browned chicken back into the sauce along with any accumulated juices from the plate. Bring the pan to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
  6. Simmer until tenderLower the heat to medium-low, partially cover the skillet, and simmer for 15 minutes. Uncover, add the sliced green olives, and continue simmering for 8 to 10 minutes more, until the chicken reaches 165°F and the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon. If the sauce looks thin, keep it uncovered; if it tightens too much, add a splash of broth.
  7. Finish and serveRemove the skillet from the heat and stir in the chopped fresh parsley. Let the chicken rest in the sauce for 5 minutes so the juices settle, then spoon the vegetables and sauce over the thighs and serve immediately from the pan or on warm plates.

Before you cook

What to get ready

Heavy lidded pot or oven-safe casserole as directed, tongs, ladle and thermometer.

Slice peppers and mushrooms evenly and keep olives for the sauce stage.

If something needs adjusting

Sauce is watery after chicken cooks

Remove chicken once it reaches 165°F and reduce the uncovered sauce before returning it.

Sauce reduces faster than the food softens

Keep heat gentle, cover as directed and check liquid periodically. Add hot water in small amounts rather than letting the bottom scorch.

Store for later

Divide the cooked dish into shallow containers for prompt chilling. Reheat portions to 165°F, stirring sauces and adding water if needed.

Refrigerate perishables within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F. Keep the fridge at 40°F or below; use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days. USDA storage and reheating guidance.

Make the ingredients go further

Use remaining peppers and onions in fajita bowls.

Next use for your ingredients: Chicken fajita rice bowls →

Calculate this meal with your own prices →

How to Cool and Store Leftovers →

Cooking notes updated October 24, 2026. How we create recipes.

Tips, swaps and questions

A little kitchen know-how

Do not crowd the skillet when browning the chicken or vegetables. If the pan is too full, they steam instead of caramelize, and the sauce tastes flatter. A wide 12-inch skillet gives enough surface area for the mushrooms and onions to brown and for the tomato sauce to reduce into a thick, glossy coating.

Make it work for you

If you swap in bone-in chicken thighs, keep the same searing step but expect a longer covered simmer, usually 10 to 15 minutes more, because the meat has to cook through near the bone. Chicken breast works too, but it needs a shorter simmer and should come out as soon as it reaches 165°F to avoid drying out.

Use more of your yellow onion and cremini mushrooms in black bean burgers.

Can I make chicken cacciatore ahead?

Yes. Cool the chicken and sauce quickly, then refrigerate it in a covered container within 2 hours. It keeps for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. Reheat gently over low heat, covered, until the chicken and sauce reach 165°F. A spoonful of broth helps loosen the sauce if it thickens overnight.

Times are estimates. Check ingredients for allergens. For safe temperatures and storage, see FoodSafety.gov.

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