Pressure-Cooker Chicken Cacciatore

I told the kids about Tom wanting to move in. Not a negotiation — an announcement of a conversation, an invitation to share their feelings. Mason said, "He basically already lives here." (True. Tom's toothbrush, coffee mug, and a drawer of clothes have been fixtures for months.) He said, "I like Tom. He knows about things." This is Mason's highest endorsement: a person who knows about things. The intellectual compliment, the Dawson-Mason seal of approval.

Lily said, "Can Duke move in too?" Practical considerations. Her concern is not emotional but logistical: will there be another dog in the house? I said yes. She said, "Where will Duke sleep?" I said, "With Hank." She said, "Hank is old and Duke is big and the living room is small." She's not wrong. But the living room will manage, because living rooms, like families, expand to hold what they need to hold.

I called Mom. I said, "Tom wants to move in." She was quiet. Then: "Do you want him to?" I said, "Yes." She said, "Then say yes." Simple. Clear. Dawson women make decisions the way they make bread: with their hands, with their gut, with the knowledge that the outcome won't be perfect but will be right. I said, "I'm going to say yes." She said, "Good. He's a good man. He cooks fish." In Diane's evaluation system, "he cooks fish" is approximately equivalent to "he has a stable income and treats my daughter well." Both are true. Both are the point.

I told Tom yes. I said it at the kitchen table, on a Wednesday evening, while he was eating pot roast. I said, "Yes. Move in. Bring Duke. Bring your toothbrush. Bring your trout recipe. Bring everything." He put down his fork and looked at me and his eyes were wet and he said, "I was hoping you'd say that." I said, "I was hoping you'd ask." And we sat at the table with the pot roast and the candles and the yes between us, and the yes was the beginning of the next thing, and the next thing was already here.

The pot roast on the table that Wednesday was not this recipe — but this is the one I’ve made on every important night since, the one I reach for when something deserves marking. Pressure-Cooker Chicken Cacciatore is everything that dinner was: deeply savory, unhurried in flavor even when the clock is moving, the kind of thing that makes a kitchen smell like a place worth coming home to. Tom has eaten it at least a dozen times now, and so has Duke, technically, because Duke has no shame about counters. If you’re sitting down to say something that matters, this is the meal I’d put on the table.

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 25 min | Total Time: 45 min | Servings: 6

Ingredients

2 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 6 pieces)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
2 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup dry red wine (or additional broth)
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1 tsp kosher salt, divided
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp capers, drained (optional)
Fresh parsley, chopped, for serving
Cooked pasta, polenta, or crusty bread for serving

Instructions

Season and sear. Pat chicken thighs dry and season with 3/4 tsp salt and the black pepper. Set your pressure cooker to the Sauté function and heat olive oil until shimmering. Sear chicken skin-side down for 4–5 minutes until golden. Flip and sear 2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate.
Build the base. Add onion and both bell peppers to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes until slightly softened. Add garlic and mushrooms and cook 2 minutes more. Stir in tomato paste and cook 1 minute until it darkens slightly.
Deglaze and load. Pour in red wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot — this is flavor, do not skip it. Add diced tomatoes, chicken broth, oregano, basil, thyme, red pepper flakes if using, and remaining 1/4 tsp salt. Stir to combine.
Pressure cook. Nestle the seared chicken thighs into the tomato mixture, skin-side up. Lock the lid and set to high pressure for 15 minutes. Allow a natural pressure release for 5 minutes, then carefully quick-release any remaining pressure.
Finish and adjust. Remove the lid. If you prefer a thicker sauce, switch back to Sauté and simmer uncovered for 5–8 minutes, stirring gently, until reduced to your liking. Stir in capers if using. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Serve. Spoon over pasta, creamy polenta, or alongside crusty bread. Garnish with fresh parsley. Set the candles out. Sit down. Enjoy what’s at the table.

Nutrition (per serving)

Pressure-Cooker Chicken Cacciatore — The Yes Dinner, Made Every Time Since