Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore Recipe - The Dinner Bite (2024)

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What’s for dinner? Are you after an IP chicken dinner that is quick and easy? This recipe for the best instant pot chicken cacciatore or should I say Italian chicken stew is for you.

A comforting Italian tomato stew made with simple kitchen staple ingredients and it is fully packed with flavour from garlic, mixed herbs, tomato and chilli. This easy instant pot chicken stew recipe is perfect for busy weeknight dinners and great for meal prepping.

Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore Recipe - The Dinner Bite (1)

What Is Chicken Cacciatore

Chicken cacciatore is a classic Italian hunter’s stew made with onions, tomatoes and herbs with occasional use of bell peppers, mushroom and wine.

Cacciatore is made with braised chicken or rabbit but today I would be showing you how to make this delicious stew in your instant pot electric pressure cooker with bone-in chicken thighs.

The chicken falls off the bone nicely, one word for this chicken stew delicious!

Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore Recipe - The Dinner Bite (2)

This delicious Italian chicken stew is usually slowed cooked but thanks to an instant pot pressure cooker, you can have this cacciatore chicken from your kitchen to your table under 30 minutes. This is one recipe your family would enjoy.

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Why This Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore Is The Best

  • This dish is packed full of flavour and it only uses a handful of ingredients. This instant pot chicken cacciatore recipe is so quick to make and you can make it a dump and go recipe, but I prefer to saute the onions and sear the chicken a bit before I continue cooking.
  • Compared to the slow cooker version, this pressure cooker chicken cacciatore only requires 8 minutes cook time and the overall flavour of the dish is not compromised.
  • It makes a great weeknight night dinner, especially for fussy kids. I made this hunter-style dish without mushroom and bell peppers to please my darling daughter. She would pick them out if they are not covered with cheese.
  • Chicken cacciatore is a comforting dish that doesn’t put a dent in your pocket, it is inexpensive and utterly delicious. Don't even get me started on the sauce. it is amazing.
  • You can serve this dish with just about anything.
Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore Recipe - The Dinner Bite (3)

Ingredients For Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore

Bone-in chicken thighs:this is my favourite chicken part, but you can also use skinless bonelesschicken thighs or chicken breasts.

Olive oil

Tomato paste

Garlic: fresh cloves orgranules

Canned chopped tomatoes: substitutewith passata

Salt and ground black pepper

Mixed herbs: substitutefor Italian herbs, oregano or basil

Chicken bouillon powder:substitute with chicken stock cubes or sock

Fresh thyme to garnish

Chopped onions

Chilli powder: optional, Iadded for a little kick

Worcestershire sauce: thisis totally optional but what to serve with chicken cacciatore an unusualadditions on my recipes, I mostly add this sauce to tomato sauce.

Other ingredient variations include

Mushroom

Bay leaves

Red wine

Parmesan cheese to garnish

Chopped bell peppers

Make this simple Italian sauce in your crockpot (slow cooker) on high for 3 hours or low between 6 and 8 hours. Alternatively, cook on the stove top over medium heat and simmer for an hour.

Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore Recipe - The Dinner Bite (4)

How To Make Chicken CacciatoreIn Instant Pot Pressure Cooker

Detailed measurements and instructions can be found on theprintablerecipe card at the bottom of this page

Prep the ingredients andseason the chicken thighs with salt and pepper on both sides.

Saute the Chicken: Turn onthe IP and select the saute button, add oil and heat until hot. Add the choppedonions and saute until translucent and soft, then followed by the chicken thighs,sear for 1 to 2 minutes on each side until slightly browned (you might need towork in batches with the chicken pieces). If working with more than 4 pieces ofchicken thighs, add all the chicken back to the inner pot and carefully stir tocombine.

  • Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore Recipe - The Dinner Bite (5)
  • Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore Recipe - The Dinner Bite (6)

Add the rest of theingredients: Pour the crushed tomatoes over the chicken, add the tomatopaste, bouillon powder, garlic granules, herbs and gently stir to combineensuring you don’t have anything stuck to the bottom of the pan to avoid getting“burn” notice. Cancel the sauté function. (This whole process should take about6 minutes)

Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore Recipe - The Dinner Bite (7)

Lock the lid of the instant pot securely and set the valve to sealing. Select manual or pressure cook button and set on high pressure for 8 minutes. Once the chicken cacciatore has finished cooking, let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes and carefully do a quick release. Open the lid, stir the stew to combine, garnish with fresh herbs of choice and serve as desired.

Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore Recipe - The Dinner Bite (8)

What To Serve With ChickenCacciatore

Serve this instant pot chicken cacciatore over mashed potatoes, polenta, pasta, crusty bread like this garlic bread but my go-to is rice, fried plantain and steamed broccoli.

Other IP Chicken Recipes On The Blog

instant pot Jambalaya

Pressure cooker shredded chicken

Instant pot black eyed peas

Instant pot chicken thighs

If you made this easy instant pot chicken cacciatore recipe, don’t forget to leave me feedback and rate it. Tag me @thedinnerbite onInstagramandsave away to yourPinterest. Pleasesubscribeto the blog if you haven’t for free new recipes in your inbox

Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore Recipe - The Dinner Bite (9)

Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore Recipe - The Dinner Bite (10)

Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore Recipe

Ajoke

Are you after an IP chicken dinner that is quick and easy? This recipe for the best instant pot chicken cacciatore or should I say Italian chicken stew is for you. A comforting Italian tomato stew made with simple kitchen staple ingredients and it is fully packed with flavour from garlic, mixed herbs, tomato and chilli. Serve this stew over rice, mashed potatoes or with bread.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 8 minutes mins

Total Time 18 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine British, French

Servings 4

Equipment

  • Instant Pot

Ingredients

  • 6 pieces Bone-in chicken thighs about 1kg
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • cup onions chopped
  • 1 teaspoon garlic granules
  • canned chopped tomatoes 600g
  • Salt and ground black pepper to season
  • ½ tablespoon mixed herbs
  • ½ tablespoon chicken bouillon powder
  • Fresh thyme to garnish
  • Chilli powder use as desired
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

  • Prep the ingredients and season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper on both sides.

