Chicken Cacciatore Pasta (No Wine, One-Pan Recipe)

Most chicken cacciatore recipes start with one ingredient I’ve proven you don’t need: wine. I’m going to show you how real, rustic flavor comes from perfect technique, not the splash from a bottle. It comes from building flavor from the ground up.

The secret is turning this classic into a true, one-pan pasta dish where the noodles finish cooking in the sauce, absorbing every bit of that rich, savory flavor. It’s a simple change that makes all the difference. This dish is a star in my collection of Crave-Worthy Chicken Pasta and will absolutely become a staple in your home as well. This isn’t just chicken served with pasta; it’s a completely harmonious meal.

This is the only way my family eats it, and I know you’re going to love it.

Why This Recipe Works

• Truly a One-Pan Meal: We finish cooking the pasta directly in the cacciatore sauce. This isn’t just about saving a pot; it infuses the pasta with incredible flavor and creates a perfect, starchy sauce that clings beautifully.
• Superior Flavor, No Wine: I’ll show you how a hard, proper sear on the chicken and the magic of a slow-cooked vegetable base (soffritto) builds a more profound, rustic flavor foundation than wine ever could.
• Tested for Real Life: This recipe has been tested and tweaked dozens of times in my own family kitchen. The steps are streamlined for a weeknight, but the results taste like a special Sunday dinner. You simply can’t go wrong.

Key Ingredients & Smart Swaps

Great dinners come from great ingredients, but that doesn’t mean they need to be fussy. For this Chicken Cacciatore Pasta, we rely on a few powerhouse players to do the heavy lifting, creating that “simmered all day” flavor in about an hour.

Here’s what you’ll need:

Key Ingredients

• 2 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
• All-purpose flour, for dredging
• Good quality olive oil (for searing and sautéing)
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
• 8 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp fresh rosemary, minced
• 2 tsp anchovy paste (Trust me on this!)
• 28 oz can of high-quality crushed tomatoes (like San Marzano)
• 4 cups high-quality, low-sodium chicken broth (This is the backbone of our sauce since we aren’t using wine, so use the best you can find!)
• 1 lb rigatoni, ziti, or other sturdy pasta
• Fresh basil or parsley, for serving

Star Ingredients: The “Why” Behind the Flavor

1. Bone-in, Skin-on Chicken Thighs: This is non-negotiable for flavor. Using bone-in, skin-on thighs is the absolute foundation of this recipe. As you get that first hard sear in the pan, the skin crisps up and releases its flavorful fat, which becomes the base for our entire sauce. While the dish simmers, the bone continues to release collagen and rich, meaty flavor into the sauce that you simply cannot get from a boneless, skinless cut. It’s the difference between a good sauce and a great one.

2. High-Quality Crushed Tomatoes (like San Marzano): The soul of any cacciatore is its tomato base, and using the right kind is a cornerstone of our wine-free strategy. Certified San Marzano tomatoes are the gold standard for a reason. They are naturally sweeter, less acidic, and have a lower water content than many other varieties. This means we can create a luxuriously thick, rich sauce that clings to the pasta without having to “fix” it with a lot of sugar or tomato paste to balance the flavor. Their superior taste is a key ingredient, allowing the savory chicken and vegetable flavors to shine, creating a finished dish that is complex and robust all on its own.

Smart Swaps & Substitutions

Sometimes you need to work with what you’ve got. Here’s how to make smart substitutions without sacrificing the soul of the dish.

Essential Equipment

You don’t need a lot of fancy gadgets to make incredible food, but for a dish like this, the right pot does half the work for you. Here’s what I recommend pulling out before you start.

• A Large Dutch Oven (5-7 quarts): This is the star of the show. I prefer enameled cast iron, but any heavy-bottomed pot will do. Why is it so critical? Because that heavy base gets incredibly hot and, more importantly, stays hot. This allows you to get a deep, even, golden-brown sear on your chicken skin—and that sear is the foundation of our entire flavor profile. Then, as we transition to a simmer, that same heavy construction provides steady, even heat, so your sauce can bubble away gently without any fear of scorching on the bottom. It’s the perfect tool for both a hard sear and a slow braise.
• Tongs: For safely flipping the chicken as it sears. You want to be able to turn the thighs without piercing that beautiful, crispy skin.
• A Sturdy Cutting Board: You have a bit of chopping to do, so a large, stable cutting board is your best friend.

