Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore

Ingredients

• 4–6 (977 g)chicken thighs
• 32 gplain flour
• 22.5 mlolive oil
• 1 (133 g), slicedonion
• 1 teaspoon (0.8 g)dried oregano leaves
• 1 teaspoon (1 g)dried thyme
• 15 mltomato purée
• 2 (0.2 g)bay leaves
• 1 large (120 g), roughly slicedred pepper
• 6 cloves (16.7 g), mincedgarlic
• 125 mldry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
• 60 ml (¼ cup)pitted black olives
• 30–60 gcapers, drained
• 125 mlunsalted chicken stock
• 1 can (794 g), fire-roastedcrushed tomatoes
• 15 ml (optional)regular soy sauce
• 15 ml (optional)fish sauce
• ¼ teaspoonsugar
• To tastesalt and ground black pepper
• To taste, finely choppedItalian parsley

Instructions

1. 1

   Season and dredge

   Season both sides of the chicken thighs with salt and black pepper. Put the flour in a large bowl and lightly coat the chicken on both sides.

2. 2

   Brown the chicken

   Select Sauté More on the Instant Pot and wait until the display says HOT, about 8 minutes. Add the olive oil and coat the bottom of the pot. Brown the flour-coated chicken, skin-side down, for 4 minutes, then turn and brown the other side for 2.5 minutes. Set the chicken aside; if using 6 thighs, brown them in two batches.

3. 3

   Cook onion and spices

   Sauté the sliced onion for 3 minutes. Add the oregano, thyme, tomato purée, bay leaves and sliced pepper, then sauté for 1 minute. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant. If your Instant Pot is prone to a Burn warning, hold back the tomato purée and layer it over the tomatoes later.

4. 4

   Deglaze the pot

   Pour in the white wine and scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Stir briefly, bring to the boil and boil for 1 minute.

5. 5

   Pressure-cook the chicken

   Add the olives, capers, soy sauce, fish sauce and chicken stock, then stir briefly. Return the browned chicken and any collected juices to the pot. Layer the crushed tomatoes on top without mixing. Close the lid with the steam release set to Sealing. Cook at High Pressure for 4 minutes, then allow a 10-minute natural release before carefully opening the lid.

6. 6

   Thicken and season

   Stir the cacciatore sauce briefly and transfer the chicken to a serving plate. Use Sauté to bring the sauce to a simmer and cook for 3–6 minutes, until it reaches your preferred thickness. Taste and adjust with salt and black pepper; if the tomatoes are very acidic, add a little sugar (¼ teaspoon is the recipe’s reference amount). Press Cancel or switch to Keep Warm.

7. 7

   Garnish and serve

   Spoon the sauce over the chicken and garnish with finely chopped Italian parsley. Serve with your chosen side dishes.

What is chicken cacciatore?

Cacciatore means “hunter-style” in Italian and is commonly used for rustic dishes of meat cooked with tomatoes, herbs and other savoury ingredients. This version brings those familiar flavours together in an electric pressure cooker.

Browned chicken, fire-roasted tomatoes, wine, olives and capers make a sauce that is tangy, deeply savoury and suited to spooning over a simple side.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 735 calories, 45g protein, 26g carbs, 48g fat.

Most of the carbohydrate comes from the flour and tomatoes, while the chicken contributes much of the protein. The olive oil and chicken thighs account for much of the fat; serve with green vegetables or salad for a balanced plate.

Build flavour before pressure cooking

Browned chicken: Give the thighs space in the pot so they can develop colour rather than steam. If you are cooking 6, brown them in two batches and keep the browned pieces aside while you cook the rest.

Aromatic base: Sauté the onion, herbs and pepper before adding the garlic. The garlic cooks for only 30 seconds, which helps it become fragrant without lingering in the pot for the full pressure-cooking stage.

Keep the pot clear

Wine deglaze: Scrape the base thoroughly after adding the wine to loosen the browned bits left from searing. Boiling it for 1 minute is part of the method and helps drive off some of the alcohol.

Tomato layer: Add the crushed tomatoes last and leave them on top rather than stirring them in. This layering, along with scraping the base clean, helps reduce the risk of a Burn warning.

Understand the pressure-cooking time

The recipe calls for 4 minutes at High Pressure, followed by a 10-minute natural release. The cooker also takes time to come to pressure and release it, so the pressure-cooking setting is only one part of the overall cooking time.

Open the lid carefully after the natural release. The thighs and sauce will be hot, so take care when moving the chicken to a plate.

Finish the sauce to your liking

Thickness: After removing the chicken, simmer the sauce for 3–6 minutes and stop when it reaches your preferred consistency. A longer simmer reduces it further.

Balance: Taste before adding extra salt, since the capers, olives and optional sauces bring plenty of savoury saltiness. If the tomatoes taste especially sharp, the recipe suggests balancing them with a little sugar.

Choose a simple side

Bread or polenta: Either is useful for catching the tomato-rich sauce. Serve it alongside the chicken rather than stirring it into the pot.

Vegetables: A green salad or plainly cooked green vegetables offer a fresh contrast to the rich, briny sauce. Spoon the sauce over the chicken just before serving.

Recipe notes & tips

• Pat the chicken dry before seasoning and dredging so the flour coats it evenly.
• Brown the chicken in two batches if the pot would otherwise be crowded.
• Scrape the base thoroughly during deglazing to lift all the browned pieces.
• Keep the tomatoes on top of the other ingredients rather than stirring them in before pressure cooking.
• Taste the sauce before adding more salt, particularly if you use both optional sauces.
• Use the full 3–6-minute simmer range as a guide and stop when the sauce is as thick as you like.

Variations

• Skip the wine: Use chicken stock in its place for a version without wine.
• Omit optional sauces: Leave out the soy and fish sauce if you prefer a simpler seasoning.
• Adjust the capers: Use 30 g for a milder briny flavour or up to 60 g for more punch.
• Use fresh herbs: Finish with extra chopped parsley for a brighter garnish.
• Add a side: Serve with polenta, bread or green vegetables to make the meal more substantial.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Crowding the pot: The chicken can steam instead of browning; cook it in two batches when needed.
• Skipping the deglaze: Browned bits can remain stuck to the base; scrape them up with the wine and a wooden spoon.
• Mixing in the tomatoes: The recipe calls for them on top; leave the layer undisturbed before pressure cooking.
• Overcooking the garlic: It needs only 30 seconds before the wine goes in; add it after the other aromatics.
• Over-salting early: Olives, capers and optional sauces are already savoury; taste the finished sauce before seasoning further.

How to store

Refrigerate cooled leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a covered saucepan or microwave until piping hot throughout, adding a splash of stock if the sauce has thickened.

Frequently asked questions