I grew up with this delicious Italian Dish. Mom use to make Spaghetti Noodles and then she would pour the Sauce over them to let them soak up more of the Sauce before she served it up.
I don’t put the Bell Peppers, Celery or Olives in it but you certainly can.
IP Sauce is thinner than Stove top so it needs to be thickened or reduced. See below
There are many ways to make Chicken Cacciatore, including Stove Top or in the Oven, however this Recipe is for the Instant Pot method.
It like it with Pasta, Spaghetti Squash, Zoodles and or Garlic Bread.
Use a whole cut up Chicken if you prefer or that is what you have.
Even though this is cooked in the IP, I do brown the Chicken in a good Frying Pan, but if you have any of the Air Fryer lids for the IP, then you are in for a game changer! Use it! See Air Fryer below
If you want the Sauce thicker, you can dip the Chicken in flour Before Searing it, it will thicken the Sauce some.. you still may want to reduce it more at the end. See Directions.
You may also want to make and use your own Sauce.. Recipe at the Bottom for one easy Sauce. I also have a Marinara Sauce Recipe here.Marinara Sauce with fresh Roma Tomatoes Mushrooms and Basil IP
Thicken or reduce the Sauce when the Cacciatore is done, To thicken with a slurry, remove Chicken first, turn the Pot off and back on to Sauté and use the Slurry drizzled and stirred into the the hot Sauce. Let it cook for a minute to cook the slurry.
To reduce the Sauce, remove the Chicken, turn the Pot off and then on to Sauté and let it come to a Boil and reduce for 5 min or so.
*If you are making Pasta, it can be made ahead in the IP, or on the stove top, and can be served with Sauce on top or be added to the Sauce after it’s done . Your choice. If you choose not to add them TO the Sauce, then you may want to thicken the Sauce to pour over them.
Make Noodles according to how much you want to make and according to Package directions.
You can substitute Chicken Breast, or any other pieces of Chicken if you want.
I also use a whole cut up Chicken as mentioned above. Don’t worry about the fat on top, it brings flavor to the Sauce and can be skimmed off after it all cooks and you will also drain a lot of it out of the frying pan before adding the Chicken to the Pot..
INGREDIENTS:
5-6 large Chicken Thighs, bone in skin on (or 1 cut up Chicken)
1/4 c Evoo for Frying chicken.
1/4 c Butter for sautéing Mushrooms and Onion
4 large cloves Garlic minced.
1 chopped Onion.
6 large (or 8 Oz) Crimini Mushrooms sliced.
1/2- 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
1- 1 1/4 tsp Salt. You can add more later
1 tsp Pepper.
Hand full fresh Basil.
1/2 c Red Wine.
2 Tbsp Sun Dried Tomatoes chopped.
1 jar Spaghetti Sauce, about 16 oz. but you can use more. Just remember that the Chicken will add juice to the recipe. You can also Make your own. Recipe below
2 Bay Leaves.
1/4 c water or broth to Deglaze the frying pan
SLURRY.
1 Tbsp.
1 Tbsp Flour .
1/2 C Water.
Mix together and set aside
Optional: 2 tsp Costco’s Better than Bullion Chicken, but use less Salt if you use this. It can also be added After you taste the Sauce at the End.
FOR PASTA:
If your making Pasta. You can either make it on the Stove Top or in a separate IP, or you can even make it in the IP prior to cooking the Chicken. In that case you would just hold it aside, then when the Chicken is done, add Pasta to the Sauce to reheat it. Just remove the Chicken from the Sauce and toss the cooked Noodles into it and they will absorb some of the extra liquid from the Sauce.
To make Pasta in your other IP:
1 c water to 4 oz Pasta. Manual 4 min QR) Set aside..
FOR THE AIR FRYER LIDS.
