Chicken Cacciatore, meaning 'hunter’s chicken' in Italian, is a rustic and comforting dish that’s traditionally made with chicken, tomatoes, vegetables, herbs, and wine. It’s the kind of meal that makes you feel all warm and cozy inside, perfect for a chilly evening. I remember my grandmother making this on Sundays, the aroma filling her entire house and drawing everyone closer, eager to eat and share stories. This version uses a pressure cooker, cutting down the cooking time without sacrificing any of the delicious flavors. The secret ingredient? A splash of dry red wine to deepen the richness of the sauce. If I could offer one piece of advice it's to ensure that each step of the process is done with care so you don't end up missing critical parts of the recipe.
One of the things I love about this recipe is how versatile it is. You can easily adapt it to your own preferences by adding different vegetables, such as mushrooms or zucchini. Feel free to swap out the chicken breasts for thighs if you prefer a richer flavor, or use canned tomatoes if fresh ones aren’t available. The most important thing is to use good-quality ingredients and let the flavors meld together beautifully. And if you don't want to pair this with pasta, that's perfectly fine. A good crusty bread or maybe even creamy mashed potatoes would go well with this dish. I’ve even served it over polenta, which was a huge hit!
Required Equipments
- Pressure Cooker
- Large Skillet
- Wooden Spoon
- Cutting Board
- Chef's Knife
Pressure Cooked Chicken Cacciatore: Frequently Asked Questions
Pressure Cooked Chicken Cacciatore
This Pressure Cooked Chicken Cacciatore recipe delivers a flavorful, comforting Italian classic in a fraction of the time. Tender chicken simmers in a rich tomato sauce with aromatic vegetables, herbs, and a splash of red wine.
⏳ Yield & Time
Yield: 2 servings
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time:
🍽 Ingredients
📖 Instructions
- Prep the Chicken: Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Season generously with salt, black pepper, and a pinch of garlic powder. Trust me, a good seasoning at this stage makes a HUGE difference!
- Sauté Aromatics: Turn on your pressure cooker and set it to the sauté function. Add olive oil to the pot. Once the oil is hot (but not smoking!), add the chopped onions, bell peppers, and minced garlic. Sauté for about 5-7 minutes, until the onions are softened and translucent and the garlic is fragrant. Make sure you stir often to prevent burning – burnt garlic is not our friend!
- Sear the Chicken: Push the veggies to one side of the pot. Place the seasoned chicken breasts into the pot and sear them for about 3-4 minutes on each side, until golden brown. You don't need to cook them through at this point; you just want to get a nice color on them. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside.
- Deglaze the Pot: Pour the dry red wine into the pot and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. This is where all the flavor lives! Let the wine simmer for about 2-3 minutes to reduce slightly.
- Add Tomatoes and Broth: Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, chicken broth, dried oregano, dried basil, and bay leaf to the pot. Stir well to combine.
- Pressure Cook: Return the seared chicken breasts to the pot, nestling them into the sauce. Secure the lid on the pressure cooker and set it to the manual or high-pressure setting. Cook for 10 minutes.
- Release Pressure: Once the cooking time is up, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then do a quick release to release any remaining pressure. Be careful when releasing the pressure – hot steam can burn!
- Shred Chicken (Optional): Remove the chicken breasts from the pot. If you like, you can shred them with two forks. I sometimes do this for a more rustic feel, but it’s totally up to you.
- Simmer and Thicken: Return the chicken (shredded or whole) to the pot. Set the pressure cooker back to the sauté function and let the sauce simmer for about 5-10 minutes, or until it has thickened to your liking. Stir occasionally.
- Cook the Pasta: While the sauce is simmering, cook your favorite pasta according to the package directions. I like using spaghetti, linguine, or penne.
- Serve: Serve the Chicken Cacciatore over the cooked pasta. Garnish with fresh parsley and a sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese, if desired. Enjoy every single bite!
📝 Notes
🍎 Nutrition
Calories: 450 kcal
Protein: 40g
Fat: 15g
Carbohydrates: 40g
Fiber: 5g
Calcium: 100mg
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