Looking to safely try out chicken cacciatore with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO)? This simple variation of low FODMAP chicken cacciatore is easy to make, generally IBS-friendly, and it’s very tasty & hearty!
This recipe can also be considered GAPS-friendly, Paleo, and/or low sucrose with just a few simple ingredient swaps/modifications.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
Chicken thighs
This recipe calls for 3 pounds of chicken thighs.
I personally love using chicken thighs on-the-bone, since the chicken bones contain gut-healing amino acids (think: cysteine, proline, glutamine and glycine) and collagen which have been shown to support gut repair.
Recommended reading:
- The Low-Down on L-Glutamine for Leaky Gut Repair
- Bone Broth for IBS and Leaky Gut: Holistic Dietitian Advice
- Collagen for Leaky Gut: Potential Benefits & Contraindications
(FYI: Alternatively, you could use boneless chicken thighs, or even swap the chicken for 2 pounds of organic firm drained tofu + 1.5 cups low FODMAP veggie broth, to make a vegan/vegetarian version of this recipe. There may just be less gut-healing benefits but that’s okay!)
Spaghetti squash
Up to 1/2 cup cooked spaghetti is low FODMAP, GAPS diet friendly, Paleo-friendly, and low in sucrose and starch (for those following a sucrose intolerance diet/CSID diet).
Note: If you’re following a low FODMAP diet for IBS, you may also swap the spaghetti squash for any low FODMAP pasta of your choice. (Just make sure to stick to low FODMAP serving sizes to avoid FODMAP stacking!)
Low FODMAP tomato sauce
When I make this recipe I use one to two 24-ounce jars of tomato sauce. If you can tolerate the fructose in tomatoes, you may use two jars instead of one.
You can buy or make a low FODMAP tomato sauce of your choice.
- This means the sauce is made exclusively with low FODMAP herbs and spices. (For example: scallions/chives/leeks instead of onions/onion powder, and garlic-infused olive oil or garlic scapes, in place of garlic cloves/garlic powder!)
- A low FODMAP tomato sauce would also contain no added sugar/sweeteners or it would be made exclusively with low FODMAP sweeteners.
Just keep in mind that up to 4 ounces of tomato sauce (made exclusively with low FOMDAP ingredients) is considered low FODMAP during the early stages of a low FODMAP elimination and reintroduction diet.
According to the Monash FODMAP App, 1 cup of a tomato sauce made with low FODMAP ingredients would contain moderate amounts of fructose. (This is only relevant if you find you have a fructose intolerance!)
GAPS & Paleo tomato sauce
For GAPS-friendly and Paleo-friendly variations, you’ll want to choose a sauce that contains no added refined sugars. (Rao’s is my go-to!)
Low sucrose tomato sauce
For a low sucrose CSID-friendly tomato sauce you will want to make one that uses no garlic, onion, carrots, or added cane sugar.
You can find a DIY low sucrose tomato sauce recipe HERE (swap the garlic for garlic scapes, and swap the onion powder for green onion powder) – or check out the low sucrose marinara sauce recipe featured in my 7-day CSID Meal Plan & eCookbook!
Leeks
The green parts of leeks are a suitable low FODMAP alternative to onions, and they’re also considered low in sucrose.
They add the flavor and experience of onions without the potential aftermath of unwanted IBS symptoms!
1 cup of the green parts of leeks is low FODMAP, according to Monash University, the leading authority in all things FODMAPs.
(If you know you can tolerate onions, you can use regular onions in this recipe.)
Bell peppers
Green, red, yellow, and orange bell peppers can be considered low FODMAP in small servings of 1/2 cup to 1 cup fresh sliced.
In this recipe we include less than 6 servings of bell peppers so when divided by 6, the amount of peppers per serving will still be considered low FODMAP.
Summer squash or zucchini
Summer squash is low FODMAP in servings of 2/3 cup fresh per meal or less.
In this recipe, we’re staying within this range since we’re only using one summer squash for the entire recipe.
Note: If you have a starch intolerance (which we often see in cases of sucrase-isomaltase deficiency), you may want to consider swapping the summer squash in this recipe for zucchini which is lower in starch and also a low sucrose vegetable.
Oyster mushrooms
Oyster mushrooms are generally well tolerated by most (if not all) of my clients with IBS, SIBO, and/or a sucrase-isomaltase deficiency.
That’s because they’re the lowest FODMAP mushrooms out there, and they also happen to be low starch and low sucrose.
This recipe calls for 1 package of oyster mushrooms, staying well within the low FODMAP max of 1 cup raw oyster mushrooms per serving.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 small or 1 large Spaghetti squash, cooked and seeds removed
- 3 lbs. chicken thighs – on the bone, or boneless (OR 2 pounds organic firm tofu, drained and cut into 1/2 inch squares, plus 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth)
- 24 to 48 oz low FODMAP tomato sauce of your choice (low fructose: stick to 24 ounces)
- I love Rao’s Sensitive Marinara and FODY Foods marinara sauce!
- 2 cups leeks (green parts only), sliced
- 1 cup sliced red bell peppers
- 1 cup sliced green bell peppers
- 1 cup sliced yellow bell peppers
- 1 whole summer squash, thinly sliced (low sucrose: swap for zucchini)
- 1 container oyster mushrooms, thinly sliced
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- SPAGHETTI SQUASH:
- Use a fork or knife to poke a few holes in the TOP of the whole, un-cut spaghetti squash.
- Place the squash in the oven and bake for about 45-55 minutes.
- Remove the squash from the oven and let it cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing down the middle.
- Remove and discard the seeds, then scrape out the cooked “spaghetti”; reserve this in a bowl for later!
- CHICKEN: Cook chicken thighs in crock pot on low for 6 hours. Remove bones after chicken has been cooked.
- Add remaining ingredients and cook on low for 1 additional hour. You can mix spaghetti squash in, or serve the mixture over the spaghetti/squash – up to you!
Note: VEGETARIAN/VEGAN: Cook 2 lbs. firm drained organic tofu + 1.5 cups vegetable broth on low for 3-4 hours total. Add remaining ingredients during the last hour.
Low FODMAP Chicken Cacciatore
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Notes
- Use 2 pounds firm drained organic tofu instead of the chicken, and cut into 1/2 inch squares, adding 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth.
- Cook tofu and vegetable broth on low for 3-4 hours total before adding the remaining ingredients.
Related recipes & resources
- Sweet & Savory Low FODMAP Teriyaki Chicken Wings
- 3-Ingredient Low FODMAP Tomato Soup
- Low FODMAP Thai Spiced Coconut Soup
- Gut-Healing Chicken Soup
- Low FODMAP Maple Glazed Carrots
- 19 Simple and Healthy Low FODMAP Dinner Ideas & Recipes (Round-Up)
- Tomatoes, IBS, Gut Health and Immunity: What You Should Know (Beyond FODMAPs)
Next steps
Sharing is caring 🙂
If you enjoyed this recipe, please share this post with others you know who are navigating IBS, SIBO, and/or CSID!
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Lastly, I know the low FODMAP can be overwhelming and very restrictive for newbies on this path.
(It also isn’t meant to be followed too long-term!)
If you’d like more resources, guidance and expert insights on how to navigate (or help your clients navigate) the low FODMAP diet holistically, make sure to sign up to receive my free high and low FODMAP foods list PDF (here)!
XX – Jenna
