Roman Chicken Cacciatore Recipe
Published December 3, 2024. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
This Roman Chicken Cacciatore Recipe is a lighter, tangier take on an Italian classic. It’s a simple, delicious meal that will please even the pickiest palates. Tender bone-in chicken is braised in a light and herbaceous white wine vinegar sauce.
I’m Sicilian, so it’s no surprise that Italian food is a pretty big deal in my house. Between this Roman-style Chicken Cacciatore, my delicious Chicken Vesuvio, and my Chicken Saltimbocca, there’s no shortage of irresistible Italian dishes in our family’s dinner routine.
Roman Chicken Cacciatore
Cacciatore, which means “hunter” in Italian, is a practical one-pot meal originally made by hunters using whatever wild game they caught, such as rabbit or pheasant. These days, bone-in chicken is a common substitute, although each recipe varies based on the region and its local ingredients and traditions.
Classic chicken cacciatore, for instance, features chicken braised in a rich tomato sauce with mirepoix vegetables, mushrooms, herbs, and sometimes wine. On the other hand, this Roman chicken cacciatore recipe features fall-off-the-bone chicken braised in a tangy, savory sauce made from white wine vinegar, rosemary, and anchovies. This version is lighter, tangier, and herbaceous, giving you a fresh take on grandma’s chicken cacciatore recipe.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Chicken – I prefer to make my chicken cacciatore with a whole chicken fabricated into breasts, thighs, and drumsticks. If you’d like to keep it simple, use all bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, breasts, or drumsticks instead.
- Oil — Any high-heat oil, such as olive, avocado, grapeseed, or clarified butter, will work when sautéing the aromatics.
- Anchovies – Finely minced anchovy fillets melt into the hot oil, giving the sauce a deep, umami flavor. They may seem small, but a little goes a long way! If you don’t have anchovies, use anchovy paste or fish sauce.
- Garlic — Thinly sliced fresh garlic cloves add a savory flavor. In a pinch, you can substitute 1/2 teaspoon of garlic paste per clove, but fresh garlic is a core ingredient in Roman cuisine.
- Herbs – You need a sprig of rosemary and flat-leaf Italian parsley. Basil can substitute for parsley if you don’t have it.
- Wine — Use a dry white wine you like, such as Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio. If you’d prefer to skip the alcohol, substitute an equal amount of chicken stock.
- Acid – White wine vinegar offers a tangy acidity that balances the dish’s richness.
- Stock – I used homemade chicken stock, but store-bought works well, too.
- Seasonings – Just coarse salt and freshly cracked black pepper. If you’d like some heat in the sauce, feel free to add a pinch of red pepper flakes.
How to Make Roman-Style Chicken Cacciatore
Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel, then generously season both sides with salt and pepper.
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until it starts to simmer.
Place the seasoned chicken skin-side-down in the pan and cook until the skin is golden and crispy. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
Add the anchovies to the now-empty pan and sauté for a few minutes, stirring until they break down and melt into the hot oil.
Stir in a rosemary sprig and the sliced garlic cloves. Cook until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
Deglaze the pan with the white wine and white wine vinegar. Scrape the bottom with a wooden spoon to loosen any stuck caramelized flavorful bits (fonds).
Simmer until the liquid reduces by half.
Pour in the chicken stock and season with salt and pepper.
Return the chicken to the pan, skin side up. Cook uncovered over low to medium heat until cooked through and tender.
Garnish the dish with a sprinkle of fresh parsley before serving it over a bed of creamy polenta or a generous helping of pasta, like pappardelle or fettuccine. Pair it with toasted Italian focaccia or garlic bread on the side to sop up every last drop of the savory, tangy sauce.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: For the crispiest chicken skin and most vibrant flavors, serve this as soon as it’s ready. You can also make it up to 1 hour ahead and keep it covered in a warm oven (around 200°F) until it’s time to eat.
How to Store: Cover the leftovers and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Place the cooled chicken and sauce in a freezer-safe container and freeze for 3 months. Thaw the leftovers overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
How to Reheat: Heat your desired amount of chicken and sauce in a saucepan over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes or until warmed through.
Chef Notes + Tips
- You need a well-sharpened chef’s knife or kitchen shears to split a whole chicken. If you’d like to do this yourself, learn from Martha Stewart’s step-by-step guide on How to Cut a Whole Chicken into Pieces.
- Always pat the chicken dry before adding the seasonings and searing to help the skin crisp up nicely.
- If you don’t have a pan big enough to fit every piece, sear the chicken in batches. Overcrowding the pan can cause the chicken to steam and make the skin soggy.
- Keep the skin above the chicken broth in the pan to help it stay crispy.
- Adding olives is optional but standard in Roman cacciatore recipes. Some home cooks include them for a briny, salty kick. If this sounds tasty, add up to 1/2 cup of pitted green or black olives during the final 10 minutes of cooking.
More Classic Italian Recipes
- Bucatini All’Amatriciana
- Pasta Cacio E Pepe
- Pesto Trapanese
- Spaghetti Pasta Carbonara
- Lasagna Bolognese
Roman Chicken Cacciatore Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 whole 3 ½ to 4 pounds roasting chicken fabricated into individual cuts of breasts, thighs, and drums
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 finely minced anchovy fillets
- 6 thinly sliced garlic cloves
- 1 sprig of fresh rosemary
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- ½ cup white wine vinegar
- 1 cup chicken stock
- Finely minced flat-leaf Italian parsley for garnish
- Coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
- Pat the chicken dry on all sides with a paper towel and generously season with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Add 3 tablespoons of oil to a large sauce pan and heat over medium heat for 2 minutes.
- Place in the seasoned chicken skin side down and cook for 4 to 5 minutes per side or until the skin is crispy. Don’t worry about it being cooked all the way through. Set the chicken to the side on a plate.
- Add the anchovies to the pan and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes or until they break down and integrate into the hot oil.
- Stir in the rosemary sprig and sliced garlic cloves and cook just until they’re fragrant, which only takes about 30 to 45 seconds.
- Deglaze with the white wine and white wine vinegar and cook down until the amount of liquid is reduced by one half. Scrape the bottom of the pan as it reduces to remove all the fond.
- Pour in the chicken stock, season with salt and pepper, and place the chicken back in the pan. I like to leave the skin of the chicken out of the braising liquid to help keep it crispy.
- Cook uncovered over low to medium heat for 20 to 25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
- Serve with a garnish of parsley
Followed the recipe, but dded chopped parsley with rhe wine. Amazing!
Fantastic!