This is where the game changes! Use it! Skip the Saute step below, and simply seasoned and Flour the Chicken and set it on top of the Onion and Mushrooms, put the Air Fryer lid on. Set the temp to 400° and cook for 15 min. (The pic is 12 min). Then switch the Air a fryer lid for the Pressure Cooker lid and proceed
SAUTÉ:
While the Chicken can be sautéed in the IP, it’s much more effective and faster in a large Frying Pan, so I do it in a Pan. Turn the burner to Med- Medium Hi. Add the Evoo when the pan is hot.
Season both sides of the Chicken well with the Italian seasoning and Salt and pepper to taste, then Dip into Flour and Sauté the Chicken in the Evoo, Skin side down to begin with. About 5 minutes till browned and lets loose of the pan.
Flip Chicken and brown the other side for another 5 min, take it off burner, drain the Fat off into a bowl and set the Chicken aside.
Discard the Fat or save it to make Biscuits at another time or you can even add some to the Butter for Garlic bread.
Deglaze the Frying Pan with the Water or Wine after you load the Chicken into the Pot.
BEFORE YOU SAUTÉ:
Should I Sauté the Onion, Garlic, Mushrooms before loading the Pot?
I have learned that you can actually skip this step and just load the Pot at this point, (Wine, water, Onions and Garlic then Mushrooms then Seared Chicken, Sauce last etc) but if you want, and have the time, you can turn Pot on to Sauté, let it heat up for a couple of minutes and then add the Butter, let it slightly brown, then add the Onion and sauté for a minute, add the Garlic and sauté until Onions are translucent, add Mushrooms and sauté till slightly soft. Deglaze pot with the Wine and Water. Make sure to get all of the brown off the bottom. Stir and the turn the Pot off.
ADD CHICKEN:
Add the Chicken the top of the Onion and Mushrooms. Pour the Sauce on top of the Chicken.
Deglaze the Frying Pan with the 1/4 c water or Broth. Pour the Drippings over the Chicken so that it dribbles down to the bottom of the pot.
PRESSURE COOK:
Put the Lid on and turn the Vent to Sealing .
Set the time, Pressure cook or Manual for 4 min.
When the Pot beeps, allow 20 min NPR.
When the time is up, open the lid, skim the fat off the top, then carefully scrape the Sauce off the Chicken into the rest of the liquid.
At this point decide if you are going to thicken the Sauce up or if your going to add the Pasta to the Sauce as is. Skim the Fat off the Top of the Sauce.
THICKEN OR REDUCE YOUR SAUCE:
If your thickening the Sauce, remove the Chicken to a plate, cover with the lid and keep it warm while you thicken the Sauce. Turn the pot off and then on again to Sauté Hi. Slowly drizzle the slurry into the Sauce while your stirring it and stir until the sauce is thickened. Turn the Pot off and then back on to Keep warm. Either add Noodles to the Sauce or serve Sauce over the naked Pasta. Serve the Chicken beside the Pasta and Sauce.
To Reduce the Sauce, turn the Pot to Saute High and let it boil down for about 5-10 min.
The first pic Below is using the Air Fryer lid to brown the Chicken before adding the Sauce on top.
Serve with Spaghetti Noodles. We also like Penne Pasta.
I use Jarred Sauce when I am not wanting to mess with doing it totally by scratch now because its fast, cheap and available but not how momma made it!!!
If you prefer to make your own Sauce. Here is an easy way, this is what Mom did… or look up my Marinara Sauce here. Marinara Sauce with fresh Roma Tomatoes Mushrooms and Basil IP
Evoo.
1 can hunts whole Tomatoes chopped up.
1 can Tomato Sauce (add to the top)
1 can Tomato Paste. (Add to the top)
1 Onion chopped.
6 cloves Garlic.
1 tsp Basil.
1 Tbsp Oregano.
Salt n Pepper to taste.
1 tsp Sugar.
1 Bay leaf
In the IP: Sauté Onion in evoo till translucent, add Garlic and sauté for a minute more.
Except for the Tomato Sauce and Paste, Add the rest of the Ingredients. Add the Sauce and Paste on top last and don’t stir. Put lid on. Set the time to 4 min. Let NPR 5. QR. Use as any Pasta Sauce.