This chicken cacciatore soup is a cosy, slow-cooked chicken tomato stew featuring tender chicken thighs, tomatoes, olives, mushrooms, and onions. Baked in a Dutch oven or casserole dish, but it can be done in a slow cooker or instant pot, this oven baked chicken cacciatore is bursting with classic Italian flavours, perfect for a hearty dinner.
When I first had this dish written up on my weekly meal plan and was telling my partner what we were having, I pronounced it as it was spelt - cacc-ia-tore - which he very quickly informed me was incorrect. Chicken cacciatore is pronounced "kach" + "uh" + "taw" + "ree".
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Why you'll love this recipe
Rich and flavourful. The combination of chicken, olives, mushrooms, and stewed tomatoes makes this chicken cacciatore stew incredibly savory and delicious.
Hearty and comforting. Slow-cooked in the oven, this chicken cacciatore casserole is the perfect warm and satisfying dish for a cozy dinner.
Meal prep friendly. This oven baked chicken cacciatore tastes even better the next day as the flavours have had time to mature, making it great for leftovers or meal prep.
Customisable. You can easily adjust this chicken tomato stew, for example if you don't like olives in your chicken cacciatore, leave them out!
Ingredients
Chicken thighs (with bones). Thighs with bone are better for slow-cooked chicken dishes because the chicken bones add richness and depth as they slowly cook. Bone-in thighs tend to stay juicier and more tender, as well as holding their structure during the longer cooking times, like with this chicken cacciatore with olives.
Onion. The onion provides a savory base for the chicken cacciatore casserole, adding sweetness and depth as it cooks.
Mushrooms. Mushrooms add a rich, earthy flavour to the chicken cacciatore with mushrooms, enhancing the umami of the dish.
Kalamata olives. These olives bring a briny, salty contrast that elevates the flavours in the oven baked chicken cacciatore. But, if you're not a fan of olives, feel free to omit them from the chicken stew.
Tomatoes. You can use fresh tomatoes, or use store-purchased passata and diced tomatoes (depending what is in season and you have access too). Whatever you choose, make sure it is good quality as the tomatoes are the flavour-base for the chicken mushroom soup
Vinegar. Adds a touch of acidity that helps balance the richness of the tomatoes and chicken in this chicken cacciatore soup. I use a white-wine vinegar, but you could also use apple cider vinegar, white vinegar, or even a dry white wine.
Sugar. Balances the acidity of the tomatoes and vinegar, rounding out the flavours in the chicken cacciatore casserole.
Fresh rosemary and bay leaf. Infuses the Italian chicken cacciatore with olives with a subtle, aromatic flavour that deepens when cooked.
Please check the recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantity. See below for substitutions and variations.
How to make chicken cacciatore
- Sear the chicken
Heat a large Dutch oven or casserole dish over medium-high heat with a little olive oil.
Add the chicken thighs with bones and sear them for 3-4 minutes on each side until they are golden brown. Remove the chicken and set aside. - Cook the vegetables
In the same dish, add the onion, carrots, and mushrooms. Sauté for 5 minutes until softened, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Deglaze and add tomatoes
Add the vinegar to the dish to deglaze, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Stir in the passata and diced tomatoes, mixing them well with the vegetables.
- Add olives and seasoning
Stir in the kalamata olives, sugar, fresh rosemary sprigs, and bay leaves. Let the mixture simmer for a few minutes to combine the flavours.
- Return chicken
Nestle the seared chicken thighs back into the tomato and vegetable mixture, ensuring they are partially submerged in the sauce. Spoon some of the sauce over the chicken.
- Bake chicken cacciatore in oven
Cover the Dutch oven or casserole dish with a lid or foil and transfer it to the preheated oven. Cook for 1 to 3 hours (by cooking longer at a lower temperature, the flavours will deepen further). Make sure chicken has reached 70C before removing from oven and sauce should be thickened.
- Serve
Remove the rosemary sprigs and bay leaves before serving. Serve the chicken cacciatore with olives hot, garnished with fresh herbs if desired, and enjoy with rice, pasta, or crusty bread. I used this chicken cacciatore with rice for a week of meal preps.
Top Tip
If the tomato sauce is too acidic for your taste, a small pinch of sugar or splash of vinegar can help balance the flavours.
Substitutions and variations
Chicken thighs. You can substitute bone-in chicken thighs in the chicken cacciatore soup with drumsticks or bone-in chicken breasts for a similar rich flavour, But adjust cooking time accordingly as chicken breasts may cook faster.
You could also substitute with various cuts of chicken without the bone, but this will impact the tenderness.
Diced tomatoes. Swap canned diced tomatoes for fresh, chopped tomatoes in this chicken tomato stew for a fresher taste and chunkier texture; you may need to cook them slightly longer to break them down.
Olives. If you’re not a fan of kalamata olives, you can use green olives or even capers for a briny, salty touch in the chicken cacciatore with olives. If you're not a fan of any, omit, but you may need to add some extra salt to the dish to break up the acidity of the tomatoes.
