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Best Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore Recipe

Recipe by Pedro M. A. Neves

Chicken cacciatore is a rustic Italian braise where tender chicken pieces are simmered in a rich tomato sauce with bell peppers, onions, and olives. This Instant Pot version delivers all the deep, authentic flavor of the traditional stovetop dish in a fraction of the time, making weeknight Italian dinner effortless. The result is succulent chicken that falls off the bone, infused with the aromatic essence of garlic, oregano, and red wine.

Ingredients

• 1.5 kg (3.3 lb) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks
• 45 ml (3 tablespoons) olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped into 2 cm (0.75 inch) pieces
• 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped into 2 cm (0.75 inch) pieces
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 120 ml (0.5 cup) dry red wine
• 400 g (14 oz) canned crushed San Marzano tomatoes
• 120 ml (0.5 cup) chicken broth
• 90 g (0.75 cup) green Castelvetrano olives, pitted
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
• 0.25 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 bay leaves
• 15 g (0.5 oz) fresh parsley, chopped for garnish
• 5 ml (1 teaspoon) balsamic vinegar

Instructions

1. Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels and season both sides generously with salt and pepper.

2. Set the Instant Pot to the sauté function on high heat. Add olive oil and allow it to heat for 1 minute, then carefully place chicken pieces skin-side down in batches, avoiding overcrowding. Sear for 4-5 minutes until skin is golden brown, then flip and sear another 2 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate.

3. In the same pot, add diced onion and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.

4. Deglaze the pot by pouring in the red wine, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. Simmer for 1 minute to reduce slightly.

5. Return the seared chicken to the pot, nestling pieces among the onions. Add crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, bell peppers, olives, oregano, red pepper flakes, and bay leaves. Stir gently to combine, ensuring chicken is partially submerged.

6. Turn off sauté mode. Close the Instant Pot lid and set the valve to sealing position. Cook on high pressure for 12 minutes.

7. Once cooking time completes, allow natural pressure release for 5 minutes, then carefully move the valve to venting position to release remaining pressure. Remove the lid away from you.

8. Discard bay leaves. Stir in the balsamic vinegar, taste, and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed.

9. Divide chicken and sauce among serving bowls or plates. Garnish generously with fresh chopped parsley.

Substitutions

• Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts for faster cooking; reduce pressure-cooking time to 8 minutes
• Substitute red bell peppers only if yellow peppers are unavailable, or use a mix of red and green
• Replace Castelvetrano olives with Kalamata olives for a more robust, briny flavor
• Use chicken stock or vegetable broth instead of mixed broth for deeper flavor

Tips

• Do not skip the searing step—it develops essential color and depth of flavor that cannot be replicated by pressure cooking alone
• If sauce is too thin after cooking, use the sauté function to simmer uncovered for 2-3 minutes before serving
• For a silkier sauce, blend 15 ml (1 tablespoon) of tomato paste with the broth before adding to the pot
• Serve over polenta, egg noodles, or crusty bread to capture every drop of the fragrant sauce

Cacciatore means 'hunter's style' in Italian, referencing a rustic preparation traditionally made with game birds and whatever vegetables were foraged or stored. This Tuscan-Roman classic became a cornerstone of Italian-American cuisine and remains emblematic of rustic Italian comfort cooking.

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