Pollo alla Cacciatora (Hunter’s Chicken)

A rustic Italian chicken dish where the meat is braised with tomatoes, garlic, wine, and herbs.

Pollo alla cacciatora, or hunter’s chicken, is a rustic Italian braise of chicken, tomatoes, wine, and herbs—simple ingredients simmered together into the kind of hearty meal meant for long evenings around the table.

Serves

8–10 people

Ingredients

• 4 lbs bone-in chicken thighs

• 3 tbsp olive oil

• 1 large onion, sliced

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 cup dry red or white wine

• 2 cups crushed tomatoes

• 1 tbsp tomato paste

• 1 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped

• 1 tsp fresh thyme

• ½ tsp crushed red pepper

• Salt and black pepper

• ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped

(Optional: olives or mushrooms depending on regional variation.)

Preparation

1. Brown the chicken

Season chicken with salt and pepper.

Heat olive oil in a large pan and brown the chicken well on both sides.

Remove and set aside.

2. Cook aromatics

In the same pan cook the onion until soft.

Add garlic and cook about 1 minute.

3. Deglaze

Add wine and reduce by half.

4. Build the sauce

Add:

• crushed tomatoes

• tomato paste

• rosemary

• thyme

• red pepper

Stir well.

5. Braise

Return the chicken to the pan.

Cover and simmer 35–40 minutes, until the chicken is tender and the sauce thickens.

6. Finish

Sprinkle with parsley and drizzle with olive oil.

Serving

Serve family-style with:

• roasted potatoes

• rustic bread

• polenta

Tableware Suggestion

Hunter’s stew (Pollo alla Cacciatora) is best served in a deep bowl that can hold both the chicken and the rich tomato sauce.

Bring the stew to the table in a large serving bowl so guests can see the rustic chicken, vegetables, and herbs together. Then spoon generous portions into individual deep bowls, allowing the sauce to pool around the chicken.

A deep bowl keeps the dish warm and gives plenty of room for bread to soak up the sauce—exactly how this kind of rustic Italian dish is meant to be enjoyed.