How to Make Chicken Cacciatore | Rachael Ray (2024)

FAQs

What is the best way to serve chicken cacciatore? ›

Chicken cacciatore with pasta is one of the best ways to enjoy this rustic dish. You could opt for long tendrils of spaghetti or a short-cut pasta, like rigatoni or penne. I like whole wheat for its higher fiber content.

Cacciatore (/ˌkɑːtʃəˈtɔːri/, /ˌkætʃ-/, Italian: [kattʃaˈtoːre]; lit. 'hunter') refers to a meal prepared with onions, herbs, usually tomatoes, often peppers, and sometimes wine.

The secret of how it came to be actually comes from its name; in Italian, cacciatore roughly translates to “hunter”, meaning that those who prepared this meal usually hunted the chicken themselves. In their travels, they found other ingredients to pick up along the way that eventually evolved into staples of the dish.

What is cacciatore sauce made of? Chicken Cacciatore sauce is a full-flavoured sauce using simple ingredients. Onion and garlic are sautéed in oil in the same skillet with bell peppers, carrots, mushrooms and herbs. I love using brown mushrooms in this cacciatore.

You could also add a cornstarch slurry to thicken your sauce. Remove your chicken, and whisk together 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water and 1 tablespoon of your sauce. Then, stir this mixture into the slow cooker and let simmer until thickened.

A favorite preparation in Italian homes and restaurants is the savory cacciatore, which typically comes with chicken, although it can accompany any kind of meat. Those who enjoy cacciatore are probably accustomed to a stew-like dish that is made with tomato, onions, herbs, wine, and sometimes bell peppers.

Chicken parmesan uses boneless skinless chicken breasts that are pounded thin and fried crisp before they're smothered in tomato sauce and topped with cheese. Chicken cacciatore is different. It's more like a hearty stew that's made with bone-in chicken.

This dish has a rich history that dates back to the Renaissance period in Italy, though its exact origins have been passed on through folklore stories and tradition. The term "cacciatora" refers to a meal prepared "hunter-style" with ingredients that a hunter might have had readily available.

Here at Il Porcellino we make this hearty dish using our slightly spicy, homemade Calabrese sausage made from Mennonite pork and natural casings. Our sausage cacciatore is made with meaty cremini mushrooms, onions, red pepper and our sugo fresco.

The diet would have varied depending on region, as well: fish featured heavily near the coast, while inland communities would rely more on pork and wild game. Foods would be flavored with things like garlic, onion, and pepper, and olive oil has always held a central role in the region's cuisine.

Can you eat cacciatore raw? ›

Cacciatore is a small-sized salami made with 100% pork, seasoned with spices, pepper, garlic and on occasion fennel. It is a cured sausage, which is generally left for about a month to ferment and dry, and then is most often eaten raw.

To Make Ahead: Chicken Cacciatore can be prepared a day ahead, as the taste and flavors get stronger, and taste even better. We prepared it on Saturday afternoon, refrigerate overnight and reheated it to share on Sunday for lunch.