Description
This classic Chicken Cacciatore recipe features tender bone-in chicken wings and drumsticks simmered in a rich tomato sauce with bell peppers, mushrooms, Kalamata olives, and a splash of red wine. The dish is baked to perfection, allowing the flavors to meld beautifully, creating a comforting and hearty Italian main course perfect for serving over noodles, rice, or polenta.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Chicken
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 pounds chicken wings and drumsticks
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper (or to taste)
Vegetables & Aromatics
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 medium onion (chopped)
- 1 pound white mushrooms (cleaned and chopped)
- 1 medium green bell pepper (chopped)
- 1 medium red bell pepper (chopped)
- 1 medium yellow bell pepper (chopped)
Seasonings & Liquids
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
- 2 teaspoons oregano (dried)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup red wine
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes (1 can)
- 3/4 cup Kalamata olives (pitted)
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley (chopped)
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit to prepare for baking the chicken cacciatore.
- Sear the chicken: In a large oven-safe skillet with a lid, heat olive oil and butter over medium heat until the butter melts. Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper, then fry them on both sides until golden brown, about 4 minutes per side. The chicken does not need to be fully cooked at this stage. Remove the chicken and set aside.
- Sauté aromatics and mushrooms: Add minced garlic and chopped onions to the skillet and sauté for 2 minutes until onions are translucent and garlic is aromatic. Add chopped mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes until they are softened and beginning to brown.
- Add bell peppers: Stir in the chopped green, red, and yellow bell peppers. Cook for a couple more minutes until the peppers soften slightly.
- Add seasonings and liquids: Sprinkle in turmeric, dried oregano, and add bay leaves. Pour in red wine, then add tomato paste and diced tomatoes. Stir well and bring the mixture to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze and lift all browned bits for added flavor.
- Bake the chicken: Return the chicken pieces to the skillet, cover it with the lid, and transfer the skillet to the preheated oven. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
- Finish and serve: Remove the skillet from the oven, and top the dish with pitted Kalamata olives and freshly chopped parsley. Serve hot over noodles, rice, or polenta as preferred.
Notes
- Chicken: Using bone-in, skin-on chicken wings and drumsticks adds great flavor, but thighs or other bone-in pieces also work well. Boneless chicken cooks faster but lacks the same depth of flavor.
- Mushrooms First: Cooking mushrooms before adding peppers allows them to brown and develop flavor rather than steam.
- Wine Swaps: Substitute red wine with Chianti, Pinot Noir, or any dry red wine. If you prefer no wine, use low-sodium chicken broth with a splash of balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar for acidity.
- Make It Ahead: This dish stores well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days—flavors deepen and the sauce improves overnight.
- Deglazing: When adding wine and liquids, deglaze the pan by scraping the browned bits off the bottom to enhance the sauce's flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 470 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 530 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 125 mg
