Baked Chicken Cacciatore is an easy baked dish that gives you all of the delicious Italian flavors in the comfort of your home!
Easy Baked Chicken Thighs are a delicious weeknight dinner that you can make in less than an hour. This Italian Recipe is a tasty way to make a family favorite even better.
Sabrina’s Baked Chicken Cacciatore Recipe
The only thing better than traditional Italian food is when you can make those delicious recipes a little easier on yourself. This easy Baked Chicken Cacciatore is made in just a pan and a baking dish, starting on the stove top and then finishing in the oven. You still get all the lovely flavor from braising the chicken with less clean up and time.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil , divided
- 6 chicken thighs , bone in skin on
- 1/2 green bell pepper , thinly sliced
- 1/2 red bell pepper , thinly sliced
- 1/2 yellow bell pepper , thinly sliced
- 2 stalks celery , thinly sliced
- 1/2 yellow onion , thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 cup white wine
- 15 ounces diced tomatoes
- 15 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Heat olive oil in a large sauce pan on medium-high heat.
- Season chicken with salt and pepper and add to pan skin-side down, for 5-6 minutes.
- Flip chicken and cook an additional 5-6 minutes.
- Remove chicken from pan and place into a 9×13 baking dish.
- Scatter the bell peppers, celery, onion and garlic around the chicken.
- In a large bowl mix the wine, diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper until combined.
- Pour the mixture over the chicken and vegetables.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes.
- Uncover and bake an additional 25-30 minutes.
Nutrition
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Table of contents
About this Recipe
Baked Chicken Cacciatore has all the authentic ingredients you normally find in this classic Italian dish. A hearty well-seasoned tomato sauce, braises the bone-in chicken thighs so they are tender and flavorful. Quickly searing the chicken before gives this dish an even richer flavor.
The flavorful tomato sauce is super easy thanks to canned tomatoes. These inexpensive pantry staples are great to have on hand whenever you are craving Italian food. With a little bit of extra seasoning, olive oil, and garlic, you have a rich sauce without all the preservatives in a jar of pasta sauce.
What to Pair With
This delicious Italian dish goes best with starchy sides, aka grains or pasta, that can soak up that extra sauce. Serve your Baked Chicken Cacciatore with white rice, mashed potatoes, Creamy Polenta, or a lightly buttered pasta. For an easy, flavorful side option you can try it with Slow Cooker Mushroom Rice!
How to Store
- Serve: Baked Chicken Cacciatore can be at room temperature for up to 2 hours before it should be refrigerated.
- Store: Cool chicken and then place in an airtight container. Keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freeze: You can freeze the chicken recipe for up to 3 months in a sealed container.
Slow Cooker
Season and brown chicken thighs on the skillet. Then, place them in the slow cooker. Add the rest of the ingredients to the crockpot, covering the chicken thighs. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours.
Variations
- Chicken: You can make this recipe with chicken breasts if you prefer. Bone-in, skin-on, chicken is best for this recipe. Chicken Breasts take longer to cook, so make sure the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
- Meat: Try this dish with beef roast or pork loin. Just make sure the meat has a higher fat content so it stays juicy when searing.
- Veggies: Use your favorite fresh veggies in Chicken Cacciatore. Try chopped zucchini, carrots, summer squash, eggplant, or mushrooms.
- Olives: Try adding kalamata olives, green olives, or ripe black olives when you add in the tomatoes. If you like them, add 1 tablespoon of capers when you add the olives.
- Pasta Sauce: To make this recipe even easier, simply use 2 cups pasta sauce or this Easy Marinara instead of the canned tomato ingredients and the Italian seasoning.
- Wine: Traditional Baked Chicken Cacciatore uses wine in the sauce, either a dry red or white wine. If you would rather not cook with wine, you can substitute chicken stock or beef stock. If you want to use red wine, go with Pinot Noir or Merlot. For dry white wine, use Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc.
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Photos used in previous versions of the post.
This recipe was a hit w my wife and kids! I paired the savory sauce and tender chicken with buttered spaghetti pasta my only question is with the diced tomatoes. I used canned. Should I have drained them?The sauce was tasty, but a bit too watery for my liking. I’m definitely going to try again with drained dices tomatoes.
What a great photo and thanks for asking. Everyone’s taste is different. Yes, feel free to drain the tomatoes next time.
I’ve made this twice now. Followed the instructions except of using white wine ( didn’t have any) I used 3/4 cup chicken broth and 1/4 white vinegar. Served it over fettuccine and both the boyfriend and I practically liked our plates clean. Absolutely delicious and I’ve given the recipe to a friend who’s wife is Italian (He does most of the cooking!!)
Cook time doesn’t add up
Recipe description
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Recipe instructions:
Cover with aluminum foil and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes.
Uncover and bake an additional 25-30 minutes.
There seems to be a glitch in the total timing at the top. Please follow the instructions in the recipe card. Thank you for your patience while I try to get it resolved.
Question: recipe says total time 1 hour: 25 min. prep. and 35 min. cook, but instructions say bake covered for 25 to 35 min. and uncovered for 25 to 35 min. How long do I really bake it covered and uncovered??
The recipe card is correct in the instructions. I think there’s a glitch in the timing at the top. Hopefully I can get that fixed. Enjoy!
I will use my own time. The recipe is confusing about time. I have made my own version of this dish and do know when it is done.
Okay, whatever makes sense to you. I’m sorry, you find this confusing but thank you for trying this recipe!
This quickly became a favorite at my house! It was so good!
I’m so glad you all enjoyed it.
I was looking for something easy and pantry-friendly to make for dinner tomorrow, and this is perfect!
Enjoy!
Chicken cacciatore is my husband’s favorite and this is his favorite version!!! So easy to make in the oven!
Thanks for the 5 stars, Pam.
I needed a new chicken dish to try! I am so glad I came across this one!
It’s always fun changing things up! Enjoy!!
The sauce for this looks amazing! My family would definitely love this. 🙂
I hope you all enjoy it.
Delicioso, after eliminating one of the cans of tomatoes. 2 large cans were waaay too much (too tomatoey). Very good, otherwise.
I’m glad you felt comfortable adapting to what you prefer.
Show long Total do I cook on oven??
Covered for 25-30 minutes and then take the aluminum foil cover off and bake an additional 25-30 minutes. Enjoy!