Instant Pot Gluten & Dairy-Free Chicken Cacciatore: A Quick & Healthy Allergy-Friendly Meal

This delicious, complete protein pasta is made from just three plant-based ingredients — eat clean with Modern Table pasta today! We thank Modern Table for their sponsorship, enabling us to share this incredible recipe.

Discover the ultimate weeknight hero with this Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore recipe. Designed for busy families and individuals with dietary restrictions, this hearty and flavorful dish comes together in a flash, even starting with frozen chicken breasts – no thawing required! What’s more, it’s completely gluten-free and dairy-free, making it an ideal solution for those managing common food allergies or dietary sensitivities. This recipe is not just about a single meal; it’s crafted to yield a generous portion, ensuring you have enough for dinner tonight and a convenient freezer meal ready for another hectic evening. Beyond being gluten and dairy-free, this Cacciatore is also free from many other top allergens, including wheat, egg, soy, peanuts, and tree nuts, making it a truly inclusive dish for almost any table. We even offer simple modifications for a delicious meat-free version, ensuring everyone can enjoy this Italian classic.

Embrace Healthier Eating with Ease and Flavor

Are you still striving to maintain healthier eating habits this year? Perhaps you’ve faced challenges or simply need a fresh, inspiring recipe to get back on track. Look no further! This Instant Pot Gluten & Dairy-Free Chicken Cacciatore offers a delicious and satisfying way to eat cleaner, even if it’s just for one night. It’s a testament to how healthy eating can be both accessible and incredibly flavorful, without requiring hours in the kitchen or compromising on taste. This recipe demystifies the idea that allergy-friendly meals are bland or complicated, proving that wholesome food can be exciting, deeply comforting, and easy to prepare.

Traditional chicken cacciatore often involves labor-intensive steps such as dredging chicken in flour and pan-frying it before letting it simmer in a rich sauce. While undeniably delicious, this method can be messy, time-consuming, and entirely unsuitable for those with gluten sensitivities or anyone seeking a lighter meal. Our innovative approach sidesteps these issues entirely. By leveraging the power of the Instant Pot, we’ve created a truly one-pot, healthier version that retains all the rich, robust flavors of classic cacciatore without any of the fuss. Say goodbye to flour-dredging, splattering oil, and greasy cleanups; say hello to effortless cooking and a healthier outcome. The Instant Pot transforms what could be a lengthy process into a quick and convenient culinary experience, perfect for even the busiest weeknights, making it a staple for your Instant Pot recipe collection.

Understanding and Perfecting Chicken Cacciatore

For those new to this delightful Italian staple, imagine a rich, deeply flavored ragu sauce, generously studded with tender, succulent chicken. The term “cacciatore” translates to “hunter” in Italian, implying a rustic, hearty dish traditionally prepared with whatever ingredients a hunter might have on hand – typically tomatoes, onions, herbs, and peppers. My own children affectionately refer to it as “chicken spaghetti,” a moniker that perfectly captures its comforting, saucy nature and its ideal pairing with pasta. This description often helps first-time cacciatore eaters grasp the concept – it’s familiar yet distinct, offering a unique flavor profile that quickly becomes a family favorite. The balance of savory chicken, vibrant tomatoes, and aromatic herbs creates a culinary experience that satisfies deeply.

One of the true marvels of the Instant Pot is its ability to transform kitchen dilemmas into culinary triumphs. Have you ever forgotten to thaw your chicken for dinner? With the Instant Pot, it’s no longer a problem! This versatile appliance excels at cooking frozen meat, turning solid chicken breasts into perfectly shredded, incredibly soft, and juicy chicken in under thirty minutes. This feature alone makes it an indispensable tool for weeknight cooking, especially when unexpected delays or forgotten meal prep threaten to derail your dinner plans. The high-pressure environment not only tenderizes the chicken beautifully but also infuses it with all the aromatic flavors of the sauce, resulting in a depth of flavor usually reserved for slow-cooked dishes.

Speaking of the sauce, this Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore is a symphony of Mediterranean flavors. We build a thick, hearty sauce using a robust combination of aromatic spices like earthy thyme, fragrant rosemary, pungent garlic, and classic oregano. These traditional Italian herbs are complemented by a splash of red cooking wine, which adds depth and complexity to the tomato base, along with a generous amount of rich, ripe diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste. The result is a savory, deeply satisfying sauce that clings perfectly to pasta, making every bite an experience in authentic Italian comfort food. The magic of the Instant Pot allows these distinct flavors to meld together intensely in a short amount of time, creating a slow-cooked taste in a fraction of the usual cooking duration.

Elevate Your Meal with Modern Table Complete Protein Pasta

To truly embrace a healthier lifestyle and ensure maximum nutritional benefit, simply using any gluten-free pasta might not be enough. Many conventional gluten-free pastas are primarily made from starches like corn or rice, offering little in terms of protein or fiber. While they serve the purpose of being gluten-free, they often lack the robust nutritional profile that can truly support a balanced diet. This is where Modern Table’s lentil-based pastas shine as a superior, healthy choice. Unlike typical gluten-free options, Modern Table pastas are expertly crafted from lentils, providing an additional, vital source of plant-based protein to your meal.

