This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Chicken cacciatore is a classic Italian dish made with tender chicken simmered in a rustic tomato sauce with onions, bell peppers, garlic, and herbs. This single serving version cooks in one pan and delivers rich, comforting flavor in about 30 minutes.
Featured Comment
“Joanie, this is such an excellent recipe that today is the 5th or 6th time that I’ve made it and I love it. The only problem is I make it so often it gets in the way of trying new dishes you come up with.”
– Gerard
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- One-Pan Meal: Everything cooks in a single skillet, building flavor and keeping cleanup simple.
- Tender, Flavorful Chicken: The chicken is seared, then gently simmered in a rustic tomato sauce with vegetables and herbs.
- Low-Carb Friendly: Made without pasta or bread, this chicken cacciatore fits well into a low-carb meal plan.
- Perfectly Portioned: This single serving recipe gives you a satisfying meal without leftovers.
Chicken cacciatore is one of those classic Italian dishes that feels comforting and familiar from the very first bite. I love how the chicken slowly simmers in a tomato sauce with onions, peppers, garlic, and herbs, filling the kitchen with rich, savory aromas as it cooks. The sauce thickens just enough to cling to the chicken, and every bite tastes well-seasoned and deeply satisfying.
This single serving version keeps everything simple while still delivering the flavors I expect from a traditional chicken cacciatore. It’s the kind of meal I turn to when I want something hearty and homemade without a long list of ingredients or extra dishes to wash.
Serve this single serving Chicken Cacciatore with a bowl of buttered noodles or creamy mashed potatoes. Add a slice of homemade French bread for an added crunch and a side of roasted Brussels sprouts for a simple, well-balanced meal.
Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this single serving Chicken Cacciatore recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
- Olive Oil: Use extra-virgin olive oil to start because it adds classic Italian flavor and helps brown the chicken. If you only have lighter olive oil, that works too.
- Chicken: One boneless, skinless chicken thigh is the ideal cut here for juicy, tender results. You can substitute a boneless, skinless chicken breast if you prefer. If you’ve got extra chicken, use it to make coq au vin for one, chicken tortilla soup for one, or a small chicken and rice casserole.
- Seasonings: Salt, black pepper, and rosemary (fresh or dried) build a simple but flavorful base that complements the tomato sauce.
- Vegetables: Chopped onion, bell pepper, and garlic are the aromatic trio that defines traditional chicken cacciatore. You can swap bell pepper colors or add mushrooms if you like. Use leftover vegetables in sheet pan chicken fajitas, a Philly cheesesteak, or a small pizza bowl.
- Wine: A splash of dry white wine (like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio) deglazes the pan and adds acidity. If you’re skipping wine, use chicken broth instead.
- Tomatoes: Canned diced tomatoes with their juices form the rustic tomato sauce that simmers into rich flavor. Leftover tomatoes can be used in small batch Spanish rice or single serving tomato soup.
How To Make Chicken Cacciatore
These step-by-step photos show how to make chicken cacciatore for one person. For exact ingredient amounts and full instructions, see the recipe card below.
- Sear the Chicken: Season the chicken with the salt and pepper. Heat oil in a skillet and brown the chicken on both sides until golden. Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm.
- Sauté the Vegetables: In the same skillet, add the vegetables and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened.
- Add the Wine: Pour in the wine and bring it to a simmer. Cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Add Tomatoes and Chicken: Stir in the diced tomatoes with their juices, then return the chicken to the skillet. Cover and simmer until the chicken is fully cooked and the sauce has thickened slightly.
Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore (optional method)
You can make this recipe in a small 1.5 to 2-quart slow cooker.
- Lightly grease the slow cooker.
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper and place it in the slow cooker.
- Top with onions, bell peppers, garlic, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and rosemary.
- Cover and cook on low for 7 hours or high for 4 hours.
- Taste and adjust seasoning before serving.
Expert Tips
- Brown the Chicken Well: Let the chicken sear until golden before flipping. This builds flavor for the sauce.
- Use One Skillet: Cooking everything in the same pan allows the browned bits to flavor the vegetables and tomatoes.
