I always thought of Chicken Cacciatore as a recipe that would be too difficult and involved to make myself, much less on a hectic weeknight. I pretty much thought of it as the opposite of quick and easy. But I really love the fresh flavors in dish and decided it was time to conquer my fears, and see if I could: 1. make it, and 2. simplify the recipe enough to make cooking on a weeknight doable so I could pass it on to you! Well my friends, you are in luck, because I have good news for you today. Not only was I able to simplify this recipe, it came out better than I had ever imagined it would. And dare I say, there really is no reason to make it any other way! This Easy Baked Chicken Cacciatore is just perfect! If you want to try a few more easy chicken dinners, check out my Tuscan Garlic Chicken, Lemon Asparagus Chicken or any of my other Baked Chicken recipes here!
What is Chicken Cacciatore?
If this dish is new to you, don’t let the fancy name scare you off. Chicken Cacciatore is a traditional Italian meal that consists of chicken slow cooked in a veggie heavy red sauce. A traditional recipe will usually include tomatoes, green bell pepper, onion, garlic and is sometimes made with cooking wine. The flavors cooked together make a delicious sauce with tender chicken. Chicken Cacciatore is generally made on the stovetop in a large skillet, but to preserve the flavors but make this recipe more practical for everyday we will make a baked chicken cacciatore where we will get the same great flavor but just using one dish!
What to Serve with Easy Chicken Cacciatore
This Easy Chicken Cacciatore recipe pairs well with classic Italian sides like pasta and crusty bread, but also can be wonderfully accompanied by lighter or low carb options as well. Here are a few of my favorite ways to serve this dish:
Traditional Side Dishes
Pasta- Try rotini or spaghetti Bread- A baguette, or garlic bread works well with Easy Chicken Cacciatore Mashed Potatoes- I love these garlic parmesan mashed potatoes Rice- If you are gluten free, rice can be a good option for pairing the dish
Low Carb Side Dishes
Spaghetti Squash Side Salad- Especially served with this Homemade Italian Dressing Roasted veggies Zoodles- Try zucchini or carrot with to pair well with Chicken Cacciatore Sauteed Spinach– Not as traditional, but still one of my favorite ways to serve it!
You can pair this dish with just one of these options, or use 2-3 for a bigger meal. If you have other serving suggestions you love, leave me a comment and let me know! I would love to give it a try next time I make this Easy Chicken Cacciatore!
How to Make Easy Chicken Cacciatore
Skip to Recipe As promised the beauty of this dish is the simplicity of the recipe. I will walk through the basic steps here, but make sure to jump down to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for a full printable recipe. First prepare the sauce by chopping the vegetables, and mixing them with the tomatoes and garlic. Next, the chicken is seasoned with garlic, salt and pepper, and placed in a large baking dish. Spread the sauce mixture over the chicken and then sprinkle the parmesan over the top. Bake until the chicken is done and the sauce is bubbling. Serve over pasta or your favorite side dishes (many ideas listed above!)
How To Save Leftovers of Easy Chicken Cacciatore
This dish does make enough to feed a hungry family, so if you find yourself with leftovers at the end, they will store and reheat well. To save the leftovers, you can place them in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days.
Can I freeze Easy Chicken Cacciatore?
Yes! This Easy Chicken Cacciatore recipe freezes well both before or after cooking.
To freeze before cooking:
Prepare Easy Chicken Cacciatore per recipe all the way through step two. Tightly wrap, or place in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, thaw the Chicken Cacciatore completely, and continue to bake as directed in step 3.
To freeze Baked Chicken Cacciatore after cooking:
Allow Easy Chicken Cacciatore to cool completely. Package in an air tight container. I like to separate the dish into meal sized portions and place it in a few containers. When ready to eat, Chicken Cacciatore can be reheated in the microwave, heating in 30 second increments and stirring in between, or placed in a dish covered with foil and heated in the oven at 350˚F until heated through.
Easy Chicken Cacciatore Leftover Recipe Ideas
If you find yourself with leftover Chicken Cacciatore, you can do a little happy dance because there are several recipes you can make with the leftovers that will have your family raving (and completely unaware that they are actually eating leftovers!)
Chicken Cacciatore Stuffed Shells- Chop up the leftover chicken and mix it into the sauce. Scoop spoonfuls of sauce into pre-cooked large pasta shells. Cover with your favorite marinara sauce, and extra mozzarella and bake until heated through. Chicken Cacciatore Baked Subs- Cut open sub rolls and spread butter on each side. Sprinkle with garlic powder and salt then broil on low until the roll is golden brown. Then pile on slices of the leftover Easy Chicken Cacciatore then spoon a generous amount of sauce over the top. Sprinkle with mozzarella and/or parmesan cheese and bake until heated through. Chicken Cacciatore Stuffed Peppers– Cut open and clean out sweet bell peppers in any color. Chop up the leftover Easy Chicken Cacciatore and mix it into the sauce. Take the mixture and combine it with prepared rice in a 1:1 ratio (ie if you have 1 cup of chicken cacciatore, add 1 cup of rice, if you have 2 cups of chicken you will add 2 cups of rice etc.) Stuff the chicken mixture into each pepper until filled and then place in a baking dish upright. Pour 1 cup of chicken broth into the bottom of the dish, cover with foil and bake at 350˚F for 40 minutes. Remove foil, add cheese to the top, and continue to bake for 5 additional minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Chicken Cacciatore Pizza– Spread a pizza crust out onto a pizza pan. Chop the leftover baked chicken cacciatore. Spread spoonfuls of the sauce on the pizza crust and then top with mozzarella or provolone cheese. Sprinkle chopped chicken over the top and additional veggies like sliced bell pepper, onion, olives, bacon etc. Bake as directed for pizza crust.
More Classic Recipes Made Easy!
Italian Sausage and Peppers Baked Chicken Marsala Easy Chicken Piccata
