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Meat, Italy

Chicken cacciatore with polenta

Chicken cacciatore is an Italian braise of chicken thighs with tomato, black olives and rosemary, served with creamy polenta. For 4 people, it takes 70 minutes and stays easy to make, for about €3.20 per person. The key is browning the chicken skin well before adding liquid, which gives the sauce its color and flavor.

The hunter's style Italian chicken, simmered with tomato, olives and rosemary, with polenta to soak up the sauce.

Chicken cacciatore with polenta
Total time
1 h 10
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€3.20
Calories per person
550 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Fall, Winter, Spring
The kids
They generally like it

Chicken cacciatore is the Italian hunter's dish, the one that simmers away while you handle everything else. The browned chicken skin, the tomato reducing slowly with olives and rosemary, all of it builds into a sauce that's generous and fragrant without being complicated. The soft polenta soaks up that sauce like a sponge, and it's usually the part kids love most.

It's a weeknight dish that looks unassuming but feeds a whole table, since the pot does the work while you go about your evening during the forty minutes of simmering. You'll want it on nights when you need something comforting without spending the whole evening in the kitchen, and it works just as well on a Sunday if you have guests to feed simply.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Chicken thighs 6

Pantry

  • Crushed tomatoesoften in the pantry 400 g
  • Black olivesoften in the pantry 100 g
  • Dry white wineoften in the pantry 15 cl
  • Instant polentaoften in the pantry 250 g
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Onion 1
  • Garlic 3 cloves
  • Rosemary 3 sprigs

Dairy

  • Butter 30 g

Allergens Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Brown the chicken thighs in the oil on all sides, then set them aside. 10 min

    Place them skin side down first and don't move them until they release on their own.

  2. In the same pot, sauté the sliced onion and garlic. 4 min

    Use the chicken fat left in the pot for cooking, it carries a lot of flavor.

  3. Deglaze with the white wine, add the tomatoes, rosemary and olives, and return the chicken to the pot. 3 min

    Let the wine evaporate halfway before adding the tomatoes.

  4. Cover and let simmer gently. 40 min

    Uncover for the last ten minutes so the sauce thickens.

  5. Cook the polenta in salted water, stir in the butter, and serve with the chicken and its sauce. 10 min

    A loose polenta should pour onto the plate like a cream.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick chicken thighs with the skin on, it's what browns and renders fat to give the sauce its color.
  • If the sauce looks too thin at the end, let it simmer uncovered a few more minutes rather than adding flour or cornstarch.
  • Make the polenta right before serving, it firms up fast as it cools and loses its creamy texture.

The variations

  • Swap the chicken thighs for boneless thighs for a faster cook and meat that's easier to serve to kids.
  • For a meatless version, replace the chicken with button mushrooms and chickpeas, keeping the same tomato, olive and rosemary base.
  • For a quicker weeknight version, use diced chicken breast, which cuts the simmering time down to 20 minutes.

What to serve it with

  • A glass of dry white wine
  • A sharply dressed green salad
  • Bread for mopping up sauce

Storage

Chicken cacciatore keeps for 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. It freezes well, without the polenta, for up to 2 months. Reheat gently in a saucepan, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened.

Questions about this dish

Can you make chicken cacciatore ahead of time?

Yes, the chicken and its sauce can be made a day ahead, and the flavor only improves. Reheat it gently on the stove and make the polenta fresh right before serving so it stays creamy.

Can you use green olives instead of black olives?

Yes, green olives work too, they just add a slightly sharper, tangier note than black ones. Choose pitted ones so the dish stays easy to serve.

Does chicken cacciatore freeze well?

Yes, the chicken and sauce freeze very well for up to 2 months. Don't freeze the polenta though, it only takes 10 minutes to make fresh each time.

Can you make this dish without white wine?

Yes, you can replace the white wine with chicken broth and a splash of vinegar. The flavor will be a touch less pronounced but the sauce will still taste great.

How long does it take to make a chicken cacciatore with polenta?

Count 1 h 10 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a chicken cacciatore with polenta?

About 550 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a chicken cacciatore with polenta cost?

About €3.20 per serving, or €12.80 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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