Mushrooms. Replace mushrooms with bell peppers or zucchini for a different vegetable variation in your chicken cacciatore with mushrooms.
Fresh seasoning. If you don’t have fresh rosemary and bay leaves, dried herbs work just as well, though fresh herbs tend to add a more vibrant flavour to your oven baked chicken cacciatore.
Meal prep and leftovers
Meal prepping chicken cacciatore soup is a great way to have a flavourful, hearty meal ready for the week. Make a large batch and portion it out for easy lunches or dinners throughout the week.
Chicken cacciatore stew is perfect for meal prep because the chicken, tomato, mushroom flavours continue to develop and intensify overnight, making it more delicious the next day.
Serve the chicken cacciatore with mushrooms on rice (pictured) to help soak up the rich Italian tomato sauce, or you can serve with crusty bread, polenta or pasta.
Storing
Store the chicken cacciatore soup in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days, ensuring the flavours stay fresh. If storing with rice or pasta, I would recommend storing on opposite sides of the container so the rice or pasta don't continue to soak up the flavour (as it could end up a bit mushy due to the liquid).
Reheating
Reheat the chicken tomato mushroom dish on the stovetop over medium heat or in the microwave until warmed through, adding a splash of water or broth if it thickens too much.
If reheating with rice, place an ice cube in the rice - this helps prevent it from drying out. Remove the ice cube once heated.
Freezing
This Italian chicken tomato dish freezes well for up to 6 months. To freeze, let the chicken mushroom stew cool completely before transferring to freezer-safe containers, ziplock or vacuum sealer. Make sure the containers or storage are just big enough to fit the chicken cacciatore (this helps prevent freezer burn).
Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating, and note that the texture may slightly change, but the flavours will remain delicious.
If you want more meal prep information, check out my Meal Prep for Beginners post and my Meal Prep Basics E-Book.
FAQs
Chicken cacciatore is a classic Italian dish where chicken thighs (traditional chicken cacciatore has bones) are slow-cooked in a rich tomato-based sauce with ingredients like mushrooms, olives, onions, and fresh herbs. The name "cacciatore" means "hunter" in Italian, and the dish often includes rustic flavours and ingredients.
Chicken cacciatore pairs perfectly with crusty bread, creamy polenta, pasta, or rice, which helps soak up the flavourful tomato sauce. You can also serve it with roasted vegetables or a simple side salad to round out the meal.
If your chicken cacciatore sauce is too thin, you can remove the lid during the last 20-30 minutes of cooking to let it reduce, or stir in a cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water) for a thicker consistency.
Other winter-warmer meals
I hope you enjoy this as much as I do - Love & Pasta, Lauren x
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Recipe
Chicken Cacciatore Soup (Chicken Tomato Stew)
Ingredients
- 1.5 kg (approx. 10) chicken thighs (with bones) subs note 1
- 1 onion diced
- 2 carrots chopped
- 150 g (1 ½ cups) mushrooms
- 160 g (1 cup) kalamata olives subs note 2
- 700 g (3 cups) passata
- 400 g (1 ¾ cups) diced tomatoes subs note 3
- 15 ml (1 tbsp) vinegar subs note 4
- 12 g (1 tbsp) white sugar
- 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 2 bay leaf
Rice (cooked your way, or see my post for top tips)
- 550 g (3 cups) cooked rice (185g/1 cup raw)
Instructions
Preheat the oven
- Set your oven to between 140°C-160°C (280°F-350°F). Choose temperature based on how much time you have. For a more intense flavour and fall-apart chicken, cook at a lower temperature (up to 3 hours). If short on time, cook at a higher temperature (1.5 or less).
Pre-sear chicken & vegetables
- Over medium heat, add olive oil to a large dutch oven or casserole dish. Sear chicken thighs for 3-4 minutes each side until golden brown. Set aside.
- Add onions, carrots, mushrooms to the dish, saute for 5 minutes until slightly softened. Heat a large Dutch oven or casserole dish over medium-high heat with a little olive oil. Add the chicken thighs with bones and sear them for 3-4 minutes on each side until they are golden brown. Remove the chicken and set aside.
Add other ingredients
- Add the vinegar to the dish to deglaze, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Stir in the passata and diced tomatoes, olives and seasonings. Mix well then add to oven.
Bake in the oven
- Cover the Dutch oven or casserole dish with a lid or foil and transfer it to the preheated oven. Cook for 1 to 3 hours depending on the temperature you've chosen. Before removing, double check the chicken is at least 70C and the sauce has thickened.
- When there's around 45 minutes left, begin to prepare your rice. You can do this however you like, or you can follow some of my tips & tricks for cooking rice.
Serve
- Remove the rosemary sprigs and bay leaves before serving. Serve the chicken cacciatore with olives hot, garnished with fresh herbs if desired, and enjoy with rice, pasta, or crusty bread. See my post about how best to cook rice.
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I couldn’t leave without mentioning how much I enjoyed your content. I’ll be back to check out your new posts regularly. Keep up the awesome work!
athletelunchbox
Thank you so much for your kind comment! I am aiming to get lots of new recipes up so please keep in touch and let me know what you think 🙂