I adore food. I love exotic recipes and ingredients – I love exploring NEW food things but sometimes, sometimes, I want familiar. Comfort. A known quantity that comes out the same way every time that you make it. Chicken Cacciatore is one of those dishes for me. I grew up in an Italian neighborhood and Chicken Cacciatore was as frequent there as Chicken and Dumplings was on the Pennsylvania Dutch side of my family – which would be almost weekly.
Pasta has been phased out of my diet almost exclusively. I make small allowances but since it has been gone, I have not really missed it. When I made the Chicken Cacciatore, I did make a pot of pasta and had a few bites, but then I ate the rest with quinoa which was quite good and re-confirmed that I really don’t miss the pasta.
The capers complete a good cacciatore so for a quick comfort food kind of recipe … I give you Chicken Cacciatore! Buon Appetito!
| Chicken Cacciatore – Polla alla Cacciatora |
- 4 chicken thighs
- 2 chicken breasts (I like them cut into large chunks)
- 2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour, for dredging
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large roasted red pepper, dried and chopped
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 cup chopped fennel
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 3/4 cup dry white wine
- 1 ( 28-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
- 3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons drained capers
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
- 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves
- Sprinkle the chicken pieces with 1 teaspoon of each salt and pepper.
- Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour to coat lightly.
- In a large heavy saute pan, heat the oil over a medium-high flame.
- Add the chicken pieces to the pan and saute just until brown, approx 5-8 minutes per side.
- If all the chicken does not fit in the pan, saute it in 2 batches.
- Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Add the fennel, onion and garlic to the same pan and saute over medium heat until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes.
- Add roasted pepper and saute for approx another 2 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Add the wine and simmer until reduced by half, about 3 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes with their juice, broth, capers and oregano.
- Return the chicken pieces to the pan and turn them to coat in the sauce.
- Bring the sauce to a simmer.
- Continue simmering over medium-low heat until the chicken is just cooked through, about 30 minutes for the breast pieces, and 20 minutes for the thighs.
- Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a platter. If necessary, boil the sauce until it thickens slightly, about 3 minutes.
- Spoon off any excess fat from atop the sauce.
- Spoon the sauce over the chicken, then sprinkle with the basil and some grated parmesan and serve.
