Here’s a Chicken Cacciatore recipe with potatoes and veggies. A delicious Italian home-cooked meal of falling-apart-tender boneless chicken, veggies and potatoes braised in rich, flavorful wine-scented tomato sauce.
I've always been a big fan of Chicken Cacciatore, a classic Italian dish that's often served with potatoes or pasta on the side. I decided to add the potatoes right to the stew pot, along with roasted veggies. A hearty 'chicken cacciatore stew.' Serve it with a leafy salad on the side, and you've got dinner.
In this recipe, the chicken and vegetables are roasted first and then simmered with wine, tomatoes, mushrooms, garlic and herbs...oh, and potatoes! Lots of thinly sliced potatoes. Spoon the stew into bowls and enjoy every tender, wine-scented, tomatoey, potatoey bite.
What is Chicken Cacciatore and who invented it?
I love to find out how a recipe came to be, but the answer is not always definitive. The history and origin of chicken cacciatore is fraught with controversy. Theres agreement that "Cacciatore" is Italian for "Hunter" and that the dish originated in Italy, but that's about as far as the consensus goes.
Some insist that true chicken cacciatore has no tomatoes. They explain that tomatoes weren't available to hunters and this dish, was originally made from ingredients that the hunter could hunt or forage.
Others dispel that theory by pointing out that chickens are domestic farm animals and not something you hunt! They argue that this dish was prepared for the hunters by their wives, who wanted to make them something delicious and comforting after a long day of work.
I'm not sure what the truth is about how chicken cacciatore came to be, but I'm glad it's here.
How to Make This Chicken Cacciatore Stew
The veggies and chicken roast in the oven while you make the tomato sauce. Then everything goes into one pot and simmers until done.
- Roast The Chicken: Brush the chicken with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast in a 400ºF oven for 25 minutes. Choose whatever boneless chicken parts you prefer. I like to use a mix of boneless thighs and breasts.
- Roast The Veggies: Slice the bell peppers, carrots and onions, toss them with olive oil and salt, and roast them in a 400ºF oven for 40 minutes.
- Get The Stew Cooking: While chicken and veggies are roasting, make the sauce. Sauté garlic and mushrooms. Add wine and tomatoes and simmer a bit. Add the sliced potatoes, roasted chicken and roasted vegetables. Simmer the stew gently until everything is tender and the flavors have melded, about 35 minutes. Serve hot.
Other Delicious Chicken Recipes from around the World:
- Colombian Chicken Soup
- Baked Chicken Thighs with Potatoes, Peppers and Olives
- Greek Chicken and Potatoes in Tomato Sauce
Here's the Chicken Cacciatore recipe. I hope you enjoy this version of Chicken Cacciatore as much as I do. If you try this recipe, I hope you'll come back and leave a star rating and a comment. I'd love to know what you think.
PrintChicken Cacciatore with Roasted Vegetables and Potatoes
- Total Time: 1 hour 40 mins
- Yield: 6-7 1x
Description
Rich, rustic chicken stew in a tomato wine broth with potatoes, peppers, carrots and mushrooms.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken - breasts and thighs
- 2 large yellow onions, peeled, halved and ½-inch sliced
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- Kosher salt
- Fresh ground black pepper
- 2 red bell peppers, ribs and seeds removed, cut into ½-inch strips lengthwise, then cut the strips in half crosswise.
- 2 carrots, peeled and sliced crosswise
- 4 large garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- ½ teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
- 8 ounces button mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced
- ¾ cup dry white wine (Vermouth is fine)
- 4 cups low salt chicken broth (I recommend Swanson's)
- 1 28 ounce can whole plum tomatoes, hand-crushed (I recommend San Marzano or Organic)
- 1 6 ounce can of tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ½ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and sliced into thin rounds
- 2 tablespoons drained capers
Instructions
- preheat oven to 400ºF. Set chicken pieces on a roasting pan. Brush with olive oil (about 2 tablespoons total) on both sides. Season both sides with salt (about 1 teaspoon total) and several grinds of pepper.