That’s truly it. The beauty of this meal is that it all comes together in one pot, so there’s less fuss and less cleanup.

Expert Tips for Flawless Results

This is where we separate a good cacciatore from a truly phenomenal one. These are the non-negotiable steps I’ve learned over the years, the little details that build the deep, rustic flavor that makes this recipe sing. Don’t skip these.

1. Don’t Rush the Sear—It’s Your Flavor Foundation.

The single biggest mistake you can make is not getting a deep, golden-brown crust on your chicken. We’re not just “browning” the chicken; we’re creating flavor. This is a process called the Maillard reaction, and it’s where all the magic starts. First, pat your chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels. Completely. Dry. Next, get your Dutch oven screaming hot before the chicken even thinks about touching it. Then, lay the chicken thighs skin-side down and do not move them. You’ll be tempted to peek, but let them sizzle for a good 5-6 minutes until the skin releases from the pan easily on its own. The result? Deeply browned, crackling-crisp skin and, just as importantly, a layer of browned bits (the “fond”) stuck to the bottom of the pot. That fond is pure gold—it will dissolve into our sauce later, giving it an incredible, savory depth you just can’t get any other way.

2. Build Layers of Umami Before Adding Liquid.

Since we aren’t using wine to add complexity, we create it by patiently developing our other ingredients. After the chicken is seared, you’ll add your soffritto—the onions, carrots, and celery. Don’t just cook them until they’re soft. Cook them until they’ve released their water and have started to truly caramelize and sweeten, shrinking down and turning a shade darker. Your kitchen should smell intensely sweet and savory. Then comes the next layer: the anchovy paste and tomato paste. You must toast them in the hot oil after the vegetables are caramelized. This step sizzles away their raw, sharp edge and unlocks a deep, nutty, savory powerhouse flavor. It won’t taste like anchovies, I promise. It just adds an incredible richness. This careful layering is why nobody will ever miss the wine.

3. Give the Sauce a Proper Simmer to Marry the Flavors.

This is not about just heating the sauce through; it’s about giving it time to transform. Don’t just watch the clock. Look for the critical sensory cues that tell you the sauce is ready. It will visibly darken from a bright, fresh red to a deeper, more rustic brick color. It will also thicken naturally, reducing just enough that when you pull a spoon out, the sauce clings to the back of it instead of running right off. Most importantly, you’ll see small, shimmering, ruby-colored pools of the rendered chicken fat start to gather on the surface. That’s a beautiful sign! It means the fat has rendered completely and its flavor has melded into the sauce. This final, patient simmer is the step that takes all those individual layers we worked so hard to build and combines them into one seamless, harmonious, and deeply satisfying sauce.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Now for the best part. Let’s walk through this together, step by step. I want you to feel what’s happening in the kitchen at every stage. Put on some music, pour a drink, and let’s build this amazing dinner.

1.Sear the Chicken

1. Pat your chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels—this is essential for a good crust! Season them generously on all sides with kosher salt and black pepper, then lightly dredge them in flour, shaking off any excess. Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in your large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Carefully place the chicken thighs skin-side down in the hot pan. You should hear a loud, satisfying sizzle. Let them cook, undisturbed, for 5-7 minutes, until the skin is a deep golden-brown and releases easily from the pan. Flip the chicken and sear for another 3-4 minutes on the other side. Remove the beautifully browned chicken to a plate; it will not be cooked through yet.

2.Build the Flavor Base

1. Reduce the heat to medium and look at that gorgeous rendered fat in the pot. That’s pure flavor. Add your diced onion, carrots, and celery (your soffritto) right into it. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes, until the vegetables are softened and starting to get sweet and caramelized around the edges. Now toss in your sliced bell peppers and mushrooms, and cook for another 5 minutes until they’ve softened and released some of their water. Your kitchen should be smelling incredible right about now.
2. Clear a little space in the center of the pot. Add the minced garlic, minced rosemary, dried oregano, and that “secret weapon,” anchovy paste. Sizzle them in the hot spot for just 60 seconds, stirring constantly. You’ll be hit with the most intoxicating nutty, herby aroma. This little step is what wakes up all the flavors.

