A cozy Italian classic, Chicken Cacciatore is a tomato based sauce with chicken that is loaded with vegetables, vinegar, and a little wine! All of those flavors in my opinion would be fantastic in soup form! So Chicken Cacciatore Soup was born!
For some added heartiness I've stirred in some cauliflower gnocchi from Trader Joes. It's one of my favorite ways to add a little more comfort to any dish!
What is Chicken Cacciatore?
Chicken Cacciatore is a traditional Italian dish that is slow simmered chicken in a tomato based sauce with delicious sautéed veggies. Serve with parmesan and crusty bread!
Other ingredients include: bell peppers, onion, mushrooms, Italian seasoning, balsamic vinegar, and we are adding in a little red wine to amp it up.
Need a delicious yet easy recipe for actual Chicken Cacciatore? Check out the Pioneer Woman's Chicken Cacciatore recipes.
Cacciatore Soup
So to make this sauce a soup we are going to add in a bunch of chicken broth and finely shred our chicken to add back into the soup instead of serving whole chicken thighs.
Chicken Cacciatore Soup stores well in the fridge for a few days but would be an awesome freezer meal as well. Perfect to bring to a neighbor or friend who just had a baby!
In this soup I made the addition of gnocchi. I love that it adds a more comforting layer into the soup as well as texture. Feel free to use regular gnocchi even though this one calls for Cauliflower Gnocchi.
What Can I Serve With It?
The best thing to serve with Chicken Cacciatore soup like this is some crusty bread with a little dipping olive oil! Such a soul warming meal that can warm up even the coldest Kansas evenings.
I love this no-knead bread from Cosette's Kitchen that I feature in my Stress Baking blog. Or feel free to purchase a delicious French loaf from the grocery store!
How To Store It?
This stays perfect in the fridge for up to 4 days. My whole family enjoyed the leftovers just as much as the original.
You may also freeze it and defrost whenever your heart desires a comforting bowl! Just wait to top it with parmesan until you've defrosted!
If you need more soups to stock your freezer with, give these a try!
Chicken Cacciatore Soup with Gnocchi
Ingredients
- 4-6 chicken thighs boneless skinless
- 1 28 oz carton chicken stock
- 1 cup red wine optional
- 15 oz can crushed tomatoes drained
- 1 cup sliced mushrooms
- 1 bell pepper diced
- 1/2 onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- parmesan cheese for topping
- salt and pepper
- 1 bag cauliflower gnocchi or regular gnocchi!
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- In a large soup pot with a heavy bottom, heat olive oil over medium high heat.
- Add chicken thighs and cook for 5 minutes each side. Remove and set aside on a plate or bowl.
- In the same pot add the onion, bell pepper, garlic, and mushrooms. Cook for 5-7 minutes until the onions become translucent and the mushrooms begin to get soft. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp salt.
- Add in the tomatoes and wine and stir to combine. Cook for an additional 3-4 minutes.
- Add the chicken stock, Italian seasoning, and 1/2 tsp of salt + 1/2 tsp pepper. Bring to a simmer.
- Meanwhile, chop or shred the chicken (it's ok if it's not fully cooked as it will finish cooking in the soup!) and add it back to the soup.
- Stir in the balsamic vinegar as well as the gnocchi. You can stir in frozen gnocchi, no need to let it defrost.
- Cook for an additional 10 minutes to let the gnocchi and chicken cook and the flavors come together.
- Top with parmesan cheese and serve!