Easy Chicken Cacciatore

Easy Chicken Cacciatore

Chicken Cacciatore is one of those dishes I have been making for years and years.  It falls in and out of favor from one year to the next.  Right now it is in favor because I've started making it with boneless chicken breasts. 

Traditionally chicken cacciatore is made with bone-in chicken pieces.  I prefer chicken cooked on the bone because I think it is more flavorful than boneless chicken, but there are members of my family who disagree.  I make this chicken cacciatore with boneless chicken when I don't feel like listening to complaints about the bones.

This is really a great recipe to add to your menu rotation.  It is easily made in one pan.  It can be made in advance, refrigerated and reheated, or frozen for later in the month.  This recipe will serve six, but you can easily make adjustments for fewer or more mouths to feed.   Feel free to use bone-in chicken pieces instead of boneless chicken breasts if you prefer.

Let's make it, shall we?

Easy Chicken Cacciatore
Ingredients

Serves  6

The Chicken Cacciatore Ingredients

•  3 whole chicken breasts, (about 12 ounces each), boned, skinned, and cut in half
•  1 teaspoon  Kosher salt
•  1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
•  8 ounces white button mushrooms, sliced
•  1 medium onion, peeled and sliced lengthwise
•  2 ribs celery, sliced
•  2 small carrots, peeled and sliced diagonally
•  1 large clove garlic, minced
•  1/4 cup dry white wine, I used Pinot Grigio
•  1 large can diced tomatoes
•  1/2 red bell pepper, sliced lengthwise 1/4 inch thick
•  1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
•  2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
•  1/4 cup Homemade Chicken Stock, or canned low-sodium chicken broth, skimmed of fat
•  Olive-oil
• Grated Parmesan or Romano cheese, optional 

Directions 

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Sprinkle chicken breasts with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Cook in skillet until browned on both sides, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate. 

Brown the Chicken

Add mushrooms to the skillet.  Let them cook in the pan for 2-3 minutes before stirring to get a nice brown color.  Stir and continue cooking until browned, about 5 minutes; set aside. Reduce heat to low. 

Brown the Mushrooms

Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan.  Add onions, celery, carrots, and garlic; cover, and cook, stirring, until onions are translucent, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the wine to the pan, and raise heat to cook until wine is almost evaporated, about 30 seconds.

Cook the Vegetables

Add the diced tomatoes, red pepper, rosemary, parsley, chicken stock, and remaining salt and pepper; stir to combine. Add chicken and mushrooms; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low, cover, and simmer chicken until tender, about 30 minutes.

Easy Chicken Cacciatore

I decided at the last minute to add fresh spinach to this dish.  I added it just before serving cooking it just long enough to wilt the spinach.
 

Last Minute Spinach Addition

I also cooked whole wheat penne pasta and added it to the pan before serving.  This was truly a one pan dish.

You can get the printable Easy Chicken Cacciatore recipe by clicking the link.

Enjoy!