Cacciatore is a classic Italian dish and this healthy recipe uses boneless chicken breast to keep preparation simple and quick. Tender chicken breasts are quickly sauteed, and finish cooking in a simple marinara sauce resulting in succulent flavorful chicken.
Typically Cacciatore is served over pasta or polenta. But there are no rules here. It is equally delicious served with crusty bread and a big salad!
Cacciatore means “hunter” in Italian. Typically this dish was prepared by hunters with ingredients from the forests. Usually, this would have entailed the results of that day’s hunt. Today this hearty meal has evolved into a dish of chicken or rabbit, vegetables, tomato and sometimes wine.
This recipe is sure to please. Quite simply it will provide your family with a hearty meal that is delicious served over polenta or pasta. Polenta is our family’s favorite. Additionally, polenta is a great choice if you are looking to serve a whole grain based food. Check out this link for easy to follow steps on how to make basic polenta.
The Chicken
Generally when preparing cacciatore, both chicken thighs and breasts are utilized. However, in order create a lighter healthy dish, I have these out for boneless skinless chicken breasts. This is especially beneficial if you are following weight watchers or just prefer white meat. But if you have dark meat lovers that you are trying to please, boneless skinless thigh meat can easily be substituted. Or use a combination of both boneless thighs and chicken breasts. It’s all personal preference.
Fresh or Roasted Garlic
I love the flavor that garlic brings to many dishes. However, fresh garlic can be harsh and over powering especially in dishes that have shorter cooking time. I have found that using roasted garlic in many of my dishes has helped to curtail the pungent aftertaste. Furthermore, roasting garlic enhances its flavor with the natural caramelization that takes place. And here is the best part, using roasted garlic eliminates the need for peeling and mincing. Simply, squeeze the garlic clove and out pops a sweet, tender morsel that can be mashed and easily incorporated to any dish. I will often roast several heads of garlic at a time as they store nicely for several weeks, refrigerated.
If you choose to use fresh garlic, make sure to remove the green sprout from the center of the clove. While this is a sign of life, it will bring a strong and bitter aftertaste to any dish.
The Best Tomatoes for the Best Chicken Cacciatore
Any brand of canned tomatoes will work with this recipe. However, my favorite go to brand is Mutti Tomatoes. I can rely on this brand to be sweet without being acidic. Whenever you take the time to prepare homemade pasta sauce, you don’t want the final product to be acidic in flavor. If you have had this experience, try a different brand of tomatoes. When preparing this sauce, I reach for Mutti’s Crushed Tomato Polpa. These tomatoes are finely chopped and require no additional pureeing when making sauces. Often times I can find them in supermarkets and at Sprout’s.
Weight Watchers and Waist Watchers
A one cup serving of sauce served with 4-5 ounces of chicken breast is 4 WW Smart Points or 385 calories.
A one cup serving of sauce served with 4-5 ounces of chicken thigh is 7 WW Smart Points or 486 calories.
3/4 cup of cooked polenta is 5 additional WW Smart Points on the Blue Plan.
Buon Appetito!