- Deglaze the Pan: When adding the wine, scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet to deepen the sauce.
- Simmer Gently: Keep the sauce at a low simmer to ensure tender chicken and balanced flavor.
- Adjust the Sauce: Uncover the pan to thicken the sauce or add a splash of broth if it reduces too much.
Frequently Asked Questions
Chicken cacciatore means “hunter’s style” in Italian. It traditionally refers to chicken simmered in a tomato-based sauce with vegetables, herbs, and sometimes wine.
Yes. This recipe is naturally low carb since it’s made with chicken, vegetables, and tomato sauce without pasta or bread.
No. If you prefer not to use wine, substitute an equal amount of chicken broth.
The chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and is tender when pierced with a fork.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you’ve tried this chicken cacciatore or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
Also, if you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!
Chicken Cacciatore For One
Watch How To Make This
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 (6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken thigh
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ cup chopped onions
- ¼ cup chopped green bell peppers
- 1 clove garlic -minced
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- ⅓ cup canned diced tomatoes with their juices
Instructions
- Season the chicken with the salt and pepper.
- Heat the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat for 30 seconds.
- Add the chicken and cook for 4 minutes per side until browned. Transfer to a plate, cover, and set aside.
- Add the onions, bell peppers, garlic, and rosemary to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes.
- Pour in the wine and bring to a boil. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of the wine has evaporated.
- Stir in the tomatoes with their juices and return the chicken to the pan.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
- Taste and add additional salt if needed.
Notes
- Brown the Chicken Well: Let the chicken sear until golden before flipping. This builds flavor for the sauce.
- Use One Skillet: Cooking everything in the same pan allows the browned bits to flavor the vegetables and tomatoes.
- Deglaze the Pan: When adding the wine, scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet to deepen the sauce.
- Simmer Gently: Keep the sauce at a low simmer to ensure tender chicken and balanced flavor.
- Adjust the Sauce: Uncover the pan to thicken the sauce or add a splash of broth if it reduces too much.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Oh my goodness this was good. Making meals for my elderly father from this website, and he loved it. 😊
Thank you! I’m so happy your father enjoyed it.
Joanie, this is such an excellent recipe that today is the 5th or 6th time that I’ve made it and I love it. The only problem is I make it so often it gets in the way of trying new dishes you come up with. Oh well I will deal with it. In the meantime I love this and I’m singing Hay Goombadi!
Thank you so much! I’m thrilled to hear how much you love the Chicken Cacciatore – that’s high praise to make it so often! I’ll keep the new recipes coming, so whenever you’re ready to switch it up, there’ll be plenty more to try.
I made this for the first time and it came out really well…. But…what leftover wine? I drank it with the meal!
This was so tasty and delicious. I used a chicken breast and it was great. I could’ve eaten 2 portions! Thank you so much for this recipe.
Excellent recipe. Great flavors. I only had bone-in, skin on chicken thighs. So I peeled back the skin added salt and pepper and a couple basil leaves from my garden, pull the skin back in place and let it soak up the flavors for about an hour. And I followed Joanie’s recipe , adding a little bit of cornstarch to thicken the sauce a little bit. Went very well on angel hair pasta. I passed this on to my kids who are all in their 60s. Worthwhile for you and your kids too.
This recipe was SO GOOD. I didn’t have any skin-on boneless chicken, so I used 2 (two) boneless, skinless thighs. There was enough spice mixture to cover both sides of each thigh. I heated up some chicken flavored Rice A Roni and some cream corn. Like I said, it was SO GOOD. This meal was FANTASTIC. I would’ve taken a picture, but it smelled so inviting, I just dug in and ate both plates.
In your tips for crockpot, you say add 1/2 cup tomato sauce. Also is the wine not necessary in crockpot?
The recipe is slightly different when making this dish in a Crockpot so yes, I use 1/2 cup of tomato sauce and I leave out the wine when making Chicken Cacciatore in a Crockpot.
Your ingredient list says to use a chicken thigh. However, step one says to cook a chicken breast. Do you use a thigh or breast? Thank you
You can use either a chicken thigh or breast.