Chicken Cacciatore (Keto, One Skillet, 7.3g Net Carbs)
- Total time
- 1 hour 25 minutes
- Makes
- 6 servings
- Net carbs
- 7.3g
- Calories
- 249
Chicken cacciatore is the dinner I make when I want the kitchen to smell like an Italian grandmother lives there. Browned chicken thighs, peppers, mushrooms and onion, all simmered in a thick tomato sauce until the meat pulls away from the bone. It cooks in one skillet, and most of the time you are not doing anything at all.
It is also an easy dish to keep keto. The usual version is already mostly chicken and vegetables. The carbs hide in what goes around it and in a very large amount of tomato. This version uses one can of diced tomatoes and a little tomato paste for six thighs, skips the carrot, and comes to 7.3g net carbs a serving with almost 27g of protein.
The first time I made it, the sauce was thin and pink and the chicken tasted boiled. I had skipped the browning to save time and kept the lid on for the whole cook. Now I sear the thighs until they are deep golden, cook the mushrooms until they brown, and take the lid off for the last ten minutes so the sauce reduces and clings to the chicken.
Why This Keto Chicken Cacciatore Works
Bone-in thighs stay juicy. Thighs have enough fat to stay tender through a long braise, and the bone adds body to the sauce. Breasts dry out long before the sauce is ready.
Browning is the flavor. The golden bits the chicken and mushrooms leave on the bottom of the pan are what make the sauce taste rich. A splash of broth lifts them off the pan and into the sauce.
A bright splash of acid. Many cacciatore recipes call for something stronger to deglaze the pan. This one uses chicken broth and a tablespoon of red wine vinegar, which gives the same sharp lift to the tomatoes.
Less tomato, more vegetables. One 14.5-ounce can is enough sauce for six thighs once it reduces. The peppers, mushrooms and olives fill the pan instead, and they cost very few carbs.
Recipe Overview
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 70 minutes
- Total Time: 85 minutes
- Serves: 6 (one thigh each, with sauce)
- Net Carbs: 7.3g per serving
Ingredients
For the Chicken
| Ingredient | Quantity | Notes |
| Bone-in skinless chicken thighs | 6 | About 2¼ lb |
| Sea salt | 1 tsp | |
| Black pepper | ½ tsp | |
| Olive oil | 2 tbsp | Divided |
For the Sauce
| Ingredient | Quantity | Notes |
| Cremini mushrooms | 8 oz | Sliced |
| Onion | 1 medium | Sliced |
| Garlic | 4 cloves | Minced |
| Red bell pepper | 1 medium | Cut into strips |
| Green bell pepper | 1 medium | Cut into strips |
| Dried oregano | 1 tsp | |
| Dried thyme | ½ tsp | |
| Red pepper flakes | ¼ tsp | Optional |
| Chicken broth | ⅔ cup | |
| Red wine vinegar | 1 tbsp | |
| Diced tomatoes | 1 can (14.5 oz) | With their juice |
| Tomato paste | 2 tbsp | |
| Bay leaf | 1 | Removed before serving |
| Pitted black olives | ½ cup | |
| Fresh parsley | 2 tbsp | Chopped |
| Fresh basil | 2 tbsp | Torn or chopped |
Use a 12-inch skillet with a lid, or a wide Dutch oven. Six thighs need room to sit in one layer in the sauce. In a smaller pan they stack, and the ones underneath steam instead of braising.
Bone-in, skinless thighs are the sweet spot. Skin-on thighs work too, but the skin goes soft in the sauce, so I pull it off before cooking. Boneless thighs cook faster: see the tips below.
Recipe Timing
| Stage | Time |
| Slice the vegetables, season the chicken | 15 minutes |
| Sear the chicken on both sides | 8 to 10 minutes |
| Brown the mushrooms, soften the onion and peppers | 10 minutes |
| Deglaze and build the sauce | 2 minutes |
| Simmer covered | 35 to 40 minutes |
| Simmer uncovered with the olives | 10 minutes |
| Total | About 85 minutes |
How to Make Chicken Cacciatore, Step by Step
1. Season and sear the chicken
Pat the thighs dry with paper towels and season both sides with the salt and black pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Lay the thighs in, smooth side down, and leave them alone for 4 to 5 minutes, until they release easily and are deep golden. Turn and brown the other side for 4 minutes. They do not need to be cooked through. Move them to a plate.
2. Brown the mushrooms
Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan and turn the heat down to medium. Add the mushrooms and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring only now and then, until their liquid has cooked off and they start to brown. Cooking them first, before the other vegetables, is what lets them brown instead of steam.
3. Soften the onion and peppers
Add the onion and the pepper strips and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until the onion is soft and translucent. Stir in the garlic, oregano, thyme and red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds, just until the garlic smells good.
4. Deglaze and build the sauce
Pour in the chicken broth and the red wine vinegar and scrape the browned bits off the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Let it bubble for a minute. Stir in the diced tomatoes with their juice and the tomato paste, and tuck in the bay leaf.
5. Braise until tender
Nestle the chicken thighs back into the sauce, along with any juices from the plate. Bring it to a gentle simmer, cover, and turn the heat to low. Cook for 35 to 40 minutes, giving the sauce a stir once or twice, until the chicken is tender and an instant-read thermometer pushed into the thickest thigh reads at least 175°F.
