CHICKEN CACCIATORE

CHICKEN CACCIATORE 

This is by far one of my favorite meals.  It is especially good on a cold fall or winter's night.  The warmth of this dish will spread heat through your body to keep you nice and toasty.  Who is kidding it is just so good that you can eat it on any day.  

In Italian cacciatore means hunter, with onions, peppers, herbs, tomatoes, and wine.  Of course, you have to add plenty of garlic.  Normally this dish is made with braised chicken or rabbit.  Yes, rabbit.  

In this recipe, I used bone-in chicken thighs with the skin left on.  However, I do plan on using rabbit the next time I make this dish.  Which will be sooner than later.  I honestly can not say just how delicious this meal is.  

If you have the option use the best ingredients you can.  If you can use fresh do so.  The quality of this dish is stepped up by using the best ingredients.  I used home-canned San Marzano tomatoes and marinara sauce.  I also was able to use a few fresh tomatoes, red pepper, and oregano from my herb garden.  

I pre-heated the brasier on the stovetop so that it would be hot and then added a few tablespoons of olive oil.  While the pan is heating, season your flour and dredge the chicken in the flour mixture.  You can also go ahead and chop the pepper, onion, and garlic.  Preheating your pan will help with your cooking process.  Once the chicken has browned take out of the pan and place it on a plate.  

Add the onion, pepper, and garlic to the pan.  Saute for around 5 minutes.  You only want to soften the onion and peppers.

Once your veggies are softened add a can of tomatoes, preferably San Marzano.  I  crush them in my hand as I put them in the pan.  I also used some home canned marinara sauce along with a half of a can of tomato sauce and a couple of tablespoons of tomato paste.  I was fortunate to have all this canned or frozen from tomatoes we grew. Add some Italian white wine and chicken broth.  

Next, come the olives. Again when making this dish it is better to use good olives.  You want the bit of the brininess in this dish.  Kalamata olives are a good choice.  Give them a rough chop before adding them.  You will also add your herbs at this time.  I used fresh and dried oregano.  

 I will be honest I have a secret ingredient I used.  If you look close you will see what it is.  Here is a hint, it is small round and green.  You have to look close.  It is at the bottom of the pan near a tomato.  

Did you find it?  It is hard to see.  Capers!!!  

Add the chicken back to the pan and pop the dish into the oven.  I cooked it with the lid on for an hour and a half.  Take the lid off and cook until the chicken starts to brown.   

Serve over pasta with a bit of fresh shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

CHICKEN CACCIATORE

Ingredients

• 6 bone-in chicken thighs
• 1/2 cup of flour
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 large can of whole tomatoes with juice (San Marzano is the best)
• 1 jar of marinara
• 8 oz tomato sauce
• 2 to 3 Tablespoons of tomato paste
• 3/4 cup of Italian white wine
• 3/4 cup chicken broth
• 1 bell pepper chopped
• 1 onion chopped
• 5 to 6 cloves of garlic smashed then minced
• 3 Tablespoons of olive oil
• 1/2 jar of kalamata olives-roughly chopped
• 2 teaspoons of capers-optional
• 2 teaspoons fresh oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

Directions

1. Preheat your pan on the stovetop.  As the pan heats, combine the flour, garlic powder and Italian seasoning in a shallow dish.  Dredge chicken in the flour mixture.  Also, chop the onion and bell pepper and mince the garlic.  
2. Add olive oil to the preheated pan and allow it to warm for a few minutes.  Once the oil is warm to hot add the dredged chicken.  You make have to do this in batches.  Once the chicken is browned, about 5 minutes per side, take out of pan and place on a plate.  
3. Add the chopped peppers and onions to the pan to soften for 4 minutes.  add the minced garlic and allow to cook another minute.  
4. Pour the marinara, wine, and chicken broth into the pan.  Using your crush the whole tomatoes as you add the jar and its juice into the pan. .Add the olives and capers and allow to cook down for 5 to 10 minutes.  Preheat the oven to 300 degrees as the sauce cooks down.
5. Add the chicken to the sauce and place a lid on your brasier or Dutch oven.  Put into the oven and cook for an hour to an hour and a half.  Take the lid off and brown the chicken.  About 15 to 30 more minutes.  

This is wonderful served over pasta.  

You can also add some red pepper flakes to the dish to give it a slight heat factor.

Remember as always when you are cooking something for your family to cook it per your taste.  Which means you can add less or more of anything.  You can omit the olives and/or the capers.  You can add mushrooms.  I chose an orange bell pepper but you can use any color, green, red, yellow.  Just whatever.  

I chose to cook this dish in the oven so I did not cook the chicken all the way through.  I just like the chicken to fall off the bone when you eat this so you can have some chicken in every bite.  If you prefer though you can fry your chicken to a crisp on the stovetop and make the sauce without putting it in the oven.

You can use split chicken breast, legs, leg quarters or thighs.  I just highly suggest for you NOT to use skinless or skinless boneless chicken.  

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ENJOY!!!!