This dish is so popular that it even has its own national day on the 15th of October! “Cacciatore” actually means “hunter” in Italian and some say that the first cacciatore dish didn’t even have chicken, but rabbit meat. However, we are going with the chicken option but feel free to use rabbit.

Chicken cacciatore is a traditional recipe, which is very popular across Italy and as usual, each family have their own recipe – this is ours!

The origins of this authentic Italian chicken cacciatore recipe, once again are to be found among poor people, using chicken bred by farmers.

Authentic Chicken Cacciatore is a classic ‘poor people’s’ dish but it makes for an incredible dinner.  Easy to make and loved by the entire family, Cacciatore aromas fill your entire house with comfort and warmth as it cooks itself on the stove or in the oven!

A regular baking tray will do but if you have an oven-proof terracotta pot – even better – more authentic!

Ingredients: 

3 tablespoons Terre Di San Vito Evoo

 

6 bone-in skinless or skin on chicken thighs

 

 salt and pepper to season

 

1 medium onion diced

 

2 tablespoons garlic minced, or 6 cloves

 

1 red bell pepper diced

 

2 carrots peeled and diced

 

10 ounces mushrooms halved

 

Handfull pitted black and green olives

 

2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped and extra for serving

 

2 tablespoons fresh rosemary

 

150 ml Vermouth/red wine

 

1 tin chopped tomatoes

 

2 tablespoons tomato paste

 

1 large celery stalk – chopped

 

½ teaspoon red pepper chili flakes or cayenne pepper

 

250ml chicken or veg stock

 

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper.
2. Heat the TDSV evoo in a heavy cast iron skillet or large frying pan
3. Sear chicken on both sides until golden, about 3-4 minutes each side. Remove from skillet/pan and set aside.
4. Sauté the onion until transparent, about 3-4 minutes.
5. Add in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
6. Add the peppers, carrot, mushrooms and herbs; cook for 5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
7. Pour in the vermouth or wine and add the olives.
8. Scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
9. Cook until wine is reduced, about 2 minutes.
10. Add chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, chilli flakes and olives.
11. Season with salt and pepper to your tastes.
12. Return chicken pieces to the skillet and continue to cook over stove top OR in the oven following the instructions below.

Stove top cooking : Cover your skillet or frying pan with silver foil or a lid and cook on a simmer for 40 minutes or until the meat is falling off the bone. Remove the lid and let it continue cooking for a further 15 min so the top is a little scorched!

Oven cooking: Transfer all ingredients from the pan into an oven dish and cover with a lid or silver foil into a preheated oven at 375°F (190°C) and cook for about an hour and 15 min – until the chicken is soft.

Place the whole dish – straight from the oven on to the table and serve – a traditional and authentic Puglian dish. Serve with green vegetables. Polenta, mashed potatoes or crunchy bread are also a great side dish.

If the sauce is too thick for your liking, add more of your chicken stock.

TO MAKE AHEAD: This chicken cacciatore can be made up to 1 day ahead, cooled, covered and refrigerated. Rewarm over low-medium heat.

TO FREEZE: Transfer the cooled cacciatore into an air tight container and transfer to the freezer. The day of serving, thaw it out in the morning and bring to room temperature. Transfer to a skillet / pan and reheat over low-medium heat until warmed through.