Instant Pot chicken cacciatore is a dish of tender chicken thighs in a flavorful tomato sauce. This easy recipe tastes like it simmered all day but takes less than 1 hour to make.
This Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore is the ultimate weeknight dinner. It’s made with chicken thighs, and vegetables in a flavorful tomato sauce.
This chicken cacciatore recipe is an easy way to enjoy the classic Italian dish with minimal effort. Serve it over pasta or your favorite side for a meal your family will love!
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Chicken thighs: Use bone-in thighs or chicken breasts if preferred. If using a different type of chicken, you’ll need to adjust the cooking time accordingly.
- Bell peppers: Feel free to use whatever color peppers you like.
- Chicken broth: I like to use reduced-sodium broth to better control the salt level in the dish. You can also use chicken stock or vegetable broth.
- Diced tomatoes: Diced tomatoes with olive oil and garlic add even more flavor to the dish.
How to make Instant Pot chicken cacciatore
Here you’ll find step-by-step photos showing how to make this recipe. The full recipe, including ingredients, is given below.
Step 1: Press sauté.
Step 2: Once the pot reads “hot”, add the olive oil, and brown chicken thighs on both sides, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove to plate.
Step 3: In the now empty pot, add onion and peppers. Cook until vegetables begin to soften, about 4-5 minutes.
Step 4: Stir in the garlic, and cook, stirring the entire time, for 30 seconds.
Step 5: Add the chicken broth and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
Step 6: Layer in the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and salt. Do not stir. If you stir the sauce, you may get a burn warning.
Step 7: Return chicken to pot, nestling into sauce.
Step 8: Close and lock the lid and set pressure release valve to sealing position. Select manual high pressure, and adjust the cooking time to 10 minutes. It should take about 10-15 minutes to come to pressure.
Step 9: When cooking time has finished, let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes.
Carefully release remaining pressure.
Step 10: Unlock the lid, and remove the chicken thighs.
Step 11: Give the sauce a good stir.
Step 12: Serve chicken and sauce over pasta, garnished with parsley if desired.
Tips
- To freeze: Store the cooked and cooled chicken and sauce in the freezer in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat as needed.
- Thickening the sauce: If the sauce is too thin, use the sauté mode after pressure cooking to reduce it, or stir in a cornstarch slurry.
Serving suggestions
I recommend serving the chicken and sauce over pasta, rice, or cauliflower rice. I like to serve the chicken with a fresh green salad and garlic bread to soak up the flavorful sauce.
Storage
Instant Pot chicken cacciatore should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep for up to 3 days when properly stored in the fridge.
Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion sliced
- 2 bell peppers sliced
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
- 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Fresh parsley for garnish optional
Instructions
- Press sauté.
- Once the pot reads “hot”, add the olive oil, and brown chicken thighs on both sides, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove to plate.
- In the now empty pot, add onion and peppers. Cook until vegetables begin to soften, about 4-5 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic, and cook, stirring the entire time, for 30 seconds.
- Add the chicken broth and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Layer in the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and salt. Do not stir.
- Return chicken to pot, nestling into sauce.
- Close and lock the lid and set pressure release valve to sealing position. Select manual high pressure, and adjust the cooking time to 10 minutes. It should take about 10-15 minutes to come to pressure.
- When cooking time has finished, let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes.
- Carefully release remaining pressure.
- Unlock the lid, and remove the chicken thighs. The chicken should be cooked to 165F.
- Give the sauce a good stir.
- Serve chicken and sauce over pasta, garnished with parsley if desired.
Notes
- Chicken thighs: Use bone-in thighs or chicken breasts if preferred. If using a different type of chicken, you’ll need to adjust the cooking time accordingly.
- Bell peppers: Feel free to use whatever color peppers you like.
- Chicken broth: I like to use reduced-sodium broth to better control the salt level in the dish. You can also use chicken stock or vegetable broth.
- Diced tomatoes: Diced tomatoes with olive oil and garlic add even more flavor to the dish.
- Nutrition values are estimates.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutritional values were calculated using a third-party tool and are provided as an estimation only.
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