Healthy Chicken Cacciatore

The hunter's stew, the way Italian grandmothers make it — just with more peppers and less oil.

Healthy chicken cacciatore is a one-pan Italian stew of skinless chicken thighs braised with bell peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, olives and rosemary. This lightened version has about 390 calories and 40 g of protein per serving, takes 50 minutes, and tastes better on day two.

By RecipeUp Kitchen · Published September 14, 2026 ·

A terracotta dish of chicken cacciatore with bell peppers, mushrooms, olives, and herbs is presented on a light tablecloth.

Prep15 min
Cook35 min
Total50 min
Serves4
LevelEasy
Per serving391 kcal · 40P · 27C · 12F

Pollo alla cacciatora — "hunter's chicken" — is what an Italian home cook makes when there's a chicken, a few vegetables and a bottle of wine already open. There is no single recipe: in Tuscany it leans on rosemary and red wine, in Rome on vinegar and rosemary, in the south on peppers and olives. Ours takes the southern road because peppers and mushrooms bring volume and fiber for very few calories, which is exactly what a weight-loss dinner needs.

What we changed from the classic: the skin comes off (it's where most of the fat is), the oil goes from a generous pour to one tablespoon, and the vegetables double. What we kept: bone-deep flavor from browning the chicken properly, a splash of wine to lift the pan, and a long enough simmer that the sauce thickens on its own.

Why this recipe works for weight loss

A weight-loss dinner fails for one of two reasons: it isn't filling, or it isn't good enough to make again. Cacciatore solves both. Volume: each serving carries roughly 8 ounces of peppers, mushrooms, onion and tomato, which stretch stomach receptors and slow digestion. Protein: 40 g per serving from the thighs keeps you full for hours and protects muscle while you're in a calorie deficit. Flavor without fat: browning builds savory depth (the Maillard reaction) and the wine, olives and capers add the sharp, salty notes that make food satisfying — so one tablespoon of oil is enough.

On the thighs-versus-breasts question: 6 oz of skinless thigh has about 3 g more fat than the same weight of breast, roughly 25 calories. In exchange you get meat that stays tender through a braise and doesn't need a sauce full of cream to be pleasant. We'll take that trade.

Instructions

Season and brown the chicken. Pat the thighs dry and season with the salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high. Add the chicken in a single layer and leave it alone for 4 minutes until deeply golden, then flip and brown 2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate — it will finish cooking in the sauce.
Soften the vegetables. Lower the heat to medium. Add the onion and peppers to the same pan with a pinch of salt and cook, scraping up the browned bits, for 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until they release their water and start to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, rosemary, oregano and pepper flakes and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
Deglaze. Pour in the wine and let it bubble for 1–2 minutes until it has almost evaporated and no longer smells sharp.
Braise. Add the crushed tomatoes, olives and capers and stir. Nestle the chicken and any juices from the plate back into the sauce. Bring to a simmer, then lower the heat, cover partially and cook for 25 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the chicken is tender (an instant-read thermometer reads at least 165°F / 74°C) and the sauce has thickened.
Finish. Fish out the rosemary stems. Taste the sauce and add salt only if it needs it — the olives and capers bring a lot. Scatter the basil over the top and serve straight from the pan.

Tips from our kitchen

Don't crowd the pan when browning. If your skillet is small, brown the chicken in two batches: steam-grey chicken has none of the flavor that makes this dish work without extra fat.
Cut the peppers thick (about ½ inch / 1 cm). Thin strips melt into the sauce; thick ones stay recognizable and give you something to chew on, which matters for fullness.
Use a thermometer the first time. Thighs are forgiving, but 25 minutes assumes a proper simmer, not a bare tremble.
It's better tomorrow. The sauce thickens and the flavors settle overnight. If you're batch-cooking, slightly under-reduce the sauce so it doesn't dry out on reheating.

Variations

Chicken breast version: cut 1½ lb of breasts into 2-inch chunks, brown for 2 minutes per side and simmer only 12–15 minutes. Saves about 25 calories per serving.
Tuscan-style: swap the white wine for red, drop the peppers and add 1 cup of sliced fennel with the onion.
More carbs for a training day: serve over ¾ cup cooked polenta (about 110 calories) or with a slice of toasted whole-grain bread rubbed with garlic.

Storage & meal prep

Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days; the flavor improves. Freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of water or broth, or in the microwave at 70% power so the chicken doesn't toughen.

Nutrition per serving

Nutrient	Amount	% DV*
Calories	391 kcal	20%
Total fat	12 g	15%
Saturated fat	2.5 g	13%
Carbohydrates	27 g	10%
Fiber	6.9 g	25%
Sugars	15 g	—
Protein	40 g	80%
Sodium	822 mg	36%

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet. Values are calculated from USDA FoodData Central and manufacturer data for the ingredients as listed; they are estimates, not lab analyses. Nutrition disclaimer.

Frequently asked questions

Is chicken cacciatore healthy?

Traditional cacciatore is already a reasonably healthy dish — it's chicken, vegetables and tomatoes. The calories come from skin-on chicken and a generous amount of oil. This version removes the skin, uses one tablespoon of oil and doubles the vegetables, landing at about 390 calories and 40 g of protein per serving with 6 g of fiber.

Can I make chicken cacciatore in a slow cooker?

Yes. Brown the chicken and sauté the vegetables on the stove as written (this step is where the flavor comes from), deglaze, then transfer everything to the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 4 hours or HIGH for 2½. Leave the lid slightly ajar for the last 30 minutes if the sauce is thin.

What do you serve with cacciatore on a diet?

It's a complete meal on its own at 390 calories. If you want a side, choose volume over starch: a big green salad with lemon and a teaspoon of oil, sautéed spinach, or roasted zucchini. Save the polenta or bread for days when you've trained.

Can I use chicken breasts instead of thighs?

You can — see the variation above — but shorten the simmer to 12–15 minutes and cut the breasts into chunks so they cook evenly. Breasts left whole in a 25-minute braise will be dry.

Is this recipe gluten-free?

Yes, as written it contains no gluten. Check the label on your capers and crushed tomatoes if you are celiac, since a few brands add wheat-based thickeners.

Sources

USDA FoodData Central — nutrient data for chicken thigh, bell pepper, mushroom and canned tomato
Rolls, B. J. (2009). The relationship between dietary energy density and energy intake. Physiology & Behavior — on food volume and satiety
Leidy, H. J. et al. (2015). The role of protein in weight loss and maintenance. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition