Pollo alla cacciatora
Hunter's-style chicken from central Italy: bone-in pieces browned, then braised with white wine, tomato, garlic, rosemary and olives.
Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 1 hr
- Rest
- None
- Total
- 1 hr 15 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spice
- No chilli
- Cost
- Weeknight budget$8–16 USD · indicative, not a store price
About
Pollo alla cacciatora is chicken cooked the way a hunter would cook game: browned well, then braised slowly with white wine, a little tomato, garlic and rosemary, with olives added near the end. It is a rustic, everyday dish, and the version here is the central Italian one. There are no peppers, no mushrooms and no cream; those turn up in other regions and abroad. Use bone-in pieces with skin, and take time to brown them properly, since that colour flavours the sauce. Pour off most of the fat before the wine goes in. Cook it gently, partly covered, until the meat comes away from the bone and the sauce has thickened. Done is tender chicken in a thick, glossy, savoury sauce, with plenty left for bread.
What you'll need
9 ingredients. Tap each one once it's out on the bench.
Ingredients
- Chicken, bone-in pieces with skin, thighs and drumsticks1.3 kg
- Olive oil44 ml
- Garlic, lightly crushed3 clove
- Rosemary2 sprig
- Dry white wine200 ml
- Plum tomatoes, tinned peeled, crushed400 g
- Black olives, small black olives, unpitted or pitted80 g
- Salt4.9 ml
- Black pepper2½ ml
Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.
Steps
Step 1
Season the chicken. Brown it skin side down in the oil over medium-high heat until deep golden, then turn and brown the other side. Pour off most of the fat.
15 min
Step 2
Add the garlic and rosemary and stir 1 minute. Add the wine and let it bubble until reduced by half.
5 min
Step 3
Add the tomatoes, partly cover and simmer gently 35 minutes, turning the chicken once.
35 min
Step 4
Add the olives and cook uncovered 10 minutes more, until the sauce is thick and the meat tender. Serve with bread or polenta.
10 min
Nutrition
Per serving · estimate
- Calories
- 660 kcal
- Protein
- 102.8 g
- Carbs
- 7.6 g
- Fat
- 21.7 g
- Saturated fat
- 4.7 g
- Fibre
- 1.7 g
- Sugar
- 3.2 g
- Sodium
- 839 mg
Calculated from canonical ingredient data (USDA FoodData Central averages and equivalent published tables). Estimates only.
Allergens
Informational only. Not a medical guarantee. Cross-contamination happens in real kitchens.
- No major allergens flagged in the structured ingredients.
- Dairy-free
- Gluten-free
Adapt this recipe
The original recipe stays as it is. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are simple maths.
Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 13 November.
Substitutions
Tomato → A splash of red wine vinegar and anchovy
The Roman 'in bianco' version, sharp and herby.
Tips
- Dry the chicken well before browning, or it will steam.
- It tastes even better reheated the next day.
History & culture
Every Italian region makes its own cacciatora: in Rome often with rosemary, garlic and vinegar instead of tomato, in Tuscany with black olives, in the north with mushrooms. It is a Sunday or weeknight family dish, served with bread, polenta or potatoes, never with pasta in Italy.
'Alla cacciatora' describes cooking in the style of hunters, with herbs, wine and whatever grew wild, and was first applied to game and rabbit. Chicken versions spread through Italian homes in the twentieth century as chicken became cheap and common.
Traditional — The central Italian version with tomato, wine, rosemary and olives. No peppers, mushrooms or pasta.
Provenance: Editorial adaptation.
Questions about this recipe
Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips.
How long does Pollo alla cacciatora take?
1 hr 15 min all in — 15 min prep, 1 hr cook. Cook and rest follow the method. Leftover storage and optional extra waits are not included.
How many does it serve?
The recipe is written for 4 plates. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.
How hard is it?
Easy.
How spicy is it?
No chilli.
Does it fit a diet?
The published recipe is labelled Dairy-free, Gluten-free.
What does it cost to cook?
Weeknight budget — about $8–16 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.
6 more questionsFewer questions
What equipment do I need?
Dutch oven, Chef's knife.
How much salt do I put in?
The recipe lists Salt at 1 tsp.
What can I use instead?
Tomato → A splash of red wine vinegar and anchovy. The Roman 'in bianco' version, sharp and herby.
Any tips from this recipe?
Dry the chicken well before browning, or it will steam. It tastes even better reheated the next day.
Can I prepare this ahead?
It tastes even better reheated the next day.
Can I use an air fryer?
This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.
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