Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore: Easy Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free Dinner

Chicken is one of the easiest proteins to prepare, but it can definitely get boring when you're making the same recipes week after week.

This Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore is one of my favorite ways to completely change it up. Tender chicken thighs are cooked with fire-roasted tomatoes, colorful bell peppers, onions, garlic, oregano, capers, and fresh herbs for a comforting Italian-inspired meal that's packed with flavor.

Even better, this recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, and Paleo-friendly, and making it in the Instant Pot keeps the preparation simple.

Serve it over cauliflower rice or zucchini noodles to keep it Paleo, or pair it with your favorite gluten-free pasta for an easy weeknight dinner.

What Is Chicken Cacciatore?

"Cacciatore" means "hunter" in Italian, and alla cacciatora refers to a rustic, hunter-style preparation traditionally made with meat, tomatoes, vegetables, herbs, and sometimes wine.

There are many variations of chicken cacciatore, but the combination of tender chicken, tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic, and herbs creates a rich, savory sauce without requiring a long list of complicated ingredients.

And using the Instant Pot means you get incredibly tender chicken without having to let it simmer on the stove for hours.

Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

• ½ of a 28 oz can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes

• ½ cup onion, diced

• ½ cup green bell pepper, diced

• ½ cup orange bell pepper, diced

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 tablespoons capers, optional

• ¼ cup dry white wine, optional

• ½ cup almond flour

• 2 tablespoons avocado oil, plus a little extra if needed

• ½ teaspoon dried oregano

• 1 bay leaf

• Himalayan salt or sea salt, to taste

• Black pepper, to taste

• Fresh chopped basil or parsley, for serving

How to Make Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore

1. Prepare the Vegetables

Dice the onion and bell peppers and mince the garlic. Place them in a bowl and set aside.

2. Season and Coat the Chicken

Season both sides of the chicken thighs with Himalayan or sea salt and black pepper.

Place the almond flour in a shallow bowl and lightly coat each chicken thigh on both sides.

3. Brown the Chicken

Turn the Instant Pot to Sauté and add 1–2 tablespoons of avocado oil.

Once the Instant Pot reads Hot, add the chicken thighs.

Brown the chicken for approximately 3 minutes per side.

Some of the almond flour may stick to the bottom of the pot. That's okay—we'll incorporate those flavorful browned bits into the vegetables and sauce.

Remove the browned chicken and set aside.

4. Sauté the Vegetables

Add a small splash of avocado oil if needed, followed by the onions, green and orange bell peppers, and garlic.

Sauté for approximately 5 minutes, gently scraping the browned almond flour from the bottom of the pot and incorporating it into the vegetables.

5. Add the Remaining Ingredients

Press Cancel.

Place the chicken back into the Instant Pot on top of the vegetables.

Add:

• Fire-roasted crushed tomatoes

• White wine, if using

• Capers, if using

• Dried oregano

• Bay leaf

• Salt and black pepper to taste

Gently stir the sauce around the chicken.

6. Pressure Cook

Secure the Instant Pot lid and move the valve into the sealed position.

Cook on High Pressure for 25 minutes.

When the cooking time is finished, allow the Instant Pot to naturally release for 15 minutes before carefully releasing any remaining pressure.

Remove the lid and discard the bay leaf.

7. Garnish and Serve

Top the chicken with plenty of fresh chopped basil or parsley before serving.

Spoon some of those delicious tomatoes, peppers, onions, and sauce over each piece of chicken.

What to Serve With Chicken Cacciatore

One of the things I love about this recipe is how easy it is to change the sides depending on how you're eating.

For a Paleo or lower-carbohydrate meal, serve it with:

• Cauliflower rice

• Zucchini noodles (zoodles)

• Roasted vegetables

For a heartier gluten-free meal, try:

• Brown rice pasta

• Gluten-free pasta

• Rice

• Quinoa

You can also stir cauliflower rice or zoodles directly into the Instant Pot for about a minute after the chicken has finished cooking, just as I did in my original recipe.

Personally, I like serving them separately and spooning the chicken, vegetables, and plenty of sauce over the top.

Why I Use Chicken Thighs

Chicken thighs work particularly well in the Instant Pot because they stay tender and juicy during pressure cooking.

They're also perfect for a dish like cacciatore because they hold up beautifully to the tomatoes, vegetables, herbs, and longer cooking time.

If you've been relying on plain chicken breasts for most of your meals, switching to chicken thighs occasionally is an easy way to add variety and flavor.

Make It Without Wine

The dry white wine is completely optional.

If you don't cook with wine, simply leave it out. There's already plenty of flavor from the fire-roasted tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic, oregano, capers, and fresh herbs.

💡 Dr. Stephanie's Tip: Don't skip browning the chicken just because you're using an Instant Pot.

It adds an extra layer of flavor that you won't get by simply putting everything into the pot at once. And those little browned pieces left behind from the almond flour? Scrape them into the vegetables while they're sautéing instead of throwing that flavor away.

Also, fresh basil at the end makes a huge difference. It brightens up the rich tomato sauce and makes the finished dish taste fresh.

An Easy Dinner to Keep on Repeat

Healthy eating becomes so much easier when you have a handful of simple recipes that you genuinely look forward to making.

This Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore gives you tender chicken, plenty of vegetables, and a flavorful tomato sauce in one pot. It's naturally gluten-free and dairy-free, easy to make Paleo-friendly, and works just as well for a weeknight dinner as it does for meal prep.

Serve it over cauliflower rice, zoodles, or your favorite gluten-free pasta and save the leftovers for an easy lunch the next day.

Looking for more simple healthy meals? Check out my other gluten-free and dairy-free recipes for plenty of ideas to make healthy eating easier—and much more delicious.