When you’re craving classic Italian comfort food without the heaviness, this Lean Chicken Cacciatore with Vegetables recipe is your feel-good weeknight meal. It’s made in one pot with simple, nourishing ingredients like lean chicken breast, carrots, celery, onion, and briny olives simmered in tomatoes.
Packed with antioxidants and hormone-supportive nutrients, this dish helps balance blood sugar and reduce inflammation, so important in menopause. Serve it over cauliflower rice, quinoa, or spiralized zucchini noodles for a light and satisfying dinner that feels as good as it tastes.
What is chicken cacciatore?
Chicken Cacciatore, or Pollo alla Cacciatora, is a traditional Italian stew that translates to “hunter’s chicken.” It was originally created as a rustic countryside meal made with whatever vegetables, herbs, and game meats were on hand. Classic versions simmer rabbit, lamb, beef or chicken thighs (with skin) in a tomato-based sauce with onions, garlic, peppers, and sometimes wine or olives.
There are many variations of cacciatore depending on where you are in Italy. Northern Italians often include mushrooms and white wine, while southern versions might highlight red wine and bell peppers. Regardless, all versions of this savoury Mediterranean recipe share the same comforting, slow-simmered flavour.
As a Holistic Nutritionist specializing in low carb, functional recipes for menopause health, I made a few adjustments to a classic cacciatore, which I hope my Nonna would still approve of. My lean chicken cacciatore recipe uses skinless chicken breast and finely chopped vegetables for a wholesome, modern twist on an old-world favourite.
Why you will love this recipe
- Skinless chicken breast makes for a heart-healthy, lean dinner
- It is balanced with protein, healthy fats from olive oil and olives, and fibre from vegetables
- You can customize the vegetables with ones you have on hand or for dietary preferences
- Tomatoes are packed with lycopene which may help reduce “bad” LDL cholesterol while increasing “good” HDL cholesterol, lower blood pressure, and protect against oxidative stress and inflammation in blood vessels. Overall, tomatoes are a staple in Mediterranean diets for cardiovascular health
- It is made in one pot in 30 minutes
- It is grain-free, gluten-free, and dairy-free
Key ingredients you will need
Canned whole tomatoes | Use San Marzano whole tomatoes that have been peeled and are canned in their juices
Chicken breast | You will need two skinless chicken breasts to keep this recipe lean
Diced vegetables | Diced carrots, celery and onion
Olives | A handful of pitted black olives give a briny, salty flavour and plenty of healthy fats to this dish
White wine | Wine gives a beautiful flavour in this recipe, however, it is optional. The alcohol burns off as this dish cooks. You will need about a cup of white or red wine
Herbs and spices | Fresh herbs are the most flavourful. If you don’t have fresh herbs, dried herbs work in a pinch. You will need sea salt, black pepper, a clove of garlic, parsley, basil, and/or oregano
How to make lean chicken cacciatore
- Heat a few glugs of olive oil in a skillet or shallow pan with lid on medium heat
- Finely dice the carrots, celery, and onion and sautee everything for a few minutes until the onion becomes translucent. Add in a whole garlic clove in it’s skin to prevent burning. As the garlic cooks, the skin will loosen. You can remove it or leave it in as it’s edible
- Make an opening in the veggies and place the chicken breast into the pan. You want to sear it for a few minutes on each side to seal in the juices
- Once the chicken is seared and lightly brown on each side, pour the white wine into the pot and let it cook here for a few minutes to reduce
- Transfer the can of tomatoes and their juices to a large bowl and use a potato masher, or your hands, to break them up. Add them to the simmering chicken, along with a handful of black olives, salt pepper, and the herbs chopped up or torn
- Cover the pan with a lid and let everything cook for another 20 minutes. Check to make sure the chicken is fully cooked through before serving
What to serve this recipe with to keep it low carb
- Cooked quinoa
- Spiralized zucchini noodles. I use my spiralizer every week to make a low carb “spaghetti” alternative.
- Cauliflower rice
- Cut up the chicken and serve it as a hearty stew as is, with a simple side salad
Lean Chicken Cacciatore with Vegetables
Ingredients
- 4 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 skinless chicken breasts
- 28 oz can whole, peeled tomatoes
- 2 carrots, finely diced
- 2 celery ribs, finely diced
- 1/2 yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 whole garlic clove in skin
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 cup pitted black olives
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- cracked black pepper to taste
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 Tbsp parsley
- 2 leaves basil
Instructions
- Heat a few glugs of olive oil in a skillet or shallow pan with lid on medium heat
- Finely dice the carrots, celery, and onion and sautee for a few minutes until the onion becomes translucent. Add in a whole garlic clove in it’s skin. As the garlic cooks, it will soften so you can break it up into the dish and easily remove the skin
- Make an opening in the veggies and place the chicken breast into the pan. You want to sear it for a few minutes on each side to seal in the juices
- Once the chicken is seared and lightly brown on each side, pour the white wine into the pot and let it cook here for a few minutes to reduce slightly
- Transfer the can of tomatoes and their juices to a large bowl and use a potato masher, or your hands!, to break them up. Add them to the simmering chicken, along with a handful of black olives, salt pepper, and the herbs chopped up or torn
- Cover the pan and let everything cook for another 20 minutes. Check to make sure the chicken is fully cooked through before serving. Either serve the chicken breasts whole with the stewed vegetables, or cut them into halves or quarters before serving
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