Cacciatore
The story
Cacciatore means hunter-style, which historically meant whatever was in the pot and the pantry. Tomatoes, peppers, onions, olives, herbs, wine, and chicken cooked long enough that everything gives up and becomes one thing. It is a peasant braise and it tastes like it in the best sense, which is deeply, unfashionably savory.
The olives are what make it. Briny, salty, and slightly bitter, they cut through a tomato braise that would otherwise go sweet and flat over fifty minutes. They also mean the sauce is more assertive than a standard marinara, which requires a base with enough character to stand next to it. The District Biscuit's laminated butter softens the brine without muting it, and its crisp edges hold the perimeter while the flaky layers take the sauce in.
That is the culinary canvas doing rustic Italian properly. One pot, fifty minutes, mostly unattended, and a sauce that tastes like it came from a much older kitchen than yours.
Why you'll love it
- One pot, and forty of the fifty minutes are unattended simmering.
- Olives and capers keep a long tomato braise from going sweet and one-note.
- The District Biscuit takes the sauce in where pasta just gets coated by it.
- Better on day two, which makes it a strong Sunday cook for the week ahead.
- Uses bone-in thighs, which are inexpensive and build far more body than breast.
Ingredients
- 4 District Biscuits, warmed and split
- 6 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
- 1 can whole peeled tomatoes, 28 oz, crushed by hand
- 1 red bell pepper and 1 yellow onion, sliced
- 8 oz cremini mushrooms, quartered
- 3/4 cup pitted kalamata or Castelvetrano olives, halved
- 2 tbsp capers, drained, and 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 2 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp red pepper flakes, and 4 sprigs thyme
- 2 tbsp olive oil, fresh basil, salt, and black pepper
How to build it
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1
Pat the chicken thighs completely dry, season them hard with salt and pepper, and brown them skin-side down in the olive oil for 7 minutes without moving them.
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2
Flip and give them 3 more minutes, then set them aside, leaving all the rendered fat in the pan.
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3
Add the sliced onion, bell pepper, and mushrooms and cook 8 minutes until they soften and take on color at the edges.
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4
Stir in the garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
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5
Pour in the white wine, scrape the pan clean, and let it reduce by half over about 3 minutes.
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6
Add the hand-crushed tomatoes, olives, capers, and thyme, then nestle the chicken back in skin-side up so the skin stays above the liquid.
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7
Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes until the sauce thickens and the chicken pulls easily from the bone.
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8
Warm the District Biscuits in a 350F oven for 5 minutes, split them, pull the chicken off the bone, pile it on, spoon the sauce over generously, finish with torn basil, and serve.
Pro tips & swaps
- Crush the tomatoes by hand rather than buying them crushed. The irregular texture is what makes this read rustic instead of smooth.
- Keep the chicken skin above the liquid line during the simmer. Submerged skin goes flabby and you lose everything the browning earned.
- Simmer uncovered. A lid traps steam and the sauce never reduces to the consistency the biscuit needs.
- Castelvetrano olives are milder and buttery, kalamata are sharper and more assertive. Both work and they make genuinely different dishes.
- Make it a day ahead. The olives and capers distribute through the sauce overnight and it is better for it.
Bring District Biscuits to your business
Put our golden, flaky biscuits to work on your own menu — cater your next event, or bring District Biscuits to your restaurant, hotel, or grocery program.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make the Cacciatore Biscuit ahead of time?
Yes, and it improves. Make the braise up to 3 days ahead or freeze it for 3 months. The brine from the olives and capers distributes through the sauce overnight. Reheat gently and assemble on freshly warmed District Biscuits.
What's the best biscuit to use for a tomato braise?
A sturdy, flaky biscuit with crisp edges, like a District Biscuit, is ideal because a reduced tomato braise is heavy and assertive. Pasta only gets coated, while the District Biscuit's layers absorb the sauce and its butter softens the brine.
Can I substitute the chicken in this recipe?
Bone-in thighs are strongly preferred for body, but boneless thighs work with a shorter 20-minute simmer. Italian sausage is excellent in the same sauce, and chickpeas plus extra mushrooms make a good vegetarian version.
Is there a gluten-free or vegetarian version of the Cacciatore Biscuit?
A vegetarian version with chickpeas, extra mushrooms, and vegetable stock is genuinely good. The sauce is naturally gluten-free, but the District Biscuit is wheat-based, so check with the District Biscuit cafe about gluten-free options.
Why is my cacciatore watery?
The lid was on, or the simmer was too short. This sauce needs 30 uncovered minutes to reduce properly. If it is still loose at the end, lift the chicken out and boil the sauce hard for 5 minutes to tighten it.
What should I serve or drink with a Cacciatore Biscuit?
A sharp green salad, roasted broccolini, or nothing, since it is already a full dish. For drinks, Chianti, Montepulciano, or any medium-bodied Italian red.
How many calories are in a Cacciatore Biscuit?
A single build lands roughly in the 620 to 750 calorie range, driven by skin-on thighs and olives. Removing the skin after browning brings it near 530.
How do I store and reheat leftovers?
Store the braise in an airtight container for up to 4 days or freeze for 3 months. Reheat gently on the stove and re-crisp the District Biscuit at 350F. The sauce tightens in the fridge, so loosen it with a splash of water if needed.
What makes a District Biscuit different from a regular biscuit?
District Biscuits are made with crisp, buttery edges and distinct flaky layers engineered to be a legit sandwich base, not just a side. That structure is why they hold up under a reduced braise where ordinary bread dissolves. It is your culinary canvas, built to carry big flavor from first bite to last.
