When I wrote my lighter bestselling cookbook, I immediately knew that a classic Chicken Cacciatore had to be on the roster.
This Italian favorite features a tomato-based sauce loaded with onions, peppers, and my favorite touch, olives! It is a the epitome of a flavor-packed, savory dish with just a twang of sweet.
Even better than how simple it is to make? It’s good for you.
Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore
Yield: 6
Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore
This Italian favorite features a tomato-based sauce loaded with onions, peppers, and my favorite touch, olives! It is a the epitome of a flavor-packed, savory dish with just a twang of sweet. It's also in my bestselling lighter cookbook.
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
6 minutes
Additional Time
10 minutes
Total Time
26 minutes
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon ghee or butter (optional)
- 3 pounds bone-in, skinless chicken thighs and drumsticks, seasoned with a little salt pepper or your favorite seasoning. (See Jeffrey's Tips)
- 1 Vidalia (sweet) onion, diced
- 2 green bell peppers, seeded and dcied
- 8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, sliced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
- 1/4 cup dry red wine (like a pinot noir) or additional broth
- 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce (not the same as pasta sauce)
- 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, with their juices
- 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth (see Jeff’s Tips)
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons red wine or apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon raw honey (optional)
- 1/4 cup Spanish olives, pitted and sliced
- 1/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
Instructions
- Add the oil and ghee (if using) to the Instant Pot, hit Sauté, and Adjust so it’s on the More or High setting. Once the oil’s bubbling and the ghee’s melted (about 3 minutes), add the chicken in batches and flash-sear for 20 seconds on each side. Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Add the onion, peppers, and mushrooms to the pot and sauté, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until slightly softened. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
- Add the wine to deglaze the bottom of the pot and let simmer for 1 minute. Really make sure the bottom of the pot is as smooth as possible with any browned bits scraped up from the deglazing.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, broth, seasoned salt, pepper, sage, and thyme. Stir until well combined, then return the chicken to the pot.
- Secure the lid, move the valve to the sealing position, hit Keep Warm/Cancel, and then hit Manual or Pressure Cook on High Pressure for 6 minutes. Quick release when done. Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a serving dish.
- Add the tomato paste, vinegar, honey (if using), and olives (if using) to the pot. Stir until well combined. Let sit for 5 minutes for the sauce to thicken.
- Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve. Goes great over zoodles or rice.
Jeffrey's Tips
If using an 8-qt, use 3/4 cup of broth.
As for the chicken, I like bone-in, skin-off thighs and legs (drumsticks). Since bone-in chicken usually comes with the skin on, I simply peel it right off prior to cooking. But you can use boneless, skinless thighs and/or and breasts if you prefer.
If olives aren't your thing, try some roasted red peppers instead.
John Kelley
Cacciatore is the Italian word for HUNTER.
Gretchen
It says 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce (not the same as pasta sauce). Is this a 14.5 oz can?
Thanks!
Jeffrey
It’s 1 cup worth. So 8 ounces.
Joanne St Charles
When recipes call for a partial can of an ingredient like this, I like to freeze the rest of the can contents in ice cube trays. Perfect for adding whatever amount you want to other dishes as needed.
Jeffrey
Great idea!
John Kelley
Fell in love with my wife 52 years ago at Moliaves Restaurant in Boston, 1968. We both had chicken Cacciatore for dinner. This dish brought back wonderful memories. We both had it again tonight. I believe this version may be better. How sweet it is !! (the honey is a must !) Thanks, Jeffery
Ruth
Omg, Ristarante Molives! That’s a blast from the past. It was in Wakefield for years and sadly closed.
Oh how I miss it there. Never had a bad meal.
Pauline M Drylie
If I use breast, should I cube it or leave it whole?
Donna Alderfer
I’m using breast and cut it up a little bit not cubed. Came out moist and delish!
Patricia Smith
I loved it and want to make again is it okay to just use the drumsticks as this is all I have for now I ordered your new book can’t wait to get it
Jeffrey
Absolutely! So glad you enjoyed!
Harry
Very yummy dish! I used roasted red peppers instead of olives. And, I used thinly sliced chicken breasts instead of thighs. Also was able to further cut down sodium content using salt-free crushed tomatoes and salt-free diced tomatoes. Some really good flavors with this dish. Will make again!
Cheryl
This is my new favorite IP recipe. It was sooo yummy that we wanted to lick our plates clean – LOL. I used 8 chicken thighs and had plenty of sauce for a side of spaghetti. I don’t care for thyme so I used 1/2 tsp thyme and 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning. So good! And I was lucky enough to find, for the 1st time, a 14.5 oz can of crushed tomatoes. Thanks for the recipe.
Tony
What are zoddles? It’s on step 7.
Pete
Zucchini noodles, zucchini that has been spiralized.
Tony
Thank you Pete
Gary Bratcher
This is so good! Off the subject but Please add more shrimp recipes.
Lija
Hi, I like the style in which you wrote the recipe. It’s very easy to follow. I was glad of the suggestion to use roasted red peppers instead of olives.
This is my first time on your site, and I like the way it looks. I’m going to get the newsletter. I’ll try this recipe tonight, thank you Jeffrey.
Patrick Farrell
Jeffery, Amazing as always and easy! Love the sauce and and its amazing on it’s own!
Can’t wait for your new lighter Cookbook!
Illume Eltanin
While not to be used often, don’t discard the skin and fat from the chicken. Make some luscious golden smsltz, gribbenes, and onions with it.
I posted my method to Facebook, following Jeffrey’s step-by-step layout:
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10158145062436365&id=560391364
Barbara
When you say “seasoned salt”, what do you mean? I live in Mexico, so if there is a product by that name, we don’t have it here.
