Take a trip to Italy without having to get on plane with this Low FODMAP* Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore! A rustic, classic Italian dish, this low FODMAP chicken cacciatore recipe is packed with flavorful chicken and veggies and a cinch to make in the Instant Pot! It's also Paleo and Whole30 compliant, dairy-free, and gluten-free.
*Please note: since its initial posting, some of the ingredients in this recipe have been retested for FODMAPs by Monash University. Check Monash University's Low FODMAP Diet App for the most up-to-date FODMAP information.
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Why Low FODMAP Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore?
Chicken cacciatore was one of the first dishes I ever learned how to cook. I love how it's both rustic and nutritious - a 'no frills' type of healthy dinner that's easy to make.
It can also be incredibly filling, especially when served with a starch component. I like serving mine with the low FODMAP version of my Instant Pot "Garlic" Mashed Potatoes or brown rice noodles if not eating Paleo/Whole30.
The first version of chicken cacciatore I learned how to cook was on the stove top, but I now prefer making it in the Instant Pot. Once everything is seared and sautéed, you can close the lid and just let the Instant Pot do its magic. The chicken and veggies come out so tender and flavorful, and when served together with mashed potatoes or brown rice noodles - every bite is just divine.
Necessary Equipment
The equipment I use to make this Low FODMAP Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore includes:
- 6-quart Instant Pot, 8-quart Instant Pot, or comparable electric pressure cooker
- Paper towel
- 2 sets of tongs
- Large plate
- Plastic spoon for scraping
- Measuring spoons and cups
- Cutting board
- Chopping knife
- Spatula
- Platter or bowl
- Instant read thermometer
- Large spoon
If thickening the sauce:
- Small measuring cup or bowl
- Whisk
- Stirring spoon
Low FODMAP Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore: Ingredients & Tips for Success
Chicken
I use bone-in chicken thighs for this recipe, but essentially any parts of the chicken can be used. If you plan to use other parts, adjust the cooking time accordingly per the Instant Pot Cooking Time Tables.
Regardless which parts you choose, be sure to dry them thoroughly with paper towels before searing. Then sprinkle generously with salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
Press sauté on the Instant Pot and add 2 tablespoons of garlic-infused olive oil. Once the display reads "Hot", add half of the thighs, skin side down, and sear for 5 minutes or until the chicken skin releases from the pan - do not force it, or it will rip and look awful. Flip and sear on the other side for 2 minutes. Repeat for the remaining chicken thighs.
If you're in a hurry, you can sear all of the chicken at one time on the stove top in a large skillet on medium high heat. However, if you do that, make sure to transfer all of the chicken's juices from the pan to the pot when it is time to start the cooking cycle.
Vegetables
I love lots of vegetables in my low FODMAP chicken cacciatore! I add two red bell peppers, two large carrots, canned sliced mushrooms or king oyster mushrooms (depending on availability), and leek. A few things to note:
Carrots
I slice the carrots on the bias, which I explain with photos in my Low FODMAP Instant Pot Glazed Carrots post.
Mushrooms
I first wrote this low fodmap chicken cacciatore recipe using king oyster mushrooms; however, I am currently unable to locate them. I still love including mushrooms in this recipe, so I've substituted ½ cup of sliced canned mushrooms (about ½ of an 284 ml can). I only use ½ cup to prevent FODMAP stacking. If you decide to use canned, be sure to rinse them well before adding them as FODMAPs leach from the mushrooms into the brine during the canning process.
If you're not concerned with FODMAPs, you could use 1 cup of sliced white button or cremini mushrooms instead.
Leek
To keep this recipe low FODMAP, I use ½ cup of finely chopped leek instead of onion. If you're not worried about FODMAPs, feel free to substitute 1 medium sweet or white onion for the leek. Onions require more saute time than leek, so if you do decide to use onion, start the saute of the onion 2 minutes before stirring in the remaining veggies, and saute all of the veggies together for another 3 minutes.