All Modern Table pastas are lentil-based and boast complete proteins, meaning they contain all nine essential amino acids that our bodies require for optimal functioning. These amino acids are crucial for sustained energy throughout your day, supporting healthy digestion, and promoting strong muscle health and recovery after physical activity. By pairing this protein-packed pasta with lean chicken, you’re enjoying a double dose of protein with every forkful – perfect for active individuals, growing children, or anyone looking to boost their protein intake without compromising on taste or texture. For my hungry, growing boys, this combination is a game-changer, keeping them fuller, more satisfied, and energized for longer periods.

As a resource for allergy-friendly eating, I frequently receive questions about suitable pasta alternatives, especially for those managing wheat allergies or gluten intolerances. Modern Table pasta is an excellent recommendation, particularly for readers who also need to avoid corn, a common ingredient in many other gluten-free alternatives. With an incredibly clean ingredient list, featuring just three plant-based components, Modern Table’s plain pastas are not only vegan and gluten-free but also non-GMO, aligning perfectly with a wholesome, allergy-conscious diet. It’s a versatile and delicious option that ensures everyone at the table can enjoy a classic pasta dish without worry, making it a fantastic addition to any allergy-friendly kitchen.

A Meal That Keeps on Giving: Perfect for Meal Prep and Freezer Stashing

One of the most appealing aspects of this Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore recipe is its generous yield. It consistently produces enough to comfortably feed our family of two adults and three small children, with plenty leftover to freeze for a future busy night. This makes it an exceptional choice for meal prepping, allowing you to proactively tackle those inevitable evenings when time is short and cooking from scratch feels daunting. Having a wholesome, homemade freezer meal on hand is a true game-changer for maintaining healthy eating habits amidst a busy schedule, saving you time, money, and stress.

For optimal results when freezing, I highly recommend freezing only the rich cacciatore sauce. The sauce freezes beautifully and reheats wonderfully, retaining all its deep flavors and tender chicken. When you’re ready to enjoy your freezer meal, simply warm the defrosted sauce on the stovetop or in the Instant Pot on a “keep warm” setting. While the sauce is reheating, cook a fresh batch of Modern Table pasta. Since Modern Table pasta typically cooks in about 15 minutes, your fresh pasta and perfectly warmed sauce should be ready at roughly the same time – talk about winning at weeknight dinners! This strategy ensures your pasta is always al dente and never mushy from being frozen with the sauce.

Your Go-To Allergy-Friendly Italian Dish for Any Occasion

This Instant Pot Gluten & Dairy-Free Chicken Cacciatore truly represents a healthier, easier, and undeniably delicious twist on a beloved Italian classic. It’s designed to bring joy and comfort to your table, ensuring that even families managing multiple allergies can savor a flavorful, satisfying weeknight meal without stress or extra effort. From its quick prep time to its freezer-friendly nature and complete protein benefits, this recipe ticks all the boxes for a modern, health-conscious family. We hope you enjoy preparing and sharing this wonderful recipe as much as we do. Get ready to experience the convenience of Instant Pot cooking combined with the peace of mind that comes from knowing you’re serving a nutritious, allergy-friendly dish that doesn’t compromise on flavor.

Instant Pot Gluten & Dairy free Chicken Cacciatore

Yield:
8 Servings

Prep Time:
5 minutes

Cook Time:
28 minutes

Total Time:
33 minutes

A thick and hearty meal that comes together in a flash thanks to the Instant Pot. Start with frozen chicken breasts (no need to thaw!) and end up with a saucy Chicken Cacciatore that’s gluten and dairy free for a weeknight meal that makes enough not just for one meal, but a freezer meal as well! This recipe is free of the top allergens, too: wheat, dairy, egg, soy, peanut and tree nuts with a meat-free version as well!

Ingredients

2 frozen chicken breasts*
generous salt and pepper to taste
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 celery rib, diced
1 large red pepper, diced
4 oz sliced fresh mushrooms**
1 can (28 ounces) oregano and basil tomatoes, undrained
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
1 cup red cooking wine
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 Tablespoon capers, drained
2 boxes of Modern Table Penne
Fresh basil, if desired

Instructions

In the bottom of your Instant Pot, place the olive oil. Place the frozen chicken breasts on top and generously season with salt and pepper.
Place all of the other ingredients on top of the chicken breasts, except the pasta.
Close the lid and move the valve to “seal”.
Make sure the Instant Pot is set to “high” pressure.
Hit the “manual” button and use the plus and minus buttons until you reach 28 minutes.
When there’s only 15 minutes left on the cooking time, start cooking your pasta. Follow the box directions. Drain and set aside.
After the cooking time is over on the Instant Pot, move the valve to “release” to quickly release the steam (also known as a quick release.)
Take the chicken out and shred. Return the chicken to the pot and stir.
Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
Ladle the chicken and sauce over the cooked penne.
Garnish with fresh basil, if so desired.
Freeze the leftover sauce separately (without pasta) for an easy meal at a later date as this makes tons!

Notes

*If you do not have frozen chicken breasts, and would rather use fresh, follow all of the same directions, only changing the cooking time on the Instant Pot from 28 to 15 minutes.

**If you would like a meatless version, this is easy to do since it’s already full of veggies and has a delicious sauce all on its own. Simply double the amount of mushrooms from 4 oz to 8 oz.

DON’T FORGET TO PIN IT, SO YOU DON’T LOSE IT. BE SURE TO ALSO CHECK OUT MY OTHER ALLERGY-FRIENDLY PINTEREST BOARDS!