Dutch Oven Chicken Cacciatore

This Dutch Oven Chicken Cacciatore is a perfect marriage of braised chicken and a tomato based stew.

Made with boneless chicken thighs simmered in a savory and rich tomato sauce, this one pot recipe is perfect for serving as a hearty weekday dinner with Dinner Rolls on the side.

What makes Chicken Cacciatore so good?

Chicken Cacciatore is a hearty Italian-inspired dish that features tender boneless, skinless chicken thighs simmered in a rich tomato sauce with bell peppers, onions, and mushrooms.

I like that this is an easy to make flavorful one pot meal that is that is made with just one pot.

Have you tried my recipe for Dutch Oven Whole Roasted Chicken

Made with potatoes and carrots, that perfectly roasted chicken is a delectable meal in itself. Both this recipe for chicken cacciatore and that recipe for whole roasted chicken are great tasting chicken recipes that can be made in a Dutch oven.

A heavy, thick walled of a Dutch oven helps to distribute the heat evenly which allows for both browning and slow-braising the chicken in this recipe. You can find Dutch ovens here.

What you need to make Easy Chicken Cacciatore

• Chicken Thighs Boneless and skinless chicken thighs.
• Olive Oil Along with salt and pepper, used in braising the chicken.
• Onion Sliced thin.
• Bell Peppers Red and Green Bell Peppers that are diced.
• Mushrooms. The mushrooms of your choices, sliced into halves or thirds (depending on the size of your mushrooms).
• Garlic. Freshly minced.
• Seasonings Oregano, Thyme, and Red Pepper Flakes.
• Crushed Tomatoes. Canned tomatoes work perfectly to give this recipe texture and flavor.
• Chicken Broth. Vegetable broth could also work in this recipe.
• Tomato Paste. Just a small amount is needed.
• Optional Ingredients Red wine, fresh parsley for garnish, and pasta or rice for serving.

How to make Chicken Cacciatore in a Dutch Oven

• Prep Time: 15 minutes .
• Cook Time: 45 minutes .
• Servings: 6 .
• How to Serve: Serve over rice or pasta.
• Notes: This recipe is made on a stove top in a Dutch Oven. .

1. Chicken. Start by heating your oil in your Dutch Oven on medium high heat for one minute. While the oil is heating up, season your chicken thighs with the salt and pepper. Place the seasoned chicken into your Dutch oven and cook the chicken until the top and bottom are both browned (you will need to flip the chicken over after the bottom has browned to brown the top- about three minutes per side). Then remove the chicken and set it aside.
2. Sauté Place the diced onions, sliced peppers, and sliced mushrooms into the Dutch oven and sauté until soft (about five minutes). Then add the minced garlic, oregano, thyme, and red pepper flakes and continue to sauté for another minute.
3. Simmer. Add the crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, tomato paste, and optional wine to the Dutch oven and bring the ingredients to a simmer (tiny bubble pop up from below, about 10 minutes).
4. Cover. Carefully return the chicken thighs to the pot, submerging the chicken in the sauce, cover the oven, bump the heat down to low, and continue to simmer for 30 minutes.
5. Thicken To thicken the sauce, take the cover off of the pot and continue to simmer for another 10-15 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.
6. Serve. This chicken cacciatore goes great when served over rice or pasta.

Tips for making the best Chicken Cacciatore

Boneless chicken thighs were used to make my chicken cacciatore as they are moist and easy to serve. Chicken on the bone can alternatively be used to make this recipe .

More helpful tips for you.

1. Searing the chicken thighs is an important step in this recipe as it both pre-cooks the chicken and it released flavors into the Dutch oven that makes this recipe taste even better.
2. When you add the braised chicken to the other ingredients, do so gently. Carefully push or nestle the chicken into the liquid so that it is mostly covered by the liquid. Leaving the skin above the liquid can help it keep its structure.
3. This recipe can be prepared in advance for ultimate flavor. Simply cook the ingredients as indicated, allow it to cool a bit, and then refrigerate it overnight.

How to Store Chicken Cacciatore

Once your chicken cacciatore has fully cooled, it can be stored in an airtight container. When properly stored, it should keep for up to four days refrigerated or frozen for up to a few months.

Here are some more great tasting chicken recipes for you.

• Slow Cooker Root Beer Pulled Chicken
• Slow Cooker Chicken and Broccoli Pasta
• Skillet Chicken Fajita Pasta
• Slow Cooker Hawaiian Chicken Recipe
• Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Chili
• Slow Cooker (Crockpot) Mississippi Chicken