Chicken Cacciatore over Cauliflower Mash

This Chicken Cacciatore recipe is a twist on the classic Italian dish. The chicken is super juicy mixed with a savory sauce made with onions, peppers, garlic, and diced tomatoes. This is definitely a dinner I consider to be comfort food.

This chicken cacciatore over cauliflower mash was super easy to make. This recipe is loaded with veggies and the chicken is sauteed which gives it that perfect sear we are always looking for.

This chicken cacciatore can be paired with any veggie you prefer, but I found cauliflower to be a big winner. The extra sauce from the chicken dish was great to use as a gravy for the mashed cauliflower. Cauliflower also has a ton of health benefits to it and I swear my kids could not tell the difference between mashed potatoes and mashed cauliflower.

If you are looking for other delicious chicken dishes to try out you MUST try my Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken Carbonara and my Italian Chicken Meatballs!

Ingredients to make this dish

Here is a list of all the ingredients you will need for this recipe. The first photo is for the chicken cacciatore and the second photo is for the creamy cauliflower mash!

For the chicken -

Below is a picture of the ingredients you will need to make chicken cacciatore with labels included and a description below the photo.

• chicken breast - boneless and skinless cut into thin strips and fat trimmed off.
• garlic - minced - I always add extra garlic in most of my recipes. I think it's a Jersey thing, but I can't help it 😉
• onion - small and diced.
• red bell pepper - sliced thin, remove the seeds and the stem.
• green bell pepper - sliced thin, remove the seeds and the stem.
• mushrooms - sliced, I prefer using cremini or white.
• can of diced tomatoes - undrained, you want the juices from the can mixed into your sauce.
• baby spinach - I like using this added green because the green brings a pop of color and spinach has a ton of nutrients in it making this dish that much better for you.
• dried basil - brings a sweet and pungent with a slightly spicey flavor.
• dried oregano - brings a strong flavor of earth, mint, hay, and green.
• thyme - brings an added flavor of citrus, mint, floral, and woody.
• dry white wine - adding dry white wine to your homemade sauce helps enhance the taste because it releases flavor molecules and dissolves fat.
• parmesan cheese - grated, optional topping
• fresh parsley - chopped, optional topping
• olive oil - I add some oil onto the pan before cooking the chicken to help it not stick to the pan.
• unsalted butter - I like adding butter and oil when I saute my chicken because it gives it that added creamy taste. I also always use unsalted because this way you can control the amount of salt you add to the dish.

For the cauliflower mash -

Below is a picture of the ingredients you will need to make mashed cauliflower with labels included and a description below the photo.

• cauliflower - cut into pieces and leaves and stems discarded
• unsalted butter - I mix in butter when I'm mashing the cooked cauliflower to give it extra flavor and creaminess.
• milk - can choose your milk of choice, I usually use almond milk or 2% milk because that's what we keep in the house.
• garlic powder - anything with an added garlic flavor is that much better. I think it's safe to say garlic is my favorite seasoning.

Directions to make this meal

Step-by-step directions for this healthy weeknight dinner idea.

Step 1 - Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Chop fat off chicken and slice into ½-inch thick pieces. Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of your chicken.

Step 2 - Heat a cast-iron skillet or a dutch oven to medium-high heat and add in your butter and oil. Add in your chicken and brown both sides. The chicken will finish cooking at a later step. Repeat with remaining chicken. Remove from the pan and plate to the side.

Step 3 - Add the onions, peppers, and garlic to the same pan and cook for one minute. Add in the thyme, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper.

Step 4 - Pour in the wine and diced tomatoes and stir to combine.

Step 5 - Return the chicken to the pan, but do not submerge in the sauce. Place in oven and cook for 1 hour.

Step 6 - Meanwhile, to make the cauliflower mash - bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the cauliflower and turn heat down to med-low. Cook covered for 15 minutes or until cauliflower is soft and tender. When it is done, remove from heat and drain.

Step 7 - Put the cooked cauliflower into a large bowl and add the butter, milk, garlic powder and desired salt and pepper. I own a hand blender I got as a gift for my bridal shower. It is the best thing I own and I used it to mash the cauliflower. If you do not own one you can pour cauliflower into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.

Step 8 - Remove the pan from the oven. Take the chicken and veggies out of the pan and put them on a separate plate. Turn the stove on medium-high heat and place the pan with the sauce back on the stove.

Step 9 - Add the mushrooms and cook until tender; about 5 minutes. Then add the spinach and cook until wilted; about 3 minutes.

Step 10 - To plate; spoon the cauliflower mash onto the plate and then top it with the chicken and veggies then the sauce poured over top! If desired, top with grated parmesan and fresh chopped parsley.

Equipment needed

• hand blender - you do not need a hand blender, but it makes the job of mashing the cauliflower that much easier. You could also use a regular blender or a fork and just mash it by hand.
• large pot - for boiling water to cook the cauliflower.
• cast-iron skillet or dutch oven - you will need a pan that can be placed in the oven.
• colander - to drain the cauliflower after it has boiled.

Substitutions and Variations

Baby Spinach - you can try adding in other greenery like kale, or regular spinach chopped up. You can also totally omit the greens.

Parmesan Cheese - this ingredient is an optional topping, but if you happen to not have it on hand, you could also use grated or shredded mozzarella or just omit it completely.

Dry White Wine - if you don't want to cook with alcohol you can substitute the white wine for some chicken broth or vegetable broth.

Unsalted Butter - you do not have to use the unsalted butter when sauteeing your chicken. You can just use the oil alone if you prefer not to add in the extra calories.

Make It Vegetarian - Omit the chicken and you've got yourself a delicious Vegetable Cacciatore dish!

How can the kids help

This is one of my favorite meals to make with my kids because they love using a hand blender. If you don't have a hand blender at home here are some other ways your kiddos can help out.

• Use a fork and mash the cauliflower once it's cooked. There is something kids love about mashing anything.
• Toss the ingredients into the skillet with assistance of course.
• Help cut up the parsley that will be scattered on top at the end. They can even rip the stems off of the parsley and make a pile of leaves and stems. A little science lesson 😉

Tips and FAQ's

Other chicken dishes you MUST try

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