Mary Berry Chicken Cacciatore Recipe

Mary Berry's chicken cacciatore is a rich Italian hunter's braise with tomatoes, olives, capers, and red wine — deeply comforting and completely wonderful.

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 20

Servings: 4 Portions

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: British

Calories: 410

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

8 chicken thighs and drumsticks skin on, bone in
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion finely chopped
1 red pepper roughly chopped
4 garlic cloves finely sliced
200 ml robust red wine
400 g tin chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato purée
150 ml chicken stock
2 tbsp capers rinsed
100 g pitted black olives
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp caster sugar
1 tbsp red wine vinegar added at the end
Salt and pepper
Fresh parsley and extra virgin olive oil to finish

Method

Season chicken generously. Brown skin-side down in hot oil — 4–5 minutes until deeply golden. Turn — 2 minutes. Remove.
Cook onion and red pepper in same casserole over medium heat — 8 minutes. Add sliced garlic — 2 minutes.
Add wine — bubble vigorously 4–5 minutes until reduced by half, scraping the base.
Add tomatoes, purée, stock, rosemary, oregano, and sugar. Season. Stir. Bring to a simmer.
Return chicken skin-side up. Cover partially. Braise on low heat or in 160°C oven 35–40 minutes until cooked through.
Add capers and olives — final 10 minutes. Remove rosemary. Add red wine vinegar. Taste and adjust. Scatter parsley. Drizzle olive oil. Serve.

Notes

Reduce the wine for 4–5 minutes — insufficiently reduced wine gives a harsh sauce.

Slice the garlic — do not crush it. Sliced garlic is traditional and gives more texture.

Keep chicken skin above the sauce — submerged skin goes soft.

Capers and olives in the last 10 minutes only — they lose their bite if braised the whole time.

Red wine vinegar at the end is the detail that lifts and brightens everything.

Tastes better the next day — make ahead whenever possible.

Stores 3 days in fridge. Freezes 3 months.