3.Create the Sauce & Let It Simmer

1. Pour in the entire can of crushed tomatoes and all 4 cups of the chicken broth. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up all those prized browned bits (the fond) from the bottom of the pot. Stir everything together until that fond dissolves completely into the sauce. This is a non-negotiable flavor step!
2. Nestle the seared chicken back into the sauce with any collected juices. Bring to a gentle bubble, then reduce heat to low, cover, and let it simmer for 20 minutes. This first simmer is all about making the chicken incredibly tender and allowing its flavor to begin mingling with the sauce.

4.The Game-Changer—Finish the Pasta in the Sauce

1. After the sauce has had its initial 20-minute simmer, bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook it for 3 minutes less than the package directions. We’re aiming for very firm, seriously undercooked pasta because it has one final cooking step to go.
2. Use a slotted spoon or spider to transfer the undercooked pasta directly from its boiling water into the cacciatore sauce. Stir everything to combine. Now, let the entire dish simmer together, uncovered, for another 3-5 minutes. This is where the real magic happens: the pasta will finish cooking right there in the sauce, soaking up all that incredible flavor while its starches escape and thicken the sauce into a glossy, beautiful coating that clings to every single noodle. If it gets too tight, add a splash of the pasta water you saved. You’ll know it’s perfect when the pasta is al dente, the sauce clings beautifully to every piece, and the chicken is fall-apart tender. For absolute confidence, all poultry should reach a safe minimum internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) before serving.

5.Garnish and Serve

1. Turn off the heat. Stir in a handful of fresh basil or parsley. Serve immediately in big, warm bowls with a piece of that tender chicken on top. Now, stand back and watch the happy faces. You did it.

Pro Variations to Customize

Great! A truly great recipe isn’t just a rigid set of instructions; it’s a template you can adapt to your life. I’ve tested two fantastic variations of my cacciatore that I know you’ll love: one for my vegetarian friends that’s every bit as savory as the original, and one for those busy days when you need your slow cooker to do the work.

1. Rich Mushroom Cacciatore (Vegetarian Option)

This isn’t just the chicken version with the meat left out. It’s a complete reimagining that puts mushrooms center stage to create a sauce that is deeply savory and satisfying.

• The Swap: Replace the 2 lbs of chicken with 2 lbs of mixed mushrooms. I love using a combination of cremini mushrooms (for their classic flavor) and hearty portobello mushrooms (cut into thick, “steaky” strips) for a fantastic texture.
• The Technique: Your first step is to build umami with the mushrooms. Instead of searing chicken, you will sear the mushrooms. Add a bit of olive oil and a knob of butter to your hot Dutch oven and add the mushrooms in a single layer (work in batches!). Don’t stir them much. Let them get deeply browned and caramelized on one side, which takes about 5-6 minutes. This browning process is crucial for developing a rich, meaty flavor. Remove them from the pan.
• The Sauce: From there, proceed with the recipe as written, using a robust vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. When it comes time to simmer the sauce, add your beautifully browned mushrooms back into the pot.
• The Result: The pasta still finishes in the sauce, soaking up a rich, earthy, and incredibly satisfying vegetarian cacciatore that stands proudly on its own.

2. Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore Pasta

This is my gift to you on a busy day. We will not sacrifice flavor for convenience. The secret is to still do the most important work on the stovetop before letting the slow cooker take over.

• Flavor First: Complete Steps 1 through 4 of the main recipe on your stovetop, exactly as written. Searing the chicken and caramelizing the vegetables is non-negotiable and the key to avoiding the bland, watery results of “dump and go” slow cooker recipes.
• Transfer & Cook: After you’ve scraped up the fond and created the sauce in your Dutch oven, transfer everything—the sauce and the seared chicken—into the basin of your slow cooker.
• Set It & Forget It: Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours or on HIGH for 2.5 to 3 hours. The chicken should be perfectly tender.
• Handling the Pasta: This is the key difference. You cannot finish the pasta in the slow cooker sauce; it will turn to mush. Instead, about 20 minutes before serving, cook your pasta on the stovetop according to package directions. Drain it well. You can then either stir the cooked pasta directly into the slow cooker to coat it, or, my preferred method, serve the glorious cacciatore sauce right over a bed of the freshly cooked pasta. It’s a slightly different result, but just as delicious and wonderfully convenient.

Storing, Freezing & Reheating

Handling leftovers correctly is just as important as the initial cooking—it respects the effort you put in! And I’ll tell you a little secret: this is one of those dishes that I think gets even better on day two.

Storing Leftovers

One of the best things about this Chicken Cacciatore Pasta is that the flavors continue to meld and deepen overnight. It’s truly spectacular the next day. Once the dish has cooled to room temperature, transfer it to an airtight container. It will keep beautifully in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Freezing for Later

This sauce freezes like a dream. For the absolute best results, I recommend freezing the cacciatore sauce before you add the final pasta. Let the sauce cool completely, then portion it into freezer-safe bags or airtight containers. It will be perfect for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to eat, thaw the sauce overnight in the fridge, reheat it gently on the stove, and then finish it with freshly cooked pasta.

If you’re freezing leftovers with the pasta already mixed in, that’s perfectly fine too! Just be aware that the pasta will have a much softer texture upon reheating, but the flavor will still be fantastic.

The Best Way to Reheat

Please, if you can, step away from the microwave! It heats too aggressively and can make the chicken tough and the pasta mushy.

The absolute best method is to reheat it gently on the stovetop. Place your leftovers in a small saucepan or skillet over low heat. As it warms, the sauce will have thickened considerably; add a splash of water or chicken broth to loosen it back to its original, glorious consistency. Stir occasionally until it’s warmed all the way through. This gentle process is the key—it perfectly preserves the tender texture of the chicken and gives those amazing, melded flavors a chance to wake back up beautifully.

What to Serve With This Dish

A robust dish like this cacciatore pasta shines brightest when its partners provide contrast in texture and flavor. We’re looking for bright, crisp, and slightly bitter notes to complement the deep, savory sauce.

Shaved Fennel & Orange Salad

This is a classic, vibrant Italian salad that is an absolutely perfect foil for the cacciatore. Thinly slice one or two fresh fennel bulbs (a mandoline is great for this) and toss them with juicy segments of a navel orange, a handful of toasted pine nuts, and some high-quality black olives. Dress it simply with good olive oil, a pinch of flaky sea salt, and some of the fennel fronds. The bright, anise-like crunch of the fennel and the sweet burst of citrus cut through the richness of the pasta, cleansing your palate and getting you ready for the next perfect bite.

Garlicky Roasted Broccolini

Instead of a simple steamed vegetable, a quick roast adds texture and a deep, nutty flavor that works beautifully here. Toss a bunch of broccolini with a generous glug of olive oil, a few smashed garlic cloves, and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes. Roast at 400°F (200°C) for 15-20 minutes, until the stems are tender-crisp and the florets are beautifully charred at the edges. A final squeeze of lemon juice just before serving makes it sing.

Warm Rosemary Focaccia

You absolutely need bread, but let’s make it the right bread. A warm, pillowy focaccia, rich with olive oil and studded with fragrant rosemary and flaky sea salt, is the ultimate tool. It’s sturdy enough for serious dipping but soft enough to soak up every last remnant of the rich, clingy sauce in your bowl. Mastering a slow-simmered sauce is a core skill for any home cook. While this cacciatore is unique, it shares its soul with other classic red sauces. You can see how I apply similar techniques in my definitive Chicken Pasta with Marinara Sauce—it’s another foundational recipe for any pasta lover.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What does ‘cacciatore’ actually mean?

“Cacciatore” simply means “hunter-style” in Italian. It refers to a rustic, hearty meal that would traditionally be prepared with whatever a hunter might bring back—often chicken or rabbit—along with simple, readily available ingredients from the Italian countryside like onions, herbs, tomatoes, and peppers. So when you make this, you’re really channeling a classic, resourceful, and deeply flavorful style of country cooking.

2. What makes this sauce so rich without any wine?

This is the most important question, and it’s all about technique! We build a deeper, more complex flavor than wine could ever provide through three specific steps. First, we get a hard sear on the chicken skin, creating a rich, browned foundation (the fond). Second, we deeply caramelize the vegetables (the soffritto) until they are sweet and concentrated. Finally, we “toast” the anchovy and tomato paste to unlock their hidden umami notes. It’s this patient layering of flavors, not a splash of alcohol, that creates a truly unforgettable, savory sauce.

