Mama’s Chicken Cacciatore

Watching this might make you want to reach through the screen for a hug, sneak a taste, or call your own mama to say I love you.

By Anna Prezio

@thatladyanna

August 28, 2025

Mama’s Chicken Cacciatore

By Anna Prezio

Ingredients

1

whole chicken, cut into pieces
1

cup flour, seasoned with salt & pepper
1/2

onion, chopped
1

red, 1 green & 1 orange bell pepper, sliced
4

tbsp olive oil
2

tbsp butter
1/4

cup Kalamata (or black) olives
28

oz crushed tomatoes
1/4

cup Gratsi Red
3

bay leaves
2

sprigs each rosemary & oregano
Salt & pepper

Instructions

TOTAL TIME

1 hour

4 servings

Sundays are for slow afternoons, good food, and even better stories. Especially when Mama’s in the kitchen. Today she’s teaching me how to make Chicken Cacciatore, walking me through every step while sharing memories from her childhood in Calabria. Every laugh, every tip, every little sip of Gratsi Red makes the kitchen feel warm, cozy, and full of life.

I love making her laugh while we cook. It’s those moments between the stirring and seasoning that taste just as rich as the sauce itself. By the time the chicken is tender and the sauce is bubbling, it’s more than dinner. It’s a Sunday afternoon you’ll never forget.

A smiling woman in a kitchen stands behind a counter with ingredients: raw chicken, black olives, fresh herbs, red and orange bell peppers, salt, a jar of tomatoes, and a GRATS! box. Close-up shows the same ingredients.

STEP 1

Season the chicken, coat lightly in flour, and brown in olive oil and butter until golden. Set aside.

Two images side by side show raw, flour-coated chicken pieces arranged in a large black pan on a stove. The kitchen counter in the background has cookbooks, a yellow jar, and a coffee maker.

STEP 2

Deglaze the pan with Gratsi Red, then add onion and peppers. Cook until soft and fragrant. Stir in the tomatoes and a splash of water.

STEP 3

Nestle the chicken back into the sauce with olives, bay leaves, and fresh herbs. Add a little more water if needed to cover.

A split image shows chopped onions, peppers, and fresh herbs on a cutting board next to a beer glass, and a blue pot filled with simmering stew, herbs, and olives on a stove in a kitchen setting.

STEP 4

Season well, cover, and let it simmer gently for about an hour, until the chicken is falling-off-the-bone tender.

Serve family-style with crusty bread to soak up the sauce or spooned over pasta.

Mama’s Chicken Cacciatore

Mama’s Chicken Cacciatore