Canned Tomatoes
Once the veggies are done sautéing, I hit "Cancel" on the Instant Pot and stir in a 14 ounce can of canned tomatoes including their juice. This not only provides a tomato component customary to chicken cacciatore but also provides some liquid to use to scrape any cooking debris off the bottom of the Instant Pot. It also adds to the liquid already in the pot created from the oil, chicken and veggie juices. I don't add any other liquid as I find this to be a sufficient amount to successfully execute the recipe.
Some chicken cacciatore recipes call for tomato sauce, but mine does not as I like to keep it super rustic, and I love the flavor as it is. If you prefer more tomato flavor in your chicken cacciatore, you could add a canned tomato sauce (check for garlic or onion powder in the ingredients for low FODMAP) or strained tomatoes, but if you do so, due to their thicker nature you will probably want to add some chicken broth with the sauce avoid getting the dreaded Instant Pot burn error (dun dun DUN!).
Seasonings
To season my chicken cacciatore, I use 1 tablespoon of my homemade Low FODMAP Italian Seasoning recipe (you can also use store-bought, of course), one extra teaspoon of oregano, bay leaves, salt, and freshly ground black pepper, which I add prior to starting the pressure cooking cycle. I add capers after the cooking cycle is completed, which add a yummy note of acidity (although, I think I forgot to add them when making the recipe for these photos...ooops!).
Optional Ingredients
After the cooking cycle is completed, if you find that the sauce is not thick enough for your liking, remove the chicken to a platter and whisk together 2 tablespoons of tapioca flour (a.k.a. tapioca starch) with 2 tablespoons of cold water to make a slurry. Hit "Sauté" on the Instant Pot, wait a few seconds for the liquid to start boiling, and then slowly stir in the slurry. Continue to stir until the sauce thickens to your liking. Hit "Cancel" on the Instant Pot and serve the sauce over the chicken.
Serving Options
Chicken cacciatore is often served over pasta. If you prefer not to eat pasta, it also goes well with my Instant Pot "Garlic" Mashed Potatoes (Paleo, Whole30, low FODMAP option). We typically eat it over brown rice spaghetti noodles, which I love, but they're not Paleo or Whole30 compliant (they are low FODMAP and gluten-free, though). You could also serve it over carrot noodles (Paleo, Whole30 and low FODMAP), white or brown rice (low FODMAP and gluten-free), or cauliflower rice (Paleo and Whole30 but not low FODMAP).
Low FODMAP Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore (Paleo, Whole30)
Ingredients
- 8 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons garlic-infused olive oil
- 2 red bell peppers, chopped (about 3 cups)*
- 2 large carrots, peeled and cut on the bias (about 2 cups)
- ½ cup sliced canned mushrooms, well rinsed, or ½ cup king oyster mushrooms, quartered vertically and then sliced horizontally*
- ½ cup leek, dark green parts only, finely-chopped*
- 14 ounce can diced tomatoes, with juice
- 1 tablespoon low FODMAP Italian seasoning, homemade or store-bought
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3 bay leaves
- 1½ teaspoons salt, plus more for sprinkling
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more fore sprinkling
- 3 tablespoons capers, drained
Optional Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons tapioca flour
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- Parsley or basil, freshly chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients. You can chop all the veggies before starting to cook, or you can chop them while the chicken is searing (14 minutes if doing it in the Instant Pot).
- Dry chicken thighs well with paper towel and season generously with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Press the "Sauté" button on your 6-quart Instant Pot, 8-quart Instant Pot, or comparable electric pressure cooker and add the garlic-infused olive oil to the pot. Once the display reads "Hot," ensure the oil is fully covering the bottom of the pot. Using tongs, add half of the thighs, skin side down, and sear for 5 minutes or until the chicken skin releases easily from the pot (do not rip off the bottom of the pot). Flip and sear on the other side for 2 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate and follow the same steps for the remaining thighs. If you're in a hurry, you can sear all 8 thighs at the same time in a large skillet on medium high heat on the stove.