3. Can I use chicken breasts instead of thighs?

You can, but I encourage you to use thighs if at all possible. The bone and skin on the thighs add an immense amount of flavor and collagen to the sauce, keeping the meat moist and tender during the simmer. If you must use boneless, skinless chicken breasts, you will need to adjust the method to avoid dry, stringy results. Sear them for only 2-3 minutes per side—just enough to get a golden crust—and then let them simmer in the sauce for a much shorter time, maybe only 15-20 minutes, until they are just cooked through.

4. What is the purpose of anchovies in this recipe? I don’t like fishy flavors!

I’m so glad you asked, because this is my favorite secret ingredient. I promise you, this sauce will not taste fishy. When you cook the anchovy paste in the hot oil with the aromatics, the fishiness disappears, and it transforms into a powerful umami flavor enhancer. It melts away completely, adding a nutty, savory, can’t-quite-put-my-finger-on-it depth that makes the whole sauce richer and more complex. Think of it like a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce—a background note that makes everything else taste better. Please, trust me on this one.

I Want to Hear From You!

I absolutely live for seeing my recipes come to life in your kitchens. It’s why I do what I do. This Chicken Cacciatore Pasta is a true labor of love, perfected over years for my family, and now for yours.

I would be so grateful if you would leave a comment and a star rating below. I’d love to know how your Chicken Cacciatore Pasta turned out! Did you have to make any swaps? Did your family rave? Hearing about your experience makes my day.

Now that you’ve mastered this deep, rustic cacciatore, what’s next on your pasta journey? For a completely different but equally incredible weeknight dinner that my readers adore, your next stop must be my bright and vibrant Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta recipe. It’s the perfect, zesty counterpoint to this hearty classic.

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About Kate

Kate Thompson created KitchensLovers.com to simplify dinner for real-life families. She develops easy, flavor-packed chicken pasta recipes tested dozens of times to guarantee results. Her motto: “Easy Pasta, Every Time.”

Many recipes use wine as a shortcut—a single ingredient meant to add instant complexity. But I’ve taught for years that true, unforgettable flavor doesn’t come from a bottle. It’s built, layer by intentional layer, with rock-solid technique. For anyone who truly wants to understand the “why” behind this recipe, this is the anatomy of our perfect, wine-free sauce.

Anatomy of a Perfect (Wine-Free) Cacciatore Sauce

Our sauce is a carefully constructed harmony of four distinct flavor layers.

Layer 1: The Savory Foundation (The Fond)

The entire story of our sauce begins with the hard, deep-brown sear on the chicken. Those browned bits that stick to the bottom of the pot—the fond—are the single most important flavor element. When we pour in the rich chicken broth, its primary job is to dissolve that fond, lifting every bit of that concentrated, roasted chicken flavor and turning it into the savory liquid base of our entire dish.

Layer 2: The Sweet Depth (Caramelized Soffritto)

Next comes the soul. Cooking the onion, carrots, celery, and peppers slowly until they are deeply sweet and caramelized isn’t just about making them soft. It’s a chemical change that develops an incredible sweetness and profound depth. This patient caramelization provides the rich, complex body of the sauce—a layer of flavor that is far more nuanced and integrated than the sharp tang of wine.

Layer 3: The Umami Secret (Toasted Pastes)

This is our powerhouse layer. By sizzling the anchovy paste and tomato paste in the hot oil before adding any liquid, we toast them. This simple step cooks off the raw, tinny edge of the tomato paste and unlocks its deep, savory character. It completely transforms the anchovy paste, eliminating any fishiness and turning it into a pure, nutty, background note of umami—that “makes-you-crave-more” flavor. This is what provides the deep, satisfying richness that makes people’s eyes go wide.

Layer 4: The Bright Finish (Fresh Herbs)

After all that deep, slow-simmered flavor has been built, the final step is adding fresh basil or parsley off the heat. This isn’t for simmering; it’s to provide a final, aromatic burst of freshness. It’s the high note that cuts through the richness, brightens everything up, and makes the whole dish feel alive.

It is the deliberate building of these four layers, in this specific order, that creates a sauce with more character, balance, and soul-deep satisfaction than any shortcut can provide. This is how you build flavor from the ground up. This is how you make a truly great cacciatore.

This recipe was last tested and updated in June 2025 to ensure perfect results.

