How to Make Chicken Cacciatore in a Pressure Cooker

The Italian chicken dish, Chicken Cacciatore, can sometimes be referred to as "hunter style" chicken or Pollo alla Cacciatore. Chicken or rabbit is simmered in a hearty tomato based sauce with onions, mushrooms, green peppers, spices, and other ingredients depending on the recipe. There are many different versions. By using your pressure cooker, you can produce a wonderful cacciatore in less time with just as much flavor as if you simmered it on the stove all day in just 30 minutes. This is the recipe my family loves, you can adjust the seasonings and add other ingredients such as capers, white wine for part of the tomato sauce or substitute the canned tomatoes with Italian style tomatoes. The possibilities are endless.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• at least a 4 quart pressure cooker
• 2 pounds chicken breast halves without skin or boneless skinless chicken thighs
• salt and pepper
• 1/4 Cup olive oil
• 2 Cups onions, thinly sliced into rings or chopped
• 1 large green or red Pepper, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 15 ounces diced tomatoes, drained
• 16 ounces tomato Sauce
• 8 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• fettucine or spaghetti, cooked separately to serve with the cacciatore

1. Wash chicken and pat dry. Dice into bite-sized pieces. Heat oil in the pressure cooker to medium high. Sprinkle chicken with with some salt and pepper to taste. Sauté chicken until just brown about 15 minutes.
2. After chicken is just brown, remove to a plate and seat aside. Then add onion rings, green pepper, and garlic to skillet; cook and stir over medium heat until onion and pepper are tender. Drain off any fat remaining in the pan.
3. Stir in remaining ingredients. Add chicken to the sauce. Close pressure cooker securely. Get your water ready for the pasta.
4. Over high heat bring to high pressure (15 psi). Reduce the heat just enough to maintain high pressure and cook for 8 minutes. (I start my pasta at this time.) Turn off the heat.
5. Allow the pressure to come down naturally, Remove the lid, tilting it away from you to allow steam to escape. Or if you prefer, you can use the quick release, if your pressure cooker is equipped, or cool it down with the cold water method if it is a stove top cooker.
6. Serve over the pasta of your choice. Serve with a green salad, garlic bread, and for dessert: spumoni ice cream or tiramisu.

Tips & Warnings

• This dish reheats well and I have even froze it with great results for a quick lunch.
• I don't personally own an electric pressure cooker but I have friends who have used my recipe with success.
• If the sauce is not thick enough for you, stir in some tomato paste.
• This recipe works best in a 4-8 quart pressure cooker.
• Be careful opening the pressure cooker to avoid burns. Always open away from yourself and others.
• Inspect your gasket before each use of your pressure cooker and be sure your valve is clean.