The word cacciatore means hunter in Italian. But don’t worry, you don’t have to hunt your own chicken to enjoy this tasty recipe. Rather, all you have to do is prepare it with onions and herbs and, optionally, bell peppers, tomatoes, and wine. This will give you a ‘hunter style’ dish, hence the name.
Any type of meat can be served cacciatore, but chicken is the most popular type of meat that is used. Salami and rabbit are some popular alternatives.
Read on to find out more about chicken cacciatore and some terrific ways you can enjoy this meal in your home.
Baby Cacciatore
You may think of cacciatore meals as elevated dishes that are best suited to refined tastes, but did you know they can also make a great meal for your baby?
©iStock.com/Stanislav Ostranitsa
Heinz and other companies sell baby foods that have pureed versions of the meal. They contain healthy ingredients like chicken, tomato paste, wheat pasta, carrots, peas, rice flour, rice starch, red bell peppers, celery, onions, and spices.
All these terrific ingredients make for a meal that is high in protein and fiber as well as Vitamins A, C, calcium, and iron. The meal has a texture that is a bit thicker than other baby foods, so it is recommended for babies who are transitioning from baby foods to solid. It is meant to encourage chewing.
Moms who prefer to know exactly what their child is eating may want to make their own chicken cacciatore recipe and puree or mince it to give it to their babies. Mothers who do this will want to make sure it is prepared to the proper consistency as follows:
6-7 months: Puree should be smooth and slightly thicker with no lumps
7-8 months: The puree should be thicker with increased texture
8-9 months: Meal can be minced and mashed with soft lumps
9-12 months: Meal can be minced and finely chopped
Chicken Cacciatore Recipe
There are many ways you can prepare chicken cacciatore. The recipe we provided is very basic.
Once the chicken is prepared, onions, mushrooms, and garlic are sautéed and added.
Then, a mixture is made including tomato sauce, tomato paste, tomatoes, wine, basil, oregano, and flour. Top the chicken with the mixture and serve.
If you are looking to get creative with your chicken cacciatore recipe, here are some other great ideas.
Quick Chicken Cacciatore: Even those with busy lifestyles can make time to prepare a great chicken cacciatore meal. For this variation, chicken is cooked in less than ten minutes. Vegetables are added to tomato sauce for a hearty meal prepared in no time.
Chicken Cacciatore Light: The secret here is to start with skinless chicken. Pasta sauce and veggies are added and even a bit of cheese, yet the meal still rings in at under 250 calories.
Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore with Spaghetti: A slow cooker is always great for meat preparation as it allows the flavors to marinate and always results in a tender cut. For this recipe, the sauce, veggies and chicken all go right into the slow cooker. Remove them when they’re done and add pasta for a meal that’s easy to make, healthy, and absolutely delicious.
Chicken cacciatore is a hearty meal the entire family can enjoy. It is full of great ingredients, tasty, filling and with several variations available, it can be easy to make and suits the tastes of even your pickiest eaters. So, if you’re wondering what to make your hungry crew tonight, why not make it chicken cacciatore?
Other Great Ways to Enjoy Chicken
If you're looking to eat healthier, incorporating more chicken in your diet is a must. Chicken doesn't have to be boring or bland, as you've learned with this chicken cacciatore recipe! Here are a few other suggestions for great chicken recipes that taste wonderful.
Baked chicken with cheese is a must-make in every household. To ensure the recipe remains healthy, you can use low-fat cheese in place of regular cheese. If you don't care as much about fat and just want to get your protein in, use whatever cheese you'd like!
A hearty, homemade chicken soup can go a long way. Many people think only of chicken noodle when considering chicken soup, but there are many other ways to put this yummy meat into a soup! Get creative and choose ingredients that are available in your pantry already for an easy meal.
Chicken French is a great way to dress up chicken for an elevated meal. Chicken French manages to be fancy without being overly rich or complicated. It can be served with rice or vegetables for a full and complete meal. Try this the next time you want to up the ante on your meals!
If you enjoyed this recipe, make sure to check out our Corn Crisps Recipe and our Ladies Club Orange Chiffon Cake Recipe.
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Chicken Cacciatore Recipe
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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- Total Time: 70 Minutes
Description
The word cacciatore means hunter in Italian. But don’t worry, you don’t have to hunt your own chicken to enjoy this tasty recipe. Rather, all you have to do is prepare it with onions and herbs and, optionally, bell peppers, tomatoes and wine.
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 pounds chicken parts
- Salt and pepper
- 1/4 cup oil
- 1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
- 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 3/4 cup dry red wine
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Cut the chicken legs to separate the thighs and drumsticks. Rinse the chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Salt and pepper lightly.
- Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add a single layer of chicken pieces to the pan, do not crowd pieces.
- Cook until browned all over, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate and keep warm.
- Add the mushrooms and diced onion to the Dutch oven and saute until the onion is softened (about 3 minutes).
- Add the garlic and saute for 1 more minute.
- Return the chicken to the Dutch oven.
- In a separate bowl, mix the tomato sauce, tomato paste, tomatoes, wine, basil and oregano.
- Add the flour and mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Pour the sauce mixture over the chicken. Cover and simmer for about 45 minutes, or until the chicken is tender.
- Prep Time: 20 Minutes
- Cook Time: 50 Minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Italian
The image featured at the top of this post is ©Robyn Mackenzie/Shutterstock.com.