Keto Italian chicken stew, or keto chicken cacciatore if you prefer the fancier name, is one of the easiest weeknight dinners I make. Cooked in a pressure cooker with ingredients you probably already have, you can prep and eat this in about 40 minutes.
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The pressure cooker gets you cooked-all-day flavor without the all-day wait, and the sauce actually improves overnight. This makes plenty for dinner, with leftovers for lunch the next day.
I will confess I never use the natural release on this one. I am too impatient, and I go straight for the manual release every time.
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Chef Jenn’s Take on Chicken Cacciatore
Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are not actually necessary here, even though people often assume they are. I remove the skin but leave the bone in, since the meat falls right off the bone by the time this finishes cooking anyway, and bone-in thighs cost less.
Sear the chicken in batches first, 3 to 4 minutes per side, for real flavor before anything else happens. Sautee the onion and garlic next, then deglaze the pot with a splash of broth to lift the browned bits off the bottom. A trivet keeps the chicken from sticking to the bottom of the pot during pressure cooking, so don’t skip it.
If you’d rather use chicken breast instead of thighs, reduce the cook time by about a minute so it doesn’t turn stringy and tough. The bell peppers go in after pressure cooking, not before, along with a few minutes of sauteing to cook them through and concentrate the sauce.
I’ll admit I never use the natural release on this one, I’m too impatient and go straight for the manual release every time. This also freezes well right in the sauce.
What You’ll Love About Chicken Cacciatore
- The sauce improves overnight, so leftovers might taste even better than day one.
- Cooked-all-day flavor in about 40 minutes, thanks to the pressure cooker.
- Bone-in chicken thighs keep this budget-friendly without sacrificing flavor.
Ingredients
- Chicken thighs – Skin removed, bone in. Chicken breast works too, just reduce the cook time by about a minute.
- Diced tomatoes – Low sodium.
- Bell pepper – Added after pressure cooking, not before.
- Onion and garlic – Diced and minced.
- Chicken stock – Low sodium.
- Italian seasoning – Standard blend.
- Mushrooms – Added along with the chicken before pressure cooking.
- Bay leaf – Removed before serving.
- Parsley – For garnish.
How to Make Chicken Cacciatore
Scroll down for the full recipe card with exact measurements and printable instructions.
Remove the skin from the chicken thighs and season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
Heat oil in the pressure cooker on the sautee setting, high. Sear the chicken in batches, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove to a plate.
Sautee the onion and garlic for 2 to 3 minutes. Deglaze with about 1/4 cup of the chicken stock. Turn off the pressure cooker. Add a trivet, then place the chicken on top of it. Add the diced tomatoes, remaining chicken stock, mushrooms, bay leaf, and everything except the bell pepper.
Set to pressure, high, for 12 minutes. Manually release when done.
Remove the chicken once the liquid stops boiling. Add the bell pepper and set to sauté for a few minutes, letting the peppers cook and the sauce reduce slightly. Season with salt and pepper, and serve the sauce over the chicken thighs.
Make It A Meal
Something green and simple works best here. Pan-Roasted Asparagus is my usual pick. Greek Meatballs or Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin both work well too if you want another protein option on a different night.
Storage
Freeze leftovers right in the sauce, in freezer-safe zipper bags or containers, for up to 3 months. Thaw and reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave. Refrigerated leftovers keep for several days, and the flavor is even better the next day.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe runs about 7 net carbs per serving of one chicken thigh with 1/2 cup of sauce. The number in the recipe card below will recalculate once this post is republished, so use it as an estimate until then.
Yes, just reduce the cook time by about a minute so it doesn’t turn stringy and tough.
Adding them at the end keeps them from overcooking, and the extra sautee time helps the sauce reduce and concentrate in flavor.
Yes, one reader mentioned serving this over rice for exactly that reason. The chicken and sauce work well over either.
Add Preferred SourceKeto Chicken Cacciatore
Ingredients
- 8 skinless chicken thighs
- 28 ounces diced tomatoes
- 2 cups bell pepper
- 1 cup onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 8 ounces mushrooms
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- parsley chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Remove the skin on the chicken. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper and Italian seasoning.
- Heat 1 tsp of oil in the Instant Pot on the Sautee setting, high. Sear the chicken for 3-4 minutes on each side, working in batches. Remove the chicken to a plate when finished.
- Sautee the onion and garlic in the Instant Pot for 2-3 minutes. Deglaze with about 1/4 cup of the chicken stock.
- Turn the Instant Pot off. Add the trivet to the Instant Pot and add the chicken so that it is sitting on top of the trivet. Add the diced tomatoes, chicken broth, mushrooms, and everything but the peppers.
- Put the lid on and set the Instant Pot to Presure, high, 12 minutes.
- When done, manually release. Remove the chicken with tongs once it has stopped boiling. Add the peppers and set the Instant Pot to sautee for a few minutes to allow the peppers to cook and to evaporate some of the liquid, making the sauce more concentrated.
- Turn off the Instant Pot, season the sauce with more salt and pepper if necessary, and serve over the chicken thighs.
Notes
Recipe Card Tips
- Use bone-in chicken thighs with the skin removed. The meat falls right off the bone and costs less than boneless, skinless.
- Don’t skip the trivet. It keeps the chicken from sticking to the bottom of the pot during pressure cooking.
- Add the bell peppers after pressure cooking, not before. They cook through in just a few minutes of sauteing while the sauce reduces.
Nutrition
A Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed. Erythritol carbs (sugar substitutes) are not included in the carbohydrate counts as they have been shown not to impact blood sugar, and they have zero calories and zero carbs. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.
Like this? Also Try:
- Greek Meatballs
- Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin
- Pan-Roasted Asparagus
- This meaty keto meatloaf
- Keto Beef Stew – a slow cooker favorite
Such a simple recipe to prepare chicken cacciatore with an IP. I’ll be serving this with rice to soak up all that lovely sauce.
This was amazing and so easy to make!
This stew looks so comforting and delicious! I’m so happy I could make it in my Instant Pot and avoid all the hassle of stove top cooking. Because I have all the ingredients right now, I’m so making this stew tonight! Thanks for the inspiration!
I love that you use chicken thighs, my favorites, especially with the bones! They have so much flavor! Beautiful dish, I can’t wait to try it.
WOW! This is amazing and so easy to make. This is going to be a staple in our house!