Pollo alla Cacciatora

Name: Pollo alla Cacciatora
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 1 h 5 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1.6 kg Chicken cuts with bone in, Upper and lower thighs; 2 tsp Salt, Divided; 0.75 tsp black pepper; 4 tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil; 1 Onion, finely diced; 1 large carrot, finely diced; 2 Celery sticks, finely diced; 3 Garlic cloves, finely chopped; 2 Rosemary sprigs, Needles finely chopped; 2 bay leaf leaves; 180 ml Dry red wine; 800 g peeled tomatoes, roughly crushed; 150 ml Chicken stock, Hot; 140 g black olives, pitted; 2 tbsp Flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

By the Kochzauber editorial team Published 1 August 2026 Updated 3 September 2026 Editorially approved

Why this recipe works

Italian hunter chicken in tomato-wine sauce

Cacciatora dishes differ from region to region and from family to family. This tomato-based variant combines crispy fried chicken with offritto, rosemary, wine and olives. Bone-in pieces remain juicier than breast fillets when braised and add flavour and gelatin to the sauce.

Mediterranean Cuisine Lunch One-Pot Recipes Dinner

Recipe

Pollo alla Cacciatora braises browned chicken pieces with onions, carrots, celery, rosemary, wine, tomatoes and black olives.

Method

1

Dry season chicken

Pat the chicken pieces dry very well and season with 1.5 teaspoons of salt and pepper. Moist skin will brown worse in the pan.
2

Servings of deep browning

Heat oil in a heavy-based saucepan. Fry chicken in two portions, first on the skin side for 6 minutes, then another 3 minutes and remove.
3

Soffritto cook slowly

Fry the onion, carrot and celery in the remaining fat for 8 to 10 minutes until soft and slightly golden brown.
4

Deglaze with wine

Pour in the red wine, completely dissolve the roasting set and reduce the liquid to about half for 4 to 5 minutes.
5

Braise the chicken

Add the tomatoes, stock and bay leaf. Place the chicken with the skin side up and cook gently over low heat for 35 minutes.
6

Sauce open focus

Remove the lid, stir in the olives and simmer for another 12 to 15 minutes until the sauce sticks to the meat and the chicken reaches at least 75 ° C.
7

Rest and season to taste

Remove the bay leaves, test the sauce with the remaining salt and let the dish rest for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Kitchen know-how

Tips for Pollo alla Cacciatora

Roast chicken very dry

Surface moisture creates steam and prevents the intense browning that later carries the taste of the sauce.

Leave skin over the sauce

With the skin side up, it is better preserved, and the liquid should cover only about two thirds of the pieces.

Variations

How to adapt this recipe

Omit the tomatoes, increase the stock to 400 ml and add a tablespoon of lemon juice at the end. This light-coloured variety is particularly common in central Italy.

Brown 300 g of mushrooms separately and add them to the sauce together with the olives in the last 15 minutes.

Nutrition per serving

590kcal

18.0 gCarbohydrates

54.0 gProtein

32.0 gFat

Values are estimates and may vary depending on the ingredients, brands, portion size and preparation method used.

Frequently asked questions

FAQ about Pollo alla Cacciatora

The term means hunter. It means rustic stews with herbs, wine and, depending on the region, tomatoes, olives or mushrooms.

The thighs and the legs with bones remain juicy during long braising. Chunks of breast need a significantly shorter cooking time.

Yes. White wine gives a lighter, fresher sauce, red wine more depth. Both should be dry and pleasant to drink.

The pot was too tight or it remained closed until the end. Remove the chicken and reduce the sauce for a few minutes.

Yes. After one night, the sauce often tastes rounder. Heat slowly and keep the chicken skin above the sauce if possible.

Keep cooking

Pollo alla Cacciatora

Italian hunter chicken in tomato-wine sauce