Chicken Cacciatore Pasta Recipe

Kate Thompson

My definitive Chicken Cacciatore Pasta recipe delivers impossibly deep, rustic flavor without any wine. It's a complete, family-loved meal in one pan.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 55 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 25 minutes mins

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Servings 6 servings

Calories 820 kcal

Equipment

• A Large Dutch Oven (5-7 quarts)
• Tongs
• A Sturdy Cutting Board

Ingredients

  

• 2 lbs bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
• Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
• All-purpose flour for dredging
• Olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion diced
• 2 carrots diced
• 2 celery stalks diced
• 1 red bell pepper sliced
• 1 yellow bell pepper sliced
• 8 oz cremini mushrooms sliced
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp fresh rosemary minced
• 2 tsp anchovy paste Trust me on this!
• 28 oz can high-quality crushed tomatoes like San Marzano
• 4 cups high-quality chicken broth low-sodium (This is the backbone of our sauce; use the best you can find!)
• 1 lb rigatoni ziti, or other sturdy pasta
• Fresh basil or parsley for serving

Instructions

 

Phase 1: Sear the Chicken

• Pat your chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels—this is essential for a good crust! Season them generously on all sides with kosher salt and black pepper, then lightly dredge them in flour, shaking off any excess. Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in your large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Carefully place the chicken thighs skin-side down in the hot pan. You should hear a loud, satisfying sizzle. Let them cook, undisturbed, for 5-7 minutes, until the skin is a deep golden-brown and releases easily from the pan. Flip the chicken and sear for another 3-4 minutes on the other side. Remove the beautifully browned chicken to a plate; it will not be cooked through yet.

Phase 2: Build the Flavor Base

• Reduce the heat to medium and look at that gorgeous rendered fat in the pot. That’s pure flavor. Add your diced onion, carrots, and celery (your soffritto) right into it. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes, until the vegetables are softened and starting to get sweet and caramelized around the edges. Now toss in your sliced bell peppers and mushrooms, and cook for another 5 minutes until they’ve softened and released some of their water.
• Clear a little space in the center of the pot. Add the minced garlic, minced rosemary, dried oregano, and that ‘secret weapon’ anchovy paste. Sizzle them in the hot spot for just 60 seconds, stirring constantly, until you are hit with the most intoxicating nutty, herby aroma.

Phase 3: Create the Sauce & Let It Simmer

• Pour in the entire can of crushed tomatoes and all 4 cups of the chicken broth. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up all those prized browned bits (the fond) from the bottom of the pot. Stir everything together until that fond dissolves completely into the sauce.
• Nestle the seared chicken back into the sauce with any collected juices. Bring to a gentle bubble, then reduce heat to low, cover, and let it simmer for 20 minutes. This first simmer is all about making the chicken incredibly tender.

Phase 4: The Game-Changer – Finish The Pasta in The Sauce

• After the sauce has had its initial 20-minute simmer, bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook it for 3 minutes less than the package directions. We’re aiming for very firm, seriously undercooked pasta.
• Use a slotted spoon or spider to transfer the undercooked pasta directly from its boiling water into the cacciatore sauce. Stir everything to combine. Now, let the entire dish simmer together, uncovered, for another 3-5 minutes. This is where the real magic happens: the pasta will finish cooking right there in the sauce, soaking up flavor while its starches escape and thicken the sauce into a glossy coating. If it gets too tight, add a splash of the pasta water you saved. You’ll know it’s perfect when the pasta is perfectly al dente.

Phase 5: Garnish and Serve

• Turn off the heat. Stir in a handful of fresh basil or parsley. Serve immediately in big, warm bowls with a piece of that tender chicken on top.

Notes

• Don’t Rush the Sear: A deep, golden-brown crust (the Maillard reaction) on the chicken creates the fond, which is the savory foundation of your entire sauce.
• Build Umami: Patiently caramelize your vegetables until sweet, then toast the tomato and anchovy pastes to unlock a deep, savory richness.
• Let it Simmer: A proper simmer marries the flavors. Look for the sauce to darken, thicken enough to coat a spoon, and for small pools of rendered chicken fat to appear on the surface.

Keyword chicken cacciatore, chicken cacciatore pasta, one pan pasta, penne pasta with chicken in tomato sauce, rustic italian pasta

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