- After all the chicken thighs are fully seared and removed to a plate, add the bell pepper, carrots, mushrooms, and leek and stir-fry for 3 minutes.
- Hit "Cancel" on the Instant Pot. Pour in the diced tomatoes with their juice and scrape the bottom of the pot clean with a plastic spoon.
- Add 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon oregano, 3 bay leaves, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, ½ teaspoon pepper to the pot and gently stir.
- Place the chicken in one layer (it will be tight, but you can do it!), skin side up, on top of the veggies and broth. Using a spatula, scrape any juices the chicken left on the plate into the pot (leave no flavor behind!). Close the lid, set the pressure release valve to "Sealing," hit the "Pressure Cook" or "Manual" button, and set the timer for 15 minutes.
- Once the cooking cycle has completed, quick release the pressure. Using tongs, remove the chicken to a platter or bowl. Using an instant read thermometer, check the temperature of the thickest piece of chicken (without touching the bone). Chicken must be at least 165° F (75° C) to be safely consumed.
- {Optional} If you’d like to thicken the sauce, whisk 2 tablespoons tapioca flour with 2 tablespoons of cold water in a small bowl or measuring cup to make a slurry. Hit "Sauté" on the Instant Pot and wait until the liquid begins to boil (this should only take a few seconds). While gently stirring, slowly add the slurry to the pot and stir until the sauce is to your desired thickness. Hit "Cancel" on the Instant Pot; add chicken to the pot and cover with the sauce and veggies OR pour the sauce and veggies on top of the chicken on the platter or bowl. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley or basil (optional).
- Serve the low FODMAP chicken cacciatore on its own or over potatoes like the low FODMAP option of my Instant Pot "Garlic" Mashed Potatoes, brown rice spaghetti noodles, carrot noodles, or white or brown rice.
Equipment
Notes
- If you are not concerned with FODMAPs, substitute 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and 2 cloves of garlic for the garlic-infused olive oil, white button or cremini mushrooms for the canned or king oyster mushrooms, and 1 medium chopped onion for the leek if desired. Start the sauté of the onion 2 minutes before stirring in the remaining veggies, and sauté for another 3 minutes.
- Red bell peppers: This recipe was posted prior to Monash University retesting red bell pepper for FODMAPs. While their previous tests reported them to be FODMAP-free, their more recent tests show they contain the FODMAP fructose and are low FODMAP in quantities of up to ⅓ cup per serving. When eaten in combination with canned tomatoes, which also contain fructose, this has the potential for FODMAP stacking. If you are able to tolerate fructose or had no problems with red bell peppers + canned tomatoes in the past, this may not be an issue for you.
Clancy says
Could 3-4 bone-skin-on chicken breasts sub for the thighs? Not a fan of thighs. Would a splash of white wine be okay for FODMAP? Normally in sauces I’ll splash a red or white wine in for flavor depth. Looks delish and so easy. Going to make next week. Thanks for posting.
Gail says
I've unfortunately not tested it with chicken breasts, and they can be a bit tricky in the Instant Pot as they can overcook quickly, but bone in, skin on might do better than boneless. I'd probably reduce the pressure cook time (8-10 minutes, maybe? I can't say for sure without testing) to prevent them from overcooking. A splash of white wine should be fine as Monash University (my source for FODMAP information) lists up to 1 glass per serving as low FODMAP. I hope you enjoy it!
Clancy says
The bone-in breasts were delicious and juicy, the skin, blah, but I don’t eat it anyway. Added a splash of red wine, which kept the FODMAP. Tested the chicken at 8 minutes with an instant-read thermometer and the temp was 164F. To be on the safe side, I sealed the lid, put ‘0’ for the time and once it got to pressure I did a quick release. Perfect recipe and my favorite cacciatore dish. Thank you for your suggestions and I knew you’d have the answers.
Gail says
I'm so glad you liked it! Thanks for taking the time to share your great feedback!