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Chicken cacciatore with tomato sauce, served with peppers and black olives
Succulent chicken cooked in a concentrated tomato and wine sauce

Tomato-rich chicken cacciatore

Author: Flavelo
Recipes Main Courses
This classic 'hunter' dish is the essence of rustic Italian cuisine. The point of the recipe is the transubstantiation of simple, country ingredients – tomato, onion, pepper – into a rich, moppable sauce. The secret lies in not letting the caramelised flavours created when frying the meat go to waste, but cooking them into the tomato base, thus achieving a deep, complex flavour profile.
🕒 Prep Time 20 mins
🍳 Cook Time 45 mins
⌛ Total Time 1 hr 5 mins
🍽️ Servings 4 servings
🔥 Calories 620 kcal
🌍 Cuisine Italian

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

  • Large frying pan with lid
  • Chopping board
  • Knife
  • Wooden spoon

Allergen Information

⚠️ Sulphur dioxide (wine)

Instructions

1 ✓

Prepare the ingredients: chop the onion finely, crush the garlic, slice the peppers. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper.

Tip: Rub the salt into the meat so the seasoning reaches deep into the fibres (diffusion).
2 ✓

Heat the oil in a large pan, and fry the chicken thighs for 5-6 minutes per side until they get a nice golden brown crust. Remove to a plate.

Tip: The brown crust is responsible for the 'umami' taste. If it just steams grey, half the taste experience is lost (Maillard reaction).
3 ✓

In the fat remaining in the pan, sweat the onion and garlic for 3 minutes, then add the pepper strips and fry for a further 5 minutes until they collapse slightly.

Tip: The sugars released when frying the onion caramelise, giving the base its sweetness.
4 ✓

Pour in the wine, and scrape up the brown browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Boil for 2 minutes.

Tip: Acidic wine is a great solvent: it dissolves the stuck flavour molecules so they get into the sauce.
5 ✓

Add the tomatoes and oregano. Return the meat, cover, and simmer gently for 30 minutes.

Tip: Under the lid, steam tenderises the meat, while the tomato acids break down the fibres.
6 ✓

Remove the lid, add the olives, and cook for another 5-10 minutes for the gravy to thicken.

Tip: During cooking without a lid (reduction), water evaporates, so the flavours concentrate.

Recipe FAQ

What should I do if the tomato is too sour?
A pinch of sugar or bicarbonate of soda can help neutralise the acidity.
Can I make it from boneless meat?
Yes, but the bone adds flavour to the sauce and helps thicken it (gelatin), so the result will be less full-bodied.

Ingredients

  • 4 whole Chicken thighs (drumstick and thigh attached)
  • 2 tbsp Olive oil
  • 1 head Onion
  • 3 cloves Garlic
  • 2 whole Red pointed peppers
  • 400 g Chopped tinned tomatoes
  • 80 g Black olives
  • 100 ml Dry white wine
  • 1 tsp Dried oregano
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 0.5 tsp Freshly ground black pepper