Jeffrey
Lawry’s
Donna Marren
Deeeeelicious!!!
Margaret Pargin
I think the chicken thighs need to cook longer than 6 minutes. Everything else was good bit I like the chicken falling off the bone. Maybe 12 minutes? I had to use a knife.
Melissa
10 minutes was perfect when I made thighs recently. Was still on the bone, but came right off easily.
Sally
I did 15 minutes and it fell if the bone, so delicious 😋
Joann
So I tried this today and I received a burn display. I followed all the instructions and made sure there was no stuck food on the bottom. Had to transfer it to a pan to cook. What did I do wrong?
Jeffrey
Perhaps too thick with the tomato products you used? Also not sure of the size pot you used. In any case, just add more broth.
Trish
Same here. Using a 6qt pot. I used a 28oz can of crushed tomatoes, no diced. I added a ton of broth, but after 3 burn warnings, I finally gave up and turned the pot to slow cook instead.
Dianne Holzman
This was delicious! I used some olives and roasted red peppers, that’s what I had, and all thighs. Plenty of sauce to save. I might add a bit of crushed red pepper flakes next time. Love your recipes!
Steve S
Wow wow wow!
We categorize recipes we like as “would make again” or “would make for guests”. This falls into the later hands down!
Thanks Jeffery!
Toni Chapman
I used skin on thighs, they were pretty big. 10 min. still not done. put in for another 5. Perfect! So good! Thank you for another winner
Karen
Oh my! Jeffrey you have out done yourself again. This sauce is certainly restaurant quality. I will be making this again & again & …
Amazing!
Gay Thomas
Made this tonight. It was very tasty and served with rice and garlic toast. I had a lot of sauce left so froze it and will serve with shredded chicken and pasta.
Sally
No offense Jeffrey… I have all 3 cookbooks, this is absolutely delicious with my modifications, this is definitely not a light recipe if you are watching your intake/Points as I am, I’m on weight watchers… what I did for me was after I had all the oil and butter in the pot I dumped it and used only 1 tablespoon of oil and a little bit of butter… also had to skim the natural oil from the chicken once it was done, as I said if you are not worried about all that oil and butter it’s OK… But truly it’s absolutely delicious, I had to give it 9 minutes using drumsticks only as it did not get tender enough at 6 minutes but that could be my pressure cooker…Thanks again for all your easy delicious recipes ❤️
Jeffrey
Glad you enjoyed but I disagree! This is most definitely a “lighter” recipe compared to a heavy, creamy (or fried) dish. Olive oil is good for you and there is a VERY small amount of butter. Remember – this is to be dispersed between 6-8 people.
Sally
I just made this again today and it is absolutely delicious! you are correct on the recipe being dispersed amongst 6 to 8 people, I didn’t even think of that I just thought of the 3 tablespoons of olive oil thinking only of myself eating it as 1 person lol, today I did make it exactly using the 3 tablespoons of olive oil in 1 tablespoon of Ghee and it’s truly amazingly delicious, BTW I have all your cookbooks and one recipe is more delicious than the next, thanks for creating such deliciousness.
Jeffrey
I am so so glad you love it!!!
Sally
Absolutely delicious! Really tasty! Enough leftover sauce that I cooked my codfish in.
Pam
Wondering how long to pressure cook if using boneless skinless breasts?
Jennifer
Mr. Eisner, how DO you do it?! This was so deliciously scrumptious! My family was mmm-mmm-mmm-ing and my husband fell in love with me all over again. This is the third recipe I’ve made of yours and all three are keepers to be made often (your beef stew and your minestrone are sooo good, as well). I used bone-in skinless thighs, added the olives and the honey and served it with polenta. We had it last night and I considered having leftovers for breakfast but I can’t be that selfish. I have a couple thighs left over and much sauce so I’m thinking of shredding the chicken into the sauce with gnocchi tonight. So good! You’re awesome! Thank you!
Meredith G
Chicken cacciatore has always been one of my favorite meals. This recipe far exceeds all of the other ones I have ever made! Absolutely the best!
Barbara Kimball
This looks yummy and you certainly have lost a lot of weight from this picture! Will definitely try this recipe. Tonight, planning your Pork Paprikash from Simple Comforts. Love your recipes, Jeffrey. Thank you for sharing!
Jeffrey
Enjoy!
Deb Laidler
Made this tonight for my boyfriend and he said he’s ordered chicken cacciatore at quite a few places over his lifetime and this was one of the best he’s ever had! I told him it’s because it’s from Jeffrey!
Note: I didn’t add honey or olives, and accidentally used the full can of crushed tomatoes.
Thank you Jeffrey, you really do have the best recipes!!
Jeffrey
No THAT’S amore! I am so happy to hear it!
Sally Renna
I made this recipe last year and it was lipsmacking delicious lol are used a full can of crushed tomatoes so I didn’t have to freeze the other half and it was absolutely delicious, I am on Weight Watchers so I left out the oil and butter only because I do Own 2 instant pots but I made it in my oval GoWise which is nonstick so that’s saved on points and you really couldn’t even tell, otherwise left the recipe as is and it’s truly, truly delicious I have all your cookbooks and just ordered your new one which is coming today! I can’t wait!! thanks for all you do and all the time you take to create these delicious recipes that can also be modified for weight watcher members, many weight watcher members in my meeting follow you and they do modify and it does not like in flavor with the few modifications.
Jeffrey
Superb!!
Sally
I made this again yesterday for a friend and it’s truly delicious, the best I’ve ever had, I shredded the chicken after I took it off the bone because I was making it for a friend and her kids prefer it shredded, I used regular honey as I didn’t have raw And just used extra broth instead of the wine, truly delicious.