Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore

Step 1

Season & Dredge Chicken: Season both sides of chicken thighs with salt and black pepper. Place ¼ cup (32g) all-purpose flour in a large bowl. Lightly coat the chicken with flour on both sides.

Step 2

Brown Chicken Thighs in Instant Pot: Press 'Saute' button to 'Sauté More' function to heat up Instant Pot. Wait until it says 'HOT' on the screen (roughly 8 mins). Add 1½ tbsp (22.5ml) olive oil in Instant Pot's inner pot. Cover the whole bottom with oil. Add in flour-coated chicken, then brown the skin side for 4 minutes, and the other side for 2.5 minutes. Set aside the browned chicken.*Pro Tip: If you're cooking 6 chicken thighs, it's best to brown them in two separate batches.

Step 3

Saute Onion & Spices: Saute onion slices in Instant Pot for 3 minutes. Add in 1 tsp dried oregano leaves, 1 tsp dried thyme, 1 tbsp (15ml) tomato paste, 2 bay leaves, and bell pepper slices. Saute for another minute. Add in minced garlic, then saute for 30 seconds until fragrant.*Pro Tip - Tomato Paste: If your Instant Pot is sensitive to the Burn Error, layer the tomato paste on top of the fire-roasted tomatoes in Step 5.

Step 4

Deglaze Instant Pot: Pour ½ cup (125ml) dry white wine in Instant Pot. Deglaze by scrubbing all the flavorful brown bits off the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Give it a quick mix. Let the mixture come to a boil, then boil for 1 minute to allow the alcohol to evaporate.

Step 5

Pressure Cook Chicken Cacciatore: Add ¼ cup pitted black olives, 2 tbsp - ¼ cup (30g - 60g) drained capers, 1 tbsp (15ml) regular soy sauce, 1 tbsp (15ml) fish sauce, and ½ cup (125ml) unsalted chicken stock in Instant Pot. Give it a quick mix. Add in the browned chicken thighs and all the meat juice. Layer 1 can (28oz) fire-roasted crushed tomatoes on top. Do not mix.With Venting Knob in Venting Position. Close the lid. Turn Venting Knob to Sealing Position. Pressure Cook at High Pressure for 4 minutes, then Natural Release for 10 minutes. Open the lid carefully.

Step 6

Thicken & Adjust Seasoning: Give the Chicken Cacciatore a quick mix. Place the chicken on a serving plate. Bring the Cacciatore sauce to a simmer with the “Saute” function. Allow the sauce to simmer for 3 to 6 minutes to your desired thickness. Taste and adjust the sauce with more salt and black pepper (if necessary). *Pro Tip: If your tomatoes are very acidic, you may need to balance the sauce with a bit of sugar. For reference, we used ¼ tsp sugar to balance the sauce. Turn off the heat (press 'Cancel') or switch to Keep Warm mode.

Step 7

Serve: Drizzle the flavorful cacciatore sauce on your tender & juicy chicken. Garnish with finely chopped Italian parsley, then serve with side dishes.