  • Turn on the IP and select the saute button, add oil and heat until hot. Add the chopped onions and saute until translucent and soft, then followed by the chicken thighs, sear for 1 to 2 minutes on each side until slightly browned (you might need to work in batches with the chicken pieces). If working with more than 4 pieces of chicken thighs, add all the chicken back to the inner pot and carefully stir to combine.

  • Pour the crushed tomatoes over the chicken, add the tomato paste, bouillon powder, garlic granules, herbs and gently stir to combine ensuring you don’t have anything stuck to the bottom of the pan to avoid getting “burn” notice. Cancel the sauté function. (This whole process should take about 6 minutes)

  • Lock the lid of the instant pot securely and set the valve to sealing. Select manual or pressure cook button and set on high pressure for 8 minutes. Once the chicken cacciatore has finished cooking, let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes and carefully do a quick release. Open the lid, stir the stew to combine, garnish with fresh herbs of choice and serve as desired.

Notes

Slow cooker and Stove Top options

Make this simple Italian sauce in your crockpot (slow cooker) on high for 3 hours or low between 6 and 8 hours. Alternatively, cook on the stove Top over medium heat and simmer for an hour.

Nutritional data: Please note that the nutrition label provided is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator. It will vary based on the specific ingredients and brands you use. Under no circ*mstances will thedinnerbite.com be responsible for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information.

Keyword instant pot chicken cacciatore, instant pot chicken stew recipe, pressure cooker chicken cacciatore

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Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore Recipe - The Dinner Bite (2024)

FAQs

Does cooking chicken longer in Instant Pot make it more tender? ›

This dinner staple cooks up perfectly every time in the Instant Pot. You can aim for firm but juicy chicken for cubing, or let it cook a little bit longer for tender shredded chicken.

Why does my Instant Pot chicken come out rubbery? ›

Oddly enough, it can be really challenging to get the right texture when cooking boneless chicken breasts. They cook quickly in the Instant Pot, but if you don't cook them long enough they get a weird, rubber-like texture that's nearly impossible to chew, and if you cook them too long, their texture gets dry.

How do you keep chicken from getting tough in Instant Pot? ›

If you only have water, that will work but you may want to add in chicken bouillon or increase the seasonings. Butter: yes, it's true. Since chicken breasts are so lean, I like to add a bit of fat to the cooking process to keep them so juicy. It's my favorite way to make them!

Can you overcook chicken in the Instapot? ›

Typically, it's very easy to overcook chicken, but in the instant pot, it is difficult to do. Pressure cooking really locks in the flavor and moisture of chicken. I wouldn't cook 1 lb of chicken for 20 minutes in the pressure cooker, but if you do, it probably won't even be overcooked!

Why is my chicken tough after pressure cooking? ›

Without watching over your shoulder in your kitchen, the most likely reason is overcooking. Pressure cookers are powerful, and it can be a fine line between perfectly done vs. too much. Longer cook times squeeze more moisture out of the tissue, leaving it drier and tougher.

Is it better to pressure cook or slow cook chicken? ›

So can a Crock-Pot cook better chicken than an Instant Pot? Well, it really depends on what you're making. The Instant Pot cooks chicken much faster than its non-pressure counterparts, but the resulting texture isn't going to be the same as what you'd get with a slow cooker or Dutch oven.

Why does my chicken taste hard and rubbery? ›

Leaving chicken in a pan, oven, or grill for just a little too long can suck the moisture right out and leave you with a dry, rubbery bird. Without moisture, the protein fibers in the chicken become elastic. The types of chicken you buy at the store can also make a difference.

Is woody chicken breast safe to eat? ›

The specific cause is not known but may be related to factors associated with rapid growth rates. Companies often use a three-point scale to grade the woodiness of a particular breast. Although distasteful to many, meat that exhibits woody breast is not known to be harmful to humans who consume it.

Can chicken still be pink after pressure cooking? ›

Color does not indicate doneness. The USDA further explains that even fully cooked poultry can sometimes show a pinkish tinge in the meat and juices. This is particularly true of young chickens whose bones and skin are still very permeable.

What happens if Instapot is too full? ›

Overfilling your Instant Pot can affect the pressure that builds up inside, so you might end up with a mushy meal, or one that doesn't cook properly.

How long do you can chicken in a pressure cooker? ›

Once you're getting 4 “jiggles” per minute, or your dial gauge has come up to pressure, start your timer and process the chicken. If you're canning pint jars, you will process them for 1 hour 15 minutes (75 minutes). If you're using quart jars, you will process for 1 hour 30 minutes (90 minutes).

Does cooking chicken longer make it softer? ›

Close-up of a woman slicing raw chicken breast meat on a cutting board. Chicken becomes more tender the longer it cooks. Unfortunately, most cooking methods produce extremely dry meat when the chicken is cooked long enough to become tender.

Does cooking chicken longer make it tougher? ›

In addition, chicken breast has less fat and can become dry (chewy or rubbery) if cooked for too long.

Does meat get softer the longer you pressure cook it? ›

The pressure will in fact make your meat super tender, almost as if you slow cooked it for the better part of a day. You still have to figure out how long to cook it though so for that I invite you to read a little further.

Does slow cooking chicken make it more tender? ›

Why make chicken breast in the crockpot, when there are much faster ways to make it? Because it makes for the most juicy, tender chicken of any other cooking method I've tried.

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