Quick Chicken Cacciatore
Quick chicken cacciatore is a saucy, flavorful and cozy family dinner that’s ready in about 30 minutes. Serve with spaghetti or rice and get ready to dig in to this delicious dish!
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, cut into thin strips
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (28 oz.) can whole tomatoes (undrained, tomatoes cut, see notes)
- 1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
For serving (optional):
- Grated Parmesan cheese
- Chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the butter and olive oil. Season the chicken strips with salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes per side, until lightly browned. Remove from pan. (They will finish cooking in a bit.
- Add the onion and pepper to the pan and sauté for 6-8 minutes, until tender. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 more seconds.
- Add the canned tomatoes, tomato sauce and remaining seasonings to the pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and maintain a simmer. Continue cooking the sauce for at least 10 minutes (but you can let it hang out here for longer if you’d like).
- Return the chicken to the pan, turn to get it coated, and cook over medium-low until the chicken is cooked through, about 5-7 minutes.
- Serve hot with pasta or rice. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and parsley, if desired.
Notes
Chicken: We are cutting our chicken breasts into strips to help them cook more evenly - and more quickly. We’ll sear them in the skillet first and then return them to the pan later to finish cooking in the sauce.
You can use whole chicken breasts or sub chicken thighs, but your cook time will be longer.
Tomatoes: A can of whole peeled tomatoes gives the texture and rustic vibe I love in this dish. I prefer to cut up the tomatoes while they are still in the can. I literally take a pair of kitchen shears and just chop them in the can as best I can. You can also break them up with a spoon while the sauce is simmering if you prefer.
Or you could substitute a can of diced tomatoes if you’d rather. You either need two 14.5 ounce cans or one large 28 ounce can.
Let it simmer: You can let the sauce hang out and simmer away for longer than 10 minutes if you’d like - up to a half hour or more. I’ve done this before and it works great.
Just wait to put the chicken back in to finish cooking until you’re 7-10 minutes from eating, so they chicken doesn’t get overcooked.
Serving ideas for chicken cacciatore:
- Serve over hot cooked spaghetti.
- Or pair with steamed brown or white rice.
- You could also serve this with creamy mashed potatoes or polenta.
- Or serve it with some crusty bread to dip into the sauce.
- Store the leftover chicken and sauce, once cooled, in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. Reheat the chicken on the stove or in the microwave.
- You can also freeze the leftover chicken and sauce. Store in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 5-6 months. (Be sure to label and date it.) Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then reheat on the stove or in the microwave.
Video
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 369kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 54g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 152mg | Sodium: 671mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g
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