- Put peppers, onions and carrots in a large bowl. Toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Spread them out on a roasting pan. Cook vegetables on the upper shelf of the oven and chicken on the lower shelf. After 25 minutes, remove the chicken and let it cool. Move the vegetables to the lower shelf, toss them, and roast for an additional 15 minutes. When chicken is cool enough to handle, cut it into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
- Meanwhile (while everything is roasting) heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large dutch oven or soup kettle over medium heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for about 30 seconds, just until the garlic is fragrant. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes, until the mushrooms lose their water and start to brown. Add white wine and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds or so. Stir in broth, tomatoes, tomato paste, spices and salt. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add potatoes, chicken, vegetables, and capers. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, uncovered, for 35 minutes, until potatoes are tender and the sauce has thickened a bit. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
- Prep Time: 25 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 mins
- Category: Main Dish Stew
- Method: oven and stove top
- Cuisine: Italian
If you're looking for more wonderful comforting chicken recipes, try this top-rated recipe for Orange and Tomato Simmered Chicken with Couscous from the January edition of Cooking Light Magazine.
Carol Stoltze
I made this tonight. Delicious! I usually make cacciatore with pasta but really enjoyed the thin sliced potatoes instead. Topped it with Parmesan.
Valerie
This was delicious! I made a half batch and used a little more of the dry spices, plus some dried parsley and chicken bouillion. Used a bag of frozen fire roasted mushrooms from Wegmans, and did not use the potatoes for a lighter dish. Will be making again!
Aurora
Very very yummy dish, turned out even better than anticipated. Cooking was very easy and hard to mess up. 10/10
Lisa
I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed Aurora! Thank you for coming back to leave a comment and a star rating. 🙂
Crystal L W
Hi, I keep seeing you’re using what I think is a blue Dutch oven. I need to buy one. What size would you recommend? Thank you!
Nicollet Laframboise
The perfect winter meal! Everyone loved it--thanks Lisa!
Deb Perugi
Hi lisa, I love that you roast the chicken and vegetables first. I’m going to try this tonight. Our family recipe is very different with just garlic and tomato and sage and served with polenta. Not my husband’s favorite but I think your version will be.
Lisa
I can't wait to hear what you and your husband think. I hope you enjoy!
Ellen
This stew was the perfect thing for the first day of fall in New England. The smell of it cooking was amazing, but oh, the flavors in every bite. Though there were a lot of steps, the directions were so clear and the timing of everything worked out perfectly! Thank you, Lisa, for sharing this wonderful recipe with us!
Lisa
Great to hear Ellen. Thank you so much for taking the time to comment. And thanks for reminding me to cook this soon - it's one of my favorites!
Kristen @ A Mind Full Mom
I absolutely LOVE that you roasted the vegetables for this chcken caciatore--so much more tasty!
sylvie
Remembers me a French dish called Basquaise chicken but this typical French dish doesn't include any potatoes. Anyway, your recipe is much appetizing!
Marissa | Pinch and Swirl
This looks absolutely wonderful! I'd almost forgotten about chicken cacciatore - thank you for the reminder and for the delicious looking version.
Daria
I make this dish and is so good, my family likes thanks.
Carol at Wild Goose Tea
I use to make this dish a LOT. I realize it's one of those dishes that I let drop off the edge of the earth. What a wonderful version. Thank YOU for the reminder.
Claudia
Lisa - Do your roasting pans have ridges? What a great idea! Who makes them?
Lisa Goldfinger
Hi Claudia! Yes, they do have ridges. I bought them at Crate and Barrel.They are called usa pan pro-line nonstick baking sheets
Claudia
This looks wonderful - comforting and beautiful and perfect for after a day of shoveling. I am hoping to get out to the market today to pick up the ingredients. Last night I was so distracted and tired, I forgot to turn down the heat on my lamb stew to simmer.....ended up with lamb crunchies good for the dog 🙁
Lisa Goldfinger
I'm so sorry about your lamb 🙁 I think we've all done things like that - no fun after all the work and anticipation of a great meal. I hope you get out to the store and have better luck today with the Chicken Cacciatore!
Claudia
It was delicious! Comforting and filling but at the same time light. Thanks for another great recipe Lisa 🙂 and I bought a ridged roasting pan yesterday. I'm looking forward to using it.....
nina
Made it last night and it was heavenly! Perfect for a winter day. Healthy and incredibly delicious and filling. Huge hit with the family! Thanks Lisa!
Rachel (Rachel's Kitchen NZ)
A fabulously warming dish - Lisa - wonderful colours for dreary weather:)