Pollo alla Cacciatora
A classic Tuscan hunter's stew of tender bone-in chicken braised in red wine, sweet crushed tomatoes, rosemary, and black olives.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 50 min
- Total
- 70 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 485 kcal
Equipment
- •heavy-bottomed casserole or Dutch oven
- •wooden spoon
- •tongs
- •sharp knife
- •chopping board
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 485 kcal
- fat
- 31 g
- carbs
- 8 g
- fibre
- 2 g
- protein
- 42 g
- calories
- 485 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Season the chicken pieces evenly with fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- 2
Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a wide casserole over medium-high heat.
- 3
Add the chicken pieces skin-side down and sear for 6 to 8 minutes until golden brown.
- 4
Turn the chicken over and brown the other side for 4 minutes, then transfer to a plate.
- 5
Add the diced onion, carrot, and celery to the pan juices and fry for 5 minutes until soft.
- 6
Stir in the crushed garlic, rosemary sprigs, and sage, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
- 7
Pour in the dry red wine, scraping up any caramelised brown bits from the pan bottom.
- 8
Simmer briskly for 3 minutes until the liquid reduces by half.
- 9
Stir in the crushed plum tomatoes and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.
- 10
Return the browned chicken and resting juices into the sauce, spooning some over the top.
- 11
Cover with a lid, lower the heat, and simmer gently for 30 minutes until tender.
- 12
Uncover, stir in the black olives, and simmer for 10 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
Chef's tips
Using bone-in chicken cuts delivers the richest braising sauce and keeps the meat succulent. Choose a dry, medium-bodied Tuscan red wine like Chianti for the most authentic regional flavour profile.
Ingredient substitutions
- dry red wine → dry white wine, which is common in northern Italian variations
- chicken thighs and drumsticks → a whole jointed chicken (around 1.2 kg)
Storage
Keep leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Reheating
Reheat gently in a covered saucepan over low heat with a splash of water until piping hot.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Crowding the pan during browning, which causes the chicken to steam instead of developing a deep crust.
- •Boiling the sauce too hard, which makes the chicken meat tough and dries it out.
Serving suggestions
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