lasagna<\/a> are among the dishes my husband, who is part Italian, requests most often. Cacciatore means “hunter” in Italian, and it’s said that if a hunter comes home empty-handed, this dish is a consolation prize of sorts, using chicken in place of the wild game that got away. Hunters would throw in wild mushrooms they had collected from a day in the forest, to flavor the tomato-based sauce.<\/p>\nThere are many variations of chicken cacciatore depending on the region. In Southern Italy, red wine is used to boost the flavor of the sauce, while Northern Italians use white wine. The classic dish uses bell peppers and mushrooms, but you could also add zucchini, potatoes, carrots, or a host of other vegetables.<\/p>\n
If you’re in a hurry, you can get away with cooking the chicken just 30 minutes. But if you have the time, I prefer to let it simmer away for an hour or more (the actual cooking time is rather forgiving) for more tender, fall-off-the-bone chicken. I find that boned chicken is juicier in this dish, but you can substitute boneless breasts and thighs; the searing in step 1 will help lock in juices so they don’t dry out. The sauce is a bit runny, so I serve with a crusty bread for mopping. But you can also thicken the sauce at the end by stirring in 1-2 Tbsp cornstarch dissolved in a little water. Serve over pasta, polenta, or rice.<\/p>\n
Note: to make this recipe gluten-free, omit the coating of flour, but don’t skip the searing in step 1.<\/p>\n
Chicken Cacciatore Recipe<\/strong><\/font><\/p>\n1 whole, cut-up chicken (skin removed if desired)
1 tsp salt
1\/2 tsp black pepper
1\/2 cup all purpose flour, for dredging
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed, or 2 cubes frozen Crushed Garlic
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes with juice
1 large bell pepper, chopped (any color)
1\/2 cup white or red wine
1\/3 cup olives
1 tsp dried oregano
1 (8 oz) pkg mushrooms, halved
Chopped basil or parsley for garnish<\/p>\n
1. Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge in flour, shaking off excess. Heat oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven, and fry chicken pieces for 3-4 minutes on each side, until browned. Remove from skillet. <\/span>
2. Add onion and garlic to skillet and saute for 5 minutes, until onion is slightly browned. Return chicken to the skillet and add tomatoes, <\/span>bell pepper, wine, olives, and <\/span>oregano. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes (or up to 1 hour) over medium-low heat. <\/span>
3. Add mushrooms and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 10 more minutes.
4. Remove from heat, and sprinkle on fresh herbs right before serving.<\/p>\nPrep time: 20 minutes
Hands-off cooking time: 30-60 minutes
Serves 6<\/p>\n
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