Description
Chicken Cacciatore with Red Peppers, Tomato, and Onion is a classic Italian dish featuring tender, bone-in chicken simmered in a flavorful sauce of tomatoes, red bell peppers, onion, garlic, and herbs. The chicken is first browned to develop a rich crust before being slow-cooked in a savory, aromatic tomato sauce until tender and infused with Italian herb flavors. Perfect for a comforting family meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 3 to 4 pounds (1.4 to 1.8 kg) bone-in, skin-on chicken legs, thighs and drumsticks split
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 medium (8-ounce; 225 g) yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 1 large (8-ounce; 225 g) red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and thinly sliced
- 5 medium cloves garlic, thinly sliced
Liquids and Herbs
- 3/4 cup (175 ml) dry white wine
- 1 (28-ounce; 795 g) can peeled whole tomatoes, drained and crushed by hand
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) reserved juices from the tomato can
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, sage, or thyme
- 1 bay leaf
Garnish
- Minced flat-leaf parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat and Season: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). While it warms, season the chicken all over generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to build flavor.
- Brown the Chicken: Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a Dutch oven or large straight-sided sauté pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, place the chicken pieces in the pan and cook, turning occasionally, until browned evenly on all sides, about 6 minutes per side. Transfer browned chicken to a platter and set aside.
- Sauté Vegetables and Aromatics: In the same pan, add the thinly sliced yellow onion, red bell pepper, and garlic. Cook while stirring, scraping up any browned bits from the chicken to infuse the vegetables with flavor, until softened and fragrant, about 8 minutes.
- Add Wine and Simmer: Pour in the dry white wine and bring the mixture to a simmer. This will deglaze the pan, adding depth of flavor.
- Add Tomatoes and Herbs: Stir in the crushed peeled tomatoes and their reserved juices, along with the fresh herb sprigs (rosemary, sage, or thyme) and the bay leaf. Return the mixture to a simmer and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Combine Chicken and Sauce: Nestle the browned chicken pieces and any accumulated juices back into the tomato and vegetable mixture, ensuring they are submerged as much as possible.
- Braise in Oven: Transfer the entire Dutch oven or pan to the preheated oven. Cook uncovered until the chicken is fully cooked through, tender, and the sauce has reduced to a thick, rich consistency, about 30 minutes.
- Finish and Serve: Remove the herb sprigs and bay leaf. Garnish the dish with minced flat-leaf parsley if desired and serve immediately for a hearty, comforting meal.
Notes
- For best flavor, use bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces as they remain juicier and more tender during cooking.
- If you prefer a thicker sauce, you can simmer it a bit longer uncovered on the stovetop after baking.
- Dry white wine can be substituted with chicken broth if desired.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and taste even better the next day as flavors meld.
- Serve with polenta, crusty bread, or pasta to soak up the delicious sauce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken leg/thigh with sauce (approx. 200g)
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 130 mg
