Chicken Cacciatore With Green And Black Olives

Chicken cacciatore is a rustic Italian chicken dish.  Literally translating to “hunter’s chicken”, there are hundreds of versions of this recipe.  At its core, cacciatore is almost always made with chicken parts, tomatoes, garlic, and onions.  Many other ingredients can be added and we use a few that are simply outstanding!

It all comes down to technique with this recipe. 

The chicken must be seared well and then braised slowly, but not completely submerged.  Put the Instant Pot away for this one.

Don’t worry about learning how to make this chicken cacciatore. 

We have detailed process shot instructions below.  If you’re a more experienced cook, just hop right on down to the recipe card.

You will need garlic, onions, bell pepper, celery, olives (I love oil-cured black olives for this recipe and my kids enthusiastically approved too!), and parsley.

If you’re an olive lover be sure to check out our pasta puttanesca and this pan-seared swordfish recipe which are both loaded with olives.

You will also need chicken pieces ( thighs and legs have more flavor, but use any type you like), chicken stock, plum tomatoes, tomato paste, and white wine.

How to make it

Each numbered pic corresponds to the numbered written instructions below.

1. Begin by chopping 1 rib of celery.  No need to chop it finely.
2. Slice 2 peppers into strips.  Also, slice 2 medium onions and rough chop 6 cloves of garlic.

3. Lay the chicken pieces out and dry them really well.
4. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper on all sides.
5. Heat a large cast-iron pan to medium-high heat.  Let it get hot (about 5 minutes), then add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan.  Sear the chicken pieces in the pan, but do not crowd.
6. Working in batches, sear the chicken pieces for 3-4 minutes per side.  As the chicken finishes, place seared pieces in a plate off to the side.  Sprinkle a bit more salt onto the hot pieces as they come out of the pan.  Well-salted chicken is much more flavorful and when the crispy skin is hot, it’s the perfect time to add a bit more salt.

7. When all the chicken has finished searing, turn heat to medium, add in the peppers, onions, and celery and saute until soft for about 7-10 minutes.  If the pan is too dry add a touch more olive oil, but it shouldn’t be as it will have the chicken drippings in it.
8. Add in the garlic and continue to cook for 2 more minutes.
9. When the veggies are nice and soft, add in 3/4 cup of white wine.
10. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to dislodge all flavor bits.

11. Add in 3 ounces of tomato paste, a 1/2 cup of low sodium chicken stock, and all the hand crushed or blender pulsed plum tomatoes.
12. Give the sauce a stir and let it all simmer for a couple of minutes.  Add the chicken pieces into the sauce.  Arrange them with the crispiest skin sides facing up.  Turn the heat to low and let the chicken cacciatore simmer for 60 minutes, covered, with the lid slightly ajar.
13. When the chicken has finished cooking, sprinkle with a 1/4 cup of parsley and a cup of pitted and chopped green and black olives.  If using black oil-cured olives, make sure to rinse them to remove some of their salt.

Chicken Cacciatore is best served in the pan with a big loaf of crusty Italian bread.  Our no knead focaccia recipe would also be perfect. 

Alternatively, the sauce can be used for about a half-pound of pasta.

What to serve with chicken cacciatore

This is truly a hearty one-pan dish.  Light sides such as a green salad with a simple vinaigrette are all that’s needed.  With that said these sides all go well with chicken cacciatore.

• Italian broccoli
• Italian green beans with garlic and oil
• Garlic sauteed broccoli rabe

Substitutions and additions

• Mushrooms – A great way to add some more easy flavor to this dish.  A half-pound is a good amount.
• Capers – A strong flavor, so go lightly, especially if using all the olives.
• Carrots – Another great veggie to add.
• Spinach – Fresh baby spinach added right at the end gives the hearty cacciatore a light touch and a great color.
• Vinegar – Can be substituted for the wine or used together.  It will give a nice tangy flavor similar to the sauce from chicken scarpariello.  A 1/4 cup of red wine vinegar is a good amount.
• Cherry peppers – These little flavor bombs add a great taste to this dish.  Use about 4 peppers cut into small pieces.

Top tips

• Dark meat chicken pieces (thighs and drumsticks) are recommended.  They are more tender, juicy, and flavorful than white meat.
• Searing the chicken until crispy is a crucial step.
• Salting the chicken before and after searing is recommended.
• If the sauce is too thin after an hour of cooking, remove chicken, and cook the sauce uncovered over medium heat for 10 minutes more to thicken.
• Black oil-cured olives are very salty.  Rinse well before using them.
• Red wine can be substituted for white.

More chicken recipes

• Chicken Milanese – classic Italian chicken cutlets fried in seasoned breadcrumbs.
• Chicken Agrodolce – chicken thighs with eggplant, zucchini, and olives in a sweet and sour sauce.
• Chicken Fricassee – chicken braised in a white wine cream sauce with carrots, onion, celery, and mushrooms.
• Italian baked chicken and potatoes – full chicken cut into pieces and seasoned with oregano, onions, garlic, parmesan cheese, and plenty of olive oil, then roasted to perfection. 
• Chicken Scarpariello – chicken pieces with sausage, potatoes, and cherry peppers braised in a tangy white wine and vinegar sauce.
• Chicken Sorrentino – thin chicken cutlets pan-seared then baked with eggplant, prosciutto, and fontina cheese in a simple Marsala tomato sauce.
• Chicken Valdostana – thin chicken cutlets topped with fontina cheese, prosciutto, and mushrooms in a white wine sauce.

If you’ve enjoyed this chicken cacciatore recipe or any recipe on this site, we want to know so tell us in the comments below. We would love to hear how you did and it’s nice to show others as well. Thanks!

Watch the video below where Jim will show you how to make this recipe with easy-to-follow instructions.

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