Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore (Whole30, Paleo) – a delicious and hearty meal, full of tender chicken, bell peppers, and a rich sauce.  Made super easy in the Instant Pot for a fast family meal on the table in under 20 minutes.

It’s Instant Pot Monday!  Welcome to my weekly series of fast, family friendly, clean eating Instant Pot meals!  Monday can be a challenging day for many so I’m here with a little bit of relief in the form of simple meals made super fast in the Instant Pot.  This week is Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore!

We all know Mondays can be hectic and stressful – getting back into the routine, feeling sluggish, and just generally “off your game.” I know the feeling…  and I’ve developed a couple of tricks to avoid the Monday blues.  First is to Meal Prep on the weekend.  Having several breakfast/lunch/snack items prepared and ready to grab is a sanity saver for sure!  Second is to develop a Meal Plan for the week, keeping in mind the days of the week that are typically more busy and stressful.  For me, that means keeping my Monday meal plan quick, easy, and something the whole family will enjoy.

To keep it fast and easy, I always turn to my Instant Pot.  It’s like a slow cooker in the “dump it and forget it” sense, but so fast!  And everything comes out perfectly cooked.  One of my favorite things to make in the Instant Pot is “braised” meats.   Braised usually refers to cooking cuts of meat in a liquid or sauce very slowly, resulting in a super tender dish.   Sounds wonderful, but I have no time for that!  Instead, I use the Instant Pot and get similar results with amazing flavor!

This Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore is a perfect example of this cooking process – the chicken becomes super tender, while the sauce develops a rich, hearty flavor.  Served over pasta, spaghetti squash, or rice, it’s a comforting meal that the whole family will love.  The only prep involves cutting the meat, peppers and onions.  While the Instant Pot does its work, whip up some pasta, rice, or side salad and dinner is done.

How to Cook Chicken Cacciatore in the Instant Pot

First, cut boneless, skinless chicken thighs into large chunks (chicken breast also works great).  Next, prep the peppers and onions by cutting them into strips or chunks.

To make the sauce, pour the crushed tomatoes into the pot and add the seasonings.  I use my homemade Italian Seasoning Blend (check out this post for all my homemade blend recipes) but a store bought spice mix is fine too.

Finally, add the chicken, peppers, and onions to the sauce and seal the pot.  Using the Manual setting, cook for 10 minutes.

While it cooks, make a quick batch of rice, pasta, or spaghetti squash to serve with the chicken cacciatore.

 

Instant pot chicken cacciatore is a family friendly meal ready in under 20 minutes.

CLose up picture of Instant Pot Chicken cacciatore

Instant Pot Chicken cacciatore

Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore (Whole30, Paleo) - a delicious and hearty meal, full of tender chicken, bell peppers, and a rich sauce. Made super easy in the Instant Pot for a fast family meal on the table in under 20 minutes.

Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore (Whole30, Paleo)

Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore (Whole30, Paleo) - a delicious and hearty meal, full of tender chicken, bell peppers, and a rich sauce. Made super easy in the Instant Pot for a fast family meal on the table in under 20 minutes.
5 from 4 votes

Ingredients 

  • 1.5 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into large chunks, chicken breast would work too
  • 2 bell peppers, cut into strips (I used one green and one red)
  • 1 small onion, sliced
  • 1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
  • 3 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon homemade italian seasoning (or store bought), see recipe below
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

  • Remove excess fat from chicken thighs and cut into large chunks.
  • Place crushed tomatoes, garlic, italian seasoning, and salt into the Instant Pot.  Stir to combine.
  • Add peppers, onion, and chicken to the pot.  Stir.
  • Seal lid and set Manual setting for 10 minutes.  When cycle is complete, allow natural release of pressure.
  • Serve over rice, spaghetti squash, or pasta.

Nutrition

Calories: 199kcal, Carbohydrates: 6g, Protein: 28g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 134mg, Sodium: 711mg, Potassium: 513mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 1895IU, Vitamin C: 78.5mg, Calcium: 28mg, Iron: 1.5mg

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