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A seared chicken breast topped with burst red and golden cherry tomatoes, softened onion, and a sprig of fresh basil, sitting in a pool of lemony pan sauce on a speckled teal plate Recipe

Pollo alla Cacciatora: A Lighter Weeknight Hunter's Chicken

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Some dishes come back to you through a glass of wine. I was halfway through a glass of Nero d’Avola, Sicily’s signature red, dark and plummy with that little hint of spice, when my mind drifted back to Taormina. It’s one of my favorite places in all of Sicily: a town perched high on the cliffs above the Ionian Sea, with Mount Etna smoking quietly in the distance and narrow streets that smell like lemons and sea air.

That’s where I had pollo alla cacciatora, and it was nothing fussy. Just tender chicken in a bright, savory sauce full of tomatoes, the kind of meal you mop up with bread long after the chicken is gone. One sip of that wine and I could taste it again. Before the glass was empty, I’d decided to make it myself.

This is my version: chicken simmered in a lemony broth with sweet onion, garlic, and cherry tomatoes cooked down until they burst, then finished with a handful of fresh basil. It’s simple, it comes together in one pan, and it tastes like the memory that inspired it. So pour yourself something red, put on a little music, and cook along with me.

An overhead view of a seared chicken breast piled with burst cherry tomatoes and soft onions, crowned with fresh basil, on a speckled teal plate

Pro Tip: Don’t skip scraping up the browned bits when the broth and lemon go in. That fond from searing the chicken is where most of the flavor in the pan sauce comes from.

Pollo alla Cacciatora

To Serve:

Spoon the tomatoes and pan sauce over the chicken. It’s great with crusty bread, creamy polenta, or pasta to catch the sauce.

Used in this Recipe

A cream Caraway non-stick ceramic cookware set with a fry pan, saucepan, sauté pan, and Dutch oven with lids The Caraway ceramic pans we used Shop now →

Recipe

Yields 4 servings · Prep 10 minutes · Cook 25 minutes

  1. Prep the chicken: pat the chicken dry. If the breasts are thick, slice them in half horizontally so they cook evenly. Season both sides with half the salt and all the pepper.
  2. Sear: heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden, then set it aside on a plate. It will finish cooking later.
  3. Sauté the onion and garlic: lower the heat to medium. Add the onion and cook about 5 minutes until soft and lightly golden. Stir in the garlic for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
  4. Add the broth and lemon: pour in the broth and lemon juice together, scraping up the browned bits from the pan.
  5. Cook the tomatoes: add the cherry tomatoes, oregano, dried basil, and remaining salt. Simmer 5 to 8 minutes, until the tomatoes soften and start to burst.
  6. Add the chicken and cover: nestle the chicken into the pan with any resting juices, put the lid on, and simmer on medium-low for 8 to 10 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C).
  7. Finish: taste and adjust the salt, then top with fresh basil.

Ingredients

  • • 1 1/2 lb (680 g) Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • • 2 tablespoons Olive oil
  • • 1 medium Yellow onion, thinly sliced
  • • 4 cloves Garlic, minced
  • • 3/4 cup (180 ml) Chicken broth
  • • juice of 1/2 lemon Lemon juice
  • • 2 cups (300 g) Cherry tomatoes
  • • 1 teaspoon Dried oregano
  • • 1 teaspoon Dried basil
  • • 1 teaspoon Salt, plus more to taste
  • • 1/2 teaspoon Black pepper
  • • a handful Fresh basil, torn, for topping