Chicken Cacciatore for the Crew

Name: Chicken Cacciatore for the Crew
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 1 h 25 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 4.8 lb chicken leg quarters; 1/4 cup olive oil; 2 whole yellow onion; 2 whole red bell pepper; 3/4 lb cremini mushrooms; 5 cloves garlic cloves; 2 cans crushed tomatoes; 3/4 cup dry white wine; 7/8 tbsp dried oregano; 3/8 cup fresh basil; 1.6 cups polenta

Italian hunter-style chicken braised with tomatoes and peppers for ten

Prep: 30 min
Cook: 55 min
Serves 8
Difficulty: medium

Chicken pieces brown in olive oil, then braise with tomatoes, bell peppers, mushrooms, and herbs until the sauce is thick and meat pulls from the bone. Serve in shallow bowls with polenta or crusty bread.

Why crews like it: Cacciatore delivers big Italian flavor without boiling a vat of spaghetti. It is a one-pot braise that holds warm, smells incredible when crews walk in, and feels like someone actually cooked—not opened a jar.

460Cal

38gProtein

36gCarbs

18gFat

Ingredients

4.8 lb chicken leg quarters
1/4 cup olive oil
2 whole yellow onion
2 whole red bell pepper
3/4 lb cremini mushrooms
5 cloves garlic cloves
2 cans crushed tomatoes
3/4 cup dry white wine
7/8 tbsp dried oregano
3/8 cup fresh basil
1.6 cups polenta

Instructions

Brown the chicken: Season chicken pieces. Sear in olive oil over medium-high heat until golden on all sides, about 12 minutes total. Set aside.
Sweat vegetables: In the same pot, cook onion, bell pepper, and mushrooms 8 minutes until softened. Add garlic and oregano, stir 1 minute.
Deglaze and braise: Pour in wine, scraping up browned bits. Add crushed tomatoes and nestle chicken into sauce. Cover and simmer 40 minutes until chicken reaches 165°F.
Cook polenta: Whisk polenta into simmering salted water or broth, stirring 15–20 minutes until thick and creamy. Hold warm with a lid.
Serve family-style: Taste sauce and adjust seasoning. Spoon polenta into bowls, top with chicken and sauce, and scatter fresh basil.

Tonight's spread

Cacciatore over creamy polenta with crusty Italian bread.
Simple arugula salad with lemon vinaigrette to cut the rich sauce.

Hall tips

Capers and olives stirred in at the end add salty punch—optional but authentic.
If sauce is thin, simmer uncovered last 10 minutes to concentrate.
Red pepper flakes on the side keep heat optional for mixed crews.

Meal prep

Use bone-in pieces for better braise flavor. Sauce improves overnight. Polenta can be made ahead and reheated with broth whisked in.

Leftovers

Shred chicken into sauce for subs on Italian rolls.
Use sauce as a base for baked eggs the next breakfast shift.

Dutch oven
Large pot
Instant-read thermometer
Wooden spoon
Whisk