Chicken Cacciatore Made Easy with RAGU
This post on making Chicken Cacciatore (easily) is part of a sponsored campaign with RAGU. All opinions are our own and affiliate links may be present.
Pasta dishes are a staple in our house.
Having Italian heritage in my background made it a must.
While I did not grow up with the multi-course meals that my mom did in her extended family gatherings, the inclusion of pasta on the menu at least once or twice a week is a given.
Yet, pasta as a staple on the table is something simmered in tradition.
With a busy lifestyle, it is easy for me to get into a rut.
Spaghetti with meatballs or a meat sauce seems to be a go-to option for our family.
Or, we cook up some panko-crusted chicken from the freezer and layer some sauce and cheese on top to make a quick chicken parmesan.
If we have a special occasion, the more time-intensive lasagna might be on the menu.
However, there are way more Italian dishes with pasta that rarely get made.
Chicken Cacciatore is one of them.
When I was invited to share about the new RAGU Homestyle Sauces, I knew what I wanted to do.
I elected to make chicken cacciatore without the need for finding just the right mixture of seasonings for the sauce.
Rather, I’d place my trust in the developers of the RAGU Homestyle Sauces.
I was quite pleased with the results.
Making Chicken Cacciatore with RAGU
As I said, I decided to add no seasonings to the RAGU Homestyle Sauce when making this dish. For this post, I made the meal on the stovetop. However, you could easily convert it to the crockpot (and I note that in the instructions.)
UPDATE in 2021: RAGU Homestyle Sauce is no longer available. RAGÚ Simply is the closest to what this one was.
Like many traditional Italian dishes, chicken cacciatore is comprised of simple ingredients.
Some call it a ‘hunter’s stew’ served atop pasta.
While mushrooms can add a depth to the final product, my boys are not fans. So, I left that ingredient out.
I started by gathering what I would need:
Chicken ON the bone is key. I used chicken breast halves, but you can use any pieces. I did remove most of the skin before cooking. Others like to leave the skin on for additional flavor.
Jars of RAGU Homestyle Thick and Hearty Traditional Sauce. I ended up using only one, but had the other ready in case it was needed.
Onion and green pepper, cut into strips, as well as diced garlic. These ingredients had my boys calling it the Italian fajitas. Not quite, but okay. I told them in the deep south this mixture is known as the holy trinity of cooking that you would never leave out.
Olive oil and butter for sauteeing the vegetables. I used both, but you could do one or the other.
Parmesan cheese for topping the finished dish.
And, of course, pasta of your choice. We used angel hair tossed with a little butter used to keep the strands from sticking.
Basic Cooking Steps to Make Chicken Cacciatore
- Saute the vegetables in oil
- Add the RAGU Sauce to the pan
- Lay the chicken pieces in the pan, tossing to coat,
- Cover the pan with a lid
- Simmer for about 45 minutes.
Once the chicken was cooked, I pulled the pieces from the pan and allowed them to cool for a few minutes. The meat was then pulled off the bone in bite-sized pieces which were added back to the pot.
Enjoy Your Chicken Cacciatore!
A quick reheat of the chicken cacciatore ended up happening. This is when you might need to add more sauce to the pan.
To serve, place a scoop of the chicken cacciatore placed on top of the pasta and you are ready to go for dinner.
I love vegetables, so I served a side of steamed broccoli with the pasta.
Some warm, crusty bread would make a great addition especially if you have hungry boys to feed like I do.
Chicken Cacciatore
Save time when you make this Chicken Cacciatore with RAGU Homestyle Sauce.
Ingredients
- Olive oil and/or butter, just enough to keep things from sticking to the pan as you saute
- 4 to 6 cloves of garlic, diced
- 1 large green bell pepper, cut into skinny strips
- 1 onion, cut into long pieces
- 1 to 2 jars of Ragu Homestyle sauce
- 3 to 4 chicken breast halves (to create a single layer in the pan)
- 1 lb. pasta of your choice, cooked per box instructions and tossed with either butter or a little Ragu Homestyle sauce to keep from sticking.
- Parmesan cheese to sprinkle on the finished product
Instructions
- In a skillet, add the oil and/or butter to the pan over medium heat.
- Add garlic, pepper and onion. Stir while sauteeing until the begin to soften.
- Add the Ragu Homestyle sauce and stir.
- Place the chicken pieces in the sauce, tossing slightly to coat the meat.
- Cover with a lid, turn to a lower heat, and simmer for about 45 minutes or until the chicken is cooked.
- Remove the chicken pieces and allow to cool for a few minutes.
- Strip the meat from the bones and place bite-sized pieces into the skillet.
- Toss the meat and add more Ragu Homestyle sauce if needed.
- Add a generous scoop of the Chicken Cacciatore on the top of your pasta of choice.
Notes
You can make this in a slow cooker. I would still pre-cook the vegetables. Then add those with the sauce and chicken to your slow cooker. 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low. Then proceed with the removal of the meat from the bones.
Alternatively, you can be truly rustic and use individually sized pieces of chicken and serve ON the bone.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 287Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 61mgSodium: 445mgCarbohydrates: 27gFiber: 3gSugar: 5gProtein: 24g
Reasons I really like the RAGU Homestyle Sauce:
- it really IS thick and does an amazing job of clinging to the pasta.
- they peel, chop and simmer our ingredients and use a special blend of herbs (basil, fennel, oregano and black pepper) to layer and build the flavor
- they do not use artificial flavors, artificial colors or high fructose corn syrup
What are some of your family traditions when it comes to food?
Do you have a favorite Italian dish that could be made easier using one of the RAGU Homestyle sauces?
I haven’t made CHICKEN CACCIATORE in ages! This looks so good, and using Ragu can save so much time, and still come out totally delish! I’d love to try this!
I love spaghetti so this recipe is definitely for me. Chicken breast and ragu sauce is two combinations that I love
It’s been raining for days here, so this looks like an ideal comfort food supper. It’s always good to see you at the Healthy Living Link Party! 😉
Blessings, Leigh
Good God, Woman. That looks amazing. I’m making this tonight!
I would use it in my lasagna!