6. Reduce the sauce and finish
Take the lid off, scatter in the olives, and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, until the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon. Fish out the bay leaf. Taste the sauce and add a pinch more salt if it needs it. Sprinkle the parsley and basil over the top and serve straight from the pan.
Tips and Variations
- Boneless thighs. Use about 1¾ lb, sear them the same way, and braise for 20 to 25 minutes instead of 35 to 40.
- Chicken breasts. They work, but cut them into large pieces and braise for only 15 to 20 minutes, or they turn dry and stringy.
- Sauce too thin? Simmer it uncovered for a few more minutes. Every minute makes it thicker and the flavor deeper.
- Sauce catching on the bottom? Your simmer is too hard. Turn the heat down and stir in 2 to 3 tablespoons of broth.
- Change the olives. Green olives or a tablespoon of capers give a sharper, saltier finish.
- Make it in the oven. After step 5, put the covered skillet in a 350°F oven for 40 minutes, then finish on the stove as in step 6. Use an oven-safe pan and lid.
What to Serve With Chicken Cacciatore
The sauce is the best part, so serve it with something that soaks it up. Cauliflower mash, cauliflower rice, zucchini noodles or roasted spaghetti squash all keep the plate low-carb. Steamed green beans or a pile of sautéed spinach are good on the side.
For something crisp and cold next to it, our keto Italian chopped salad fits the same flavors. And if you like chicken thighs but want a dinner with no sauce at all, our Greek lemon chicken roasts thighs with cauliflower and zucchini on one sheet pan.
Storage and Reheating
Fridge: let it cool, then keep it in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Like most braises, it tastes even better the next day.
Reheat: warm it in a covered pan over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until the chicken is hot all the way through. Add a splash of broth if the sauce has thickened too much. The microwave works for single portions; cover the bowl.
Freezer: freeze the chicken and sauce together for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is chicken cacciatore keto?
It can be. The chicken, peppers, mushrooms and olives are all low-carb, so the carbs come mostly from the tomatoes and onion. With one can of diced tomatoes for six thighs and no carrot, a serving of this one has 7.3g net carbs. Serve it with a low-carb side instead of pasta or bread.
What does cacciatore mean?
Cacciatore means hunter in Italian. Chicken cacciatore is chicken cooked hunter style: braised slowly with onions, peppers, mushrooms, herbs and tomatoes.
Is this chicken cacciatore alcohol-free?
Yes. Nothing in it contains alcohol. Chicken broth lifts the browned bits off the pan, and a tablespoon of red wine vinegar adds the bright, sharp note that balances the tomatoes.
How do I know when the chicken is done?
The meat should feel tender when you press a fork into it and start to pull away from the bone. An instant-read thermometer in the thickest part should read at least 175°F. Thighs are safe at 165°F, but they get much more tender at a higher temperature.
More Low-Carb Chicken Dinners
- Keto Chicken Parmesan — almond flour crusted chicken breasts with marinara and melted mozzarella, ready in 35 minutes.
- Creamy Garlic Mushroom Chicken — seared chicken breasts in a cream sauce with cremini mushrooms and thyme.
- Tuscan Chicken Spaghetti Squash — chicken, spinach and sun-dried tomatoes in a Parmesan cream sauce over squash strands.
- Keto Meatballs — beef and turkey meatballs simmered in tomato sauce, ready in 25 minutes.
- Keto Pot Roast — another low-and-slow dinner: chuck roast braised with turnips, carrots and mushrooms.
Recipe Card
The full ingredient list and the method in short are in the card below.
Keto Chicken Cacciatore
Equipment
- 12-inch skillet with a lid or a wide Dutch oven
- Wooden spoon
- Instant-read thermometer
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 6 bone-in skinless chicken thighs about 2 1/4 lb
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil divided
For the Sauce
- 8 oz cremini mushrooms sliced
- 1 medium onion sliced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 medium red bell pepper cut into strips
- 1 medium green bell pepper cut into strips
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes optional
- 2/3 cup chicken broth
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with their juice
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 bay leaf removed before serving
- 1/2 cup pitted black olives
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh basil torn or chopped
Instructions
- Sear: Pat the chicken thighs dry and season with the sea salt and black pepper. Heat 1 tbsp of the olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the thighs 4 to 5 minutes, turn and sear 4 minutes more, until deep golden. Move to a plate.
- Mushrooms: Add the remaining oil, lower the heat to medium and cook the cremini mushrooms about 5 minutes, until their liquid has cooked off and they brown.
- Vegetables: Add the onion, red bell pepper and green bell pepper and cook 4 to 5 minutes until soft. Stir in the garlic, dried oregano, dried thyme and red pepper flakes for 30 seconds.
- Deglaze: Pour in the chicken broth and red wine vinegar and scrape up the browned bits. Simmer 1 minute, then stir in the diced tomatoes and tomato paste and add the bay leaf.
- Braise: Return the chicken and its juices to the pan. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook on low 35 to 40 minutes, until tender and at least 175°F in the thickest thigh.
- Finish: Uncover, add the black olives and simmer 10 minutes until the sauce is thick. Remove the bay leaf, taste for salt, and top with the parsley and basil.
Notes
Keep cooking
