Stanley Tucci's Mom's Go-To Chicken Dinner Is My New Favorite Comfort Food

Moms are great people. They nurture and guide us as we grow and age, teaching us important life skills along the way. If you’re one of the lucky kids, your mom also filled your belly with delicious, nourishing food and taught you the ways of the kitchen.

It seems as if Stanley Tucci was one of the lucky ones, based on the delicious recipe he recently shared (on Williams Sonoma's YouTube to promote his new cook pans, called Tucci by Greenpan, for his mom’s Chicken Cacciatore. As I watched him make it, I could almost feel the love coming through the screen. But was it as deliciously simple (and full of motherly love) as it looked? I set out to find the answer.

How To Make Stanley Tucci’s Mom’s Chicken Cacciatore

It starts with a big glug of olive oil in a hot pan and some sliced bell peppers. Once those have softened, Tucci adds sliced mushrooms and cooks them until they're golden. The veggies are removed and then he adds one (3 pound) chicken, cut into pieces and sears them on all sides until golden. He removes the chicken from the pan and deglazes it with white wine, adding some garlic and onion to mix. After simmering for a bit, he adds 1 cup of canned whole tomatoes (you can also use marinara sauce he says) and the seared chicken. He covers the pan and lets everything simmer until the chicken is fully cooked, about 30 minutes. He adds the vegetables back to the pot for a final 10 minute simmer, and then the dish is ready to be served. 

I Tried Stanley Tucci’s Mom’s Chicken Cacciatore

I was expecting motherly love, and I got it. I could barely wait for this dish to be done because it smelled so amazing while it was cooking. When I could finally dig in, I grabbed a thigh and smothered it with sauce. The chicken was tender and perfectly cooked and the sauce exceeded my expectations. It was flavorful and thick and everything that a good pan sauce should be. This dish is the kind of thing that tastes expensive, but isn’t. Make it for your family, make it for your friends or heck, just make it for yourself. You deserve it.

How to Serve Stanley Tucci’s Mom’s Chicken Cacciatore

If I were you, I’d serve this dish with crusty bread. The sauce is so delicious and every bit of it should be enjoyed. A piece of bread is the only legitimate way to accomplish this. A big green salad would be a lovely accompaniment and serve it with the wine you used to make the dish. I’d also recommend finishing it with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and some thinly sliced basil or parsley.

Tips for Making Stanley Tucci’s Mom’s Chicken Cacciatore

• Buy chicken parts: If you don’t want to break down a chicken into pieces, buy the parts separately. Many grocery stores will sell bone-in pieces, so buy what you prefer or what your diners will enjoy and use those.
• Cut the vegetables as instructed: Those big wedges of bell pepper and thick slices of mushroom are the perfect size for this saucy dish. Keeping them big ensures they don’t turn to mush while cooking and makes them easier to eat and enjoy.
• Use a good wine: You’ve likely heard this tip, but don’t ignore it. Choose a wine that you would actually drink. A bad wine is bad. Don’t use it for cooking.
• Finish it strong: While I loved the dish as written, I also wanted some grated Parmesan and some fresh herbs for finishing. The addition of both rounded out the dish and made it even better.