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This chicken cacciatore recipe leans on boneless chicken thighs to cut the usual cooking time nearly in half—just 40 minutes start to finish! And you’re not giving up any of that cozy, saucy comfort you’re after.
Chicken cacciatore has always been the kind of comfort food I crave on a cold night, but the traditional bone-in version isn’t exactly weeknight-friendly, and I wanted a version you could make any day of the week. So I swapped in boneless chicken thighs, which cook up in a fraction of the time. Though it’s a simplified version, it isn’t dumbed-down: the tomato sauce still gets its due, built deep and briny with Kalamata olives until it edges close to a good puttanesca sauce.
⇨ For more cozy weeknight-friendly chicken dinners, try my easy chicken marsala, chicken with creamy mushroom sauce, or this spinach artichoke chicken skillet.
A Few Good Reasons to Make This
- It’s real cacciatore flavor, minus the wait. Boneless thighs mean you get all that deep comfort in a fraction of the time it takes with traditional bone-in pieces.
- Mushrooms add earthy body. They soak up the sauce beautifully and make the dish feel heartier.
- It’s weeknight-realistic. A few smart shortcuts keep the process quick without cutting corners on flavor, so you don’t sacrifice taste for time.
- It reheats like a dream. Like most braises, the flavor only gets better the next day! So it’s a great make-ahead or leftovers option.
Tips From My Kitchen
I make mistakes so that you don’t have to! Here are some things I’ve learned while testing this recipe…
- Sear the chicken at medium-high heat, and just until browned on each side. Don’t fully cook them—they still need a good simmer in the sauce near the end.
- Stir in tomato paste. A tablespoon of double-concentrated paste builds a deeper, richer base flavor.
- Mind the acidity. Quality canned Italian tomatoes should taste naturally sweet, not sour.
- If your tomatoes taste too acidic, stir in about 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda to neutralize it. The chemical reaction raises the pH and softens that sharp, sour edge. Give it a minute before you taste, though, or you’ll catch it mid-reaction and think you’ve ruined the dish. (You haven’t.) Repeat if needed.
Ingredients for Chicken Cacciatore
A quick look at some of the essentials before we dive into the recipe:
- Boneless chicken thighs: they cook in half the time of bone-in and erase the worry about whether the meat is cooked. (Though that pink tinge near the bones is pigment from the porous bone marrow, it’s enough for me to question doneness and have a side of anxiety with my dinner.)
- All-purpose flour: creates a crispy outer crust on the chicken, seals in the juices, and helps everything brown evenly.
- Red wine: medium-bodied with high acidity and low tannins, like Chianti (Sangiovese), Barbera, or Pinot Noir. These cut through the rich tomato sauce and complement the earthy herbs and mushrooms without overpowering the chicken.
- Kalamata olives: more of a regional addition to this dish. If you don’t like them, use a tablespoon of capers or leave them out completely.
How to Make Chicken Cacciatore
Step 1: Brown the Chicken
Pat the chicken thighs with paper towels to remove excess moisture; season with salt and pepper.
Heat the oil in a deep skillet or braiser over medium-high heat. Dredge the chicken thighs into the flour one by one; shake off any excess flour. Add the chicken thighs to the pan and cook until golden brown—about 4 minutes per side.
Remove the chicken and set on a paper towel-lined plate.
Step 2: Sauté the Veggies
Add a bit more oil to the pan if needed, then add the onions and mushrooms. Sauté until softened, about 5 minutes, then add the garlic. Simmer for 30 seconds. Add the tomato paste and fresh herbs, stirring to coat the veggies.
Step 3: Add the Liquids
Slowly pour the wine into the skillet along with the chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, olives, and bay leaves. Add salt and pepper to taste, then bring to a low simmer for about 5 minutes.
Step 4: Bring the Chicken Back to the Pan
Nestle the chicken into the skillet. Let the chicken simmer in the sauce for about 10-15 minutes, or until cooked through. A meat thermometer should register an internal temperature of 160º-165ºF.
Serve over pasta or grains.
Time Saving Tips
To shave even more time off of this dish, you can…
- Swap fresh chopped herbs for 1 tablespoon of dried herbs—I’ve used my homemade Italian seasoning before, and it flavored things beautifully.
- Buy pre-cut veggies—already-sliced mushrooms and chopped onions decrease prep time in a pinch.
Serve It With…
Chicken cacciatore is great over pasta and rice, and I’ve even served them over my Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes (so good)! If you’re looking for sides, here are a few I’d recommend:
Storage Tips
- Fridge: About 3-4 days when stored in an airtight container.
- Freezer: Let the food cool, then pack it up in freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to three months. Refrigerate overnight to thaw.
Easy Chicken Cacciatore Recipe (Boneless Thighs)
Ingredients
- 3 lbs boneless chicken thighs
- Sea salt & cracked black pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup All Purpose flour
- 2 Tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced or grated
- 1/2 large sweet onion, cut into wedges
- 8 oz Baby Bella or Cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 2 Tablespoons fresh oregano, finely chopped
- 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup dry red wine, Chianti (Sangiovese), Barbera, or Pinot Noir
- 3/4 cup chicken broth
- 28 oz crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup kalamata olives
- 2 bay leaves
Instructions
- Pat the chicken thighs with paper towels to remove excess moisture; season with salt and pepper.
- Heat the oil in a deep skillet or braiser over medium-high heat.
- Dredge the chicken thighs in the flour one by one. Shake off any excess flour, then add the chicken thighs to the pan and cook until golden brown, about 4 minutes per side. Remove the chicken and set on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Add a bit more oil to the pan if needed, then add the onions and mushrooms. Sauté until softened (about 5 minutes), then add the garlic; simmer for 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato paste and fresh herbs.
- Carefully pour the wine into the skillet, followed by the chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, olives, and bay leaves. Add salt and pepper to taste, then simmer on low for 5 minutes.
- Nestle the chicken into the sauce and let it simmer for about 10-15 minutes, or until cooked through with a meat thermometer registering an internal temperature of 160º-165ºF.
- Serve over pasta, grains like rice, or mashed potatoes.
Followed this recipe exactly, and it came out spectacular. My guests raved about it. I Served it over mashed potatoes, asparagus, and garlic herbed pull apart biscuits.
I’m so glad, Barb! I was planning on updating the photos to this recipe this week, so if you come back, don’t be alarmed by new photos—it’ll be the same recipe :)