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This authentic Italian chicken cacciatore features tender braised chicken in a rich red wine and tomato sauce with two types of mushrooms. The porcini add incredible depth while fresh cremini provide meaty texture. Serve over polenta, pasta, or with crusty bread to soak up every drop of that incredible sauce.
Type of Cuisine:
Medierranean
Prep Time: 20 minutes.
Cook Time: 45 minutes
How Many Servings?
4-6 servings
Ingredients:
1X
2X
3X
Adjust Servings
| 1 whole chicken (3.5–4 lb / 1.6–1.8 kg), cut into 8–10 pieces (backbone removed, drumsticks and thighs separated, breast deboned) | |
| Salt & black pepper, to taste | |
| 3 tablespoons olive oil | |
| 1 medium yellow onion, diced (or ½ large onion) | |
| 2 medium carrots, diced | |
| 2 celery stalks, diced | |
| 4 cloves garlic, minced |
Mushrooms:
| 2 cups fresh cremini or button mushrooms, thickly sliced | |
| 1/2 oz (15 g) dried porcini mushrooms | |
| 1 cup hot water (for soaking porcini) |
Sauce:
| 3/4 cup dry red wine (e.g., Chianti, Montepulciano, Pinot Noir) | |
| 1 can (28 oz / 400 g) crushed tomatoes (or hand-crushed whole San Marzano tomatoes) | |
| 2 tablespoons tomato paste | |
| 2 bay leaves | |
| 1 sprig fresh rosemary (or 1 tsp dried rosemary, chopped) | |
| fresh parsley chopped for garnish |
Preparation
1
Rehydrate the Porcini Mushrooms
Soak dried porcini mushrooms in 1 cup hot water for 15-20 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer and reserve the liquid.Chop coarsely, and set aside.
Soak dried porcini mushrooms in 1 cup hot water for 15-20 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer and reserve the liquid.Chop coarsely, and set aside.
2
Brown the Chicken
Pat chicken pieces dry and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown chicken in batches, 4-5 minutes per side, until golden. Remove and set aside.
Pat chicken pieces dry and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown chicken in batches, 4-5 minutes per side, until golden. Remove and set aside.
3
Sauté the Aromatics
Lower heat to medium. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil if needed. Add onion, carrots, and celery; sauté 8-10 minutes until softened and golden. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
Lower heat to medium. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil if needed. Add onion, carrots, and celery; sauté 8-10 minutes until softened and golden. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
4
Add the Mushrooms
Add sliced fresh mushrooms and cook 5 minutes until they release moisture and brown. Add chopped porcini mushrooms and stir to combine.
Add sliced fresh mushrooms and cook 5 minutes until they release moisture and brown. Add chopped porcini mushrooms and stir to combine.
5
Deglaze & Build the Sauce
Pour in red wine and scrape up browned bits from the bottom. Simmer 2-3 minutes. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, reserved mushroom liquid, bay leaves, and rosemary.
Pour in red wine and scrape up browned bits from the bottom. Simmer 2-3 minutes. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, reserved mushroom liquid, bay leaves, and rosemary.
6
Simmer and Braise
Return chicken to the pot, nestling into the sauce. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Partially cover and simmer for 45 minutes, turning chicken once or twice, until fork-tender and the sauce has thickened.
Return chicken to the pot, nestling into the sauce. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Partially cover and simmer for 45 minutes, turning chicken once or twice, until fork-tender and the sauce has thickened.
7
Finish and Serve
Remove bay leaves and rosemary sprig. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Garnish with fresh parsley. Serve over polenta, pasta, mashed potatoes, or with crusty bread.
Remove bay leaves and rosemary sprig. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Garnish with fresh parsley. Serve over polenta, pasta, mashed potatoes, or with crusty bread.
Recipe Tips & Suggestions
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerator: Let the chicken cacciatore cool to room temperature, then transfer to an airtight container. It will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. In fact, it tastes even better on day two when all the flavors have had time to meld together.
Freezer: This freezes beautifully! Cool completely, then transfer to freezer-safe containers or heavy-duty freezer bags. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheating: The best way to reheat is gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat. Add a splash of water or chicken broth if the sauce has thickened too much. Stir occasionally until heated through. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave, though the stovetop method gives you better control and keeps the chicken more tender.