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Indulge in the warmth of Italian comfort food with this single serving Chicken Cacciatore recipe. Tender chicken simmers in a rich tomato sauce infused with aromatic herbs, creating a dish reminiscent of a rustic Italian trattoria. While traditionally enjoyed at restaurants, this recipe simplifies the process, allowing you to recreate the experience in your own kitchen.
Enjoy a single serving of Chicken Cacciatore over smooth, buttered noodles or with creamy mashed potatoes. Pair it with freshly-baked French bread for an added crunch and a side of roasted Brussels sprouts, crisp and caramelized. Each element complements the chicken, creating a well-rounded and satisfying meal.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy to Make: No complicated steps, just straightforward cooking.
- Low Carb: A hearty meal that’s kind on your carb count.
- One Pan Wonder: Everything cooks in one skillet for easy clean-up.
- Single Serving: No food waste, and it’s perfect when cooking for one.
What Is Chicken Cacciatore?
In Italian, “Cacciatore” translates to “hunter,” and dishes prepared “alla cacciatora” are made “hunter-style.” This means they typically feature rustic, hearty ingredients like onions, bell peppers, herbs, and tomatoes. Some versions also include a splash of wine for extra flavor. Chicken Cacciatore is a dish born out of necessity and practicality, likely crafted to satiate hungry hunters returning from a long day in the fields. It’s a fulfilling stew that comes together easily, making it perfect for anyone looking for a robust and flavorful meal.
Ingredients
This section provides a quick rundown of the ingredients used in this Chicken Cacciatore recipe. For complete measurements and step-by-step instructions, please scroll to the recipe card located at the bottom of this post.
- Olive Oil: Extra virgin olive oil is my go-to for this simple Chicken Cacciatore recipe. It’s the least processed, boasting a robust olive flavor while also retaining more vitamins and minerals. While I prefer extra virgin, a lighter olive oil will also work if that’s what you have on hand.
- Chicken: This recipe calls for one boneless, skinless chicken thigh, which I favor over a breast. Chicken thighs have a bit more fat, adding richness and flavor to the sauce. However, a boneless, skinless chicken breast will also do the job if that’s your preference. If you have an extra piece of chicken, consider using it in Coq au Vin, Chicken Tortilla Soup, or a Chicken and Rice Casserole.
- Seasonings: You’ll need either fresh or dried rosemary, along with salt and black pepper. These foundational flavors bring out the best in the dish.
- Vegetables: The staples here are onions, green bell peppers, and garlic. But feel free to get creative—swap in red, yellow, or orange bell peppers, or even toss in some carrots or celery. These three vegetables can also be found in Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas, a Philly Cheesesteak, and a Pizza Bowl.
- Wine: A classic touch in Chicken Cacciatore is a splash of wine. Opt for a dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio. Either enjoy a glass of wine with your meal or use some of the white wine in Baked Stuffed Fish. If you’re skipping the wine, chicken broth makes a good substitute.
- Tomatoes: Canned diced tomatoes are the final touch, juice and all. They bring acidity and depth, rounding out the flavors of this hearty dish. Leftover tomatoes can be used in Spanish Rice and Tomato Soup.
If you have any ingredients leftover from this single serve Chicken Cacciatore recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
How To Make Chicken Cacciatore For One
These step-by-step photos and instructions help you visualize how to make Chicken Cacciatore. See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Sear the Chicken: Start by seasoning the chicken with the herbs and spices. Brown it in a skillet to lock in the flavors. Once browned, move the chicken to a plate and cover to keep it warm.
- Sauté the Veggies: Use the same skillet to soften your vegetables, stirring until they become tender.
- Incorporate the Wine: Pour in the wine and let it simmer. Continue cooking until nearly all the wine has evaporated, enhancing the dish’s overall flavor.
- Combine Tomatoes and Chicken: Add your diced tomatoes along with the juice, then reintroduce the browned chicken to the skillet. Cover the skillet and let everything simmer together until the chicken is fully cooked.
Expert Tips
- Before you start cooking, make sure to read the entire recipe, including the Ingredient Notes section, and examine the process photos. This detailed guide will help you understand how the recipe unfolds, ensuring your Chicken Cacciatore turns out perfect every time. All the information you need is found within the body of this recipe post, so don’t miss a thing!
- Stock Up on Chicken: When you find a good deal on chicken thighs or breasts, grab some extra. Divide them into single servings, wrap them individually, and store in the freezer. This makes it convenient to whip up this dish any time. According to the USDA, chicken breasts maintain optimal quality in the freezer for up to nine months.
- Freeze Leftover Wine: Don’t let that extra wine go to waste. Pour it into ice cube trays and stash them in the freezer. When you need a splash of wine for cooking, just pop out a frozen wine cube and add it directly to your dish.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! If slow cooking is more your style, go for a 1.5 to 2-quart slow cooker. Here’s how to adapt the recipe:
Grease the slow cooker with a cooking spray to avoid sticking.
Season a chicken thigh with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, and place it at the bottom of the slow cooker.
Layer with 1/4 cup chopped onions, 1/4 cup chopped bell peppers, and a minced garlic clove. Add 1/3 cup diced tomatoes, 1/2 cup tomato sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary on top.
Cook on low for 7 hours or on high for 4 hours.
Adjust salt to taste as needed.
A 10-inch skillet works perfectly for making this dish. It’s spacious enough to hold all the ingredients without overcrowding, ensuring even cooking.
Yes, you can swap out the chicken thigh for a boneless, skinless chicken breast.
While wine adds a complex flavor, it’s not essential. If you’d like to avoid alcohol, you can substitute the wine with chicken broth.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For longer storage, freeze it in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
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
- Sprinkle both sides of the chicken breast with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- In a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil 30 seconds.
- Add chicken to the skillet and cook 4 minutes on each side. Transfer chicken to a large plate, cover, and set aside.
- Add chopped onions, bell peppers, garlic, and rosemary to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes.
- Add wine and bring to a boil. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally until almost all of the wine has evaporated.
- Stir in the tomatoes and add the chicken back to the pan. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 25 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
- Taste and add additional salt, if needed.
Notes
- Before you start cooking, make sure to read the entire recipe, including the Ingredient Notes section, and examine the process photos. This detailed guide will help you understand how the recipe unfolds, ensuring your Chicken Cacciatore turns out perfect every time. All the information you need is found within the body of this recipe post, so don’t miss a thing!
- Stock Up on Chicken: When you find a good deal on chicken thighs or breasts, grab some extra. Divide them into single servings, wrap them individually, and store in the freezer. This makes it convenient to whip up this dish any time. According to the USDA, chicken breasts maintain optimal quality in the freezer for up to nine months.
- Freeze Leftover Wine: Don’t let that extra wine go to waste. Pour it into ice cube trays and stash them in the freezer. When you need a splash of wine for cooking, just pop out a frozen wine cube and add it directly to your dish.
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.
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.
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.