I am always looking for new ways to make healthier versions of my favorite meals. This Chicken Cacciatore is made from scratch without the prepared sauce that is usually laden with sugar. It’s a crowd pleaser. It’s seriously yummy. It’s family friendly. And, it’s easy to make! You just gotta love it! I do. (Oh… and your house will smell amazing!)
Chicken Cacciatore
Ingredients:
- 1 whole chicken cut into 8 pieces, skin removed (or just use 8 of your favorite pieces)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- sea salt or kosher salt
- black pepper
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 green pepper, seeds removed and cut into bite-size chunks
- 1 red pepper, seeds removed and cut into bite-size chunks
- 1 package sliced mushrooms (I like baby bella)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup white or red wine (optional)
- 1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes (no salt added)
- 1 14 ounce can petite diced tomatoes (no salt added)
- 6 ounce can tomato paste (no salt added)
- 1 teaspoon basil
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- dash cinnamon
- 3 sprigs rosemary
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 pound whole grain pasta, cooked and drained (prepare right before serving)
- fresh basil and grated Parmesan cheese for serving
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Pat dry chicken with paper towel and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place dutch oven over medium high heat and coat with olive oil. Add chicken in batches and brown on both sides.
Remove chicken from the pan and set aside. Add onion, peppers, mushrooms and garlic to the pan and cook, stirring frequently for five minutes. Add wine, if using, and use to deglaze pan, scraping up any bits on the bottom. Add crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, oregano and cinnamon. Bring to a simmer. Add the browned chicken and any juice that accumulated on the chicken plate. Stir all together and place the sprigs of rosemary on top.
Cover the pot and place in preheated oven for one hour and 15 minutes.
Remove from oven. Uncover. Remove sprigs of rosemary. Now be nice and share.
Serve chicken and sauce over cooked pasta and top with fresh basil and grated Parmesan cheese.
Ahhhh…. all is right with the world. (Especially if you have someone else to do the dishes 
)
Sweetest Blessings,
LeAnn
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
Oh LeAnn, this sounds fantabulous! I’m hoping I’ll be able to make it this evening – but if not, I’ll make it tomorrow evening.
Would you give me your opinion on using ground rosemary in the sauce as opposed to the sprigs on top? I use ground rosemary in my cornbread (and sprinkled into and onto other things at times) so I have it on hand.
Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Leann,
Could I slow cook this? Or would that be too mushy?
This is going on next week’s menu!!!!!
LeAnn, this is one of my favorite childhood meals that my Mom would make. Mom always served it over white rice and so I was planning on making it with a mix of brown and white rice (I am trying to get my kids gradually used to brown rice). It is a great winter comfort meal!
Blessings to you!
Hi Arabelle,
I have cooked chicken in a marinara sauce in my slow cooker and it worked well so I’m sure this recipe would work too. In my experience, it works better with the dark meat. Breasts get tough if cooked too long.
Blessings,
LeAnn
Hi Terri Lynn,
I haven’t tried using ground rosemary but I’m sure it would work. Rosemary is a strong flavor so I would use less than you think you need and then taste it before adding more
Blessings,
LeAnn
This recipe is a keeper. Delicious!! I did cook mine in the crockpot and used free range boneless skinless thighs. Because I knew my daughter would go ewww over the peppers I put them in the food processor along with the onion and diced tomatoes. Oh, and I did use the crushed rosemary. WONDERFUL!!!
LeeAnn,
This recipe looks wonderful! I just subscribed to your blog and look forward to all your great SheCooks tips and resources.
Blessings, Barb
I made this tonight and it was great! I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts and it was really good. I also used dried rosemary because that’s all I had.