There’s something deeply comforting about a dish that’s been cooked slowly and simply, letting a few good ingredients shine. This Authentic Chicken Cacciatore, or Pollo alla Cacciatora, is one of those classic Italian recipes that brings warmth and flavour to the table without fuss.
This is a rustic dish rooted in the countryside—cacciatore means “hunter” in Italian—and it was traditionally made with whatever was on hand: chicken or rabbit, preserved tomatoes, herbs, olives, and a splash of wine. In this version, I’ve kept things close to tradition: bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, a gently simmered tomato and white wine sauce, and a handful of good-quality olives to finish.
What Makes This An Authentic Chicken Cacciatore?
A lot of modern versions of Chicken Cacciatore include ingredients like capsicum or mushrooms, but those aren’t part of the traditional southern Italian preparation. This recipe focuses on the essentials: chicken, onion, garlic, tomatoes, wine, herbs, and olives.
To stay true to the rustic style, I lightly flour the chicken before browning—it’s a technique seen in some regional versions of the dish, particularly in northern Italy. It gives the chicken a lovely golden crust and helps the sauce naturally thicken as it cooks.
Ingredients You’ll Need for this Authentic Chicken Cacciatore
- Chicken thighs – bone-in and skin-on for the best flavour and texture
- Plain flour – to lightly coat the chicken before frying
- Onion and garlic – the base of the sauce
- Dry white wine – adds depth to the tomato sauce
- Crushed tomatoes – use a good-quality canned variety
- Chicken stock – just enough to loosen the sauce
- Tomato paste – for richness and body
- Herbs – dried oregano, a bay leaf, and a sprig of rosemary
- Olives – traditional options are Gaeta or Taggiasca, but any mild black olive will do
- Parsley – a fresh finish
Serving Suggestions
This dish is incredibly versatile. Serve it with:
- Crusty bread to mop up the sauce
- Creamy polenta
- Buttered pasta
- Our Best Ever Mashed Potato (not traditional but delicious!)
- A simple green salad on the side
Leftovers are even better the next day and it freezes beautifully.
More Traditional Italian Recipes
If you loved this Authentic Chicken Cacciatore, here are a few more comforting Italian dishes from the blog to try next:
- Trofie all’Amatriciana – A bold tomato-based pasta sauce with speck, garlic and onion, tossed with chewy trofie.
- Homemade Gnocchi with Tomato Sugo and Burrata – Soft, pillowy gnocchi served with a rich tomato sauce and creamy burrata.
- Nonna’s Bolognese – A slow-cooked meat sauce that’s rich, traditional and packed with flavour.
- Polpette (Italian Meatballs) – Versatile and full of flavour, perfect with pasta or crusty bread.
- Sicilian Baked Chicken – A rustic one-tray chicken dish with tomatoes, olives, and potatoes.
- Nonna’s Stuffed Eggplant – Tender eggplant halves filled with a savoury mixture of breadcrumbs, parmesan, herbs, and tomato sugo.
Final Thoughts
This authentic Chicken Cacciatore is all about comfort and flavour, using humble ingredients to make something special. It’s the kind of recipe you’ll come back to again and again—especially on cooler nights when you want something nourishing and slow-cooked.
Let me know in the comments if you’ve tried this version, or if your family makes it a different way—I’d love to hear!
Chicken Cacciatore
Equipment
- 1 heaving bottomed pan with lid
Ingredients
Chicken:
- 6 chicken thighs bone in, skin-on
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 50 g ⅓ cup plain flour
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Sauce:
- 1 brown onion finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 125 ml dry white wine
- 400 g can crushed tomatoes
- 125 ml chicken stock
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 100 g olives (Gaeta or Taggiasca or Kalamata) pitted
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley to serve
- 10 basil leaves (optional) to serve
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper. Lightly coat in flour, shaking off any excess.
- Brown the chicken: Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Brown chicken, skin side down first, for 4–5 minutes each side until golden. Set aside.
- Cook the onion and garlic: Reduce heat to medium. Add onion and cook for 5–7 minutes until soft and golden. Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Deglaze: Add white wine, scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer for 2 minutes.
- Add the sauce ingredients: Stir in crushed tomatoes, stock, tomato paste, oregano, bay leaf, and rosemary.
- Simmer: Return chicken to the pan, skin side up. Cover and simmer on low heat for 30 minutes. Remove lid and simmer uncovered for another 10 minutes to thicken.
- Finish with olives: Stir in olives and cook for 5 minutes. Season to taste.
- Serve: Discard the bay leaf and rosemary. Garnish with parsley and fresh basil. Serve warm.
Video
Nutrition
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Delicious. healthy and so good. 😋👏💕