Chicken Cacciatori
You’ve heard the name, but have you ever tried it? Translated as Hunter’s Chicken, this is a rustic comfort food that traditionally used what the hunter brought home – quail, rabbit, squirrel, whatever! This recipe is also a great way to use leftover turkey.
Chicken Cacciatori
Ingredients
- 2-3 # of chicken – dark meat will be juicier. This is a good recipe for skinless boneless thighs or use a whole rotisserie chicken.
- Olive oil
- 1 large onion rough diced
- 6-8 cloves garlic minced
- 2 bell peppers rough diced – two different colors are nice
- 1 large carrot peeled and sliced
- 1 stalk celery sliced
- 8-10 oz of mushrooms sliced
- 8 sprigs of fresh thyme or 1 tsp dry
- 2 Tbsp fresh chopped basil or 2 tsp dry
- 2 Tbsp fresh chopped parsley or 2 tsp dry
- ¾ cup red wine
- 28 oz can crushed tomatoes or 1 quart of home canned tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ # Roma tomatoes quartered, or a jar of sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 cup black and green olives chopped or sliced
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your over to 325 degrees
- Preheat a large skillet and add 3 Tbsp of oil.
- If it’s uncooked, season the chicken and brown (but not cook) the chicken in the skillet. Remove.
- Cook the onion, celery and carrot in the same skillet, adding more oil if needed.
- Add the garlic, peppers, mushrooms and herbs and cook until soft.
- Add the wine and de-glaze the pan; cook until the wine has reduced to about half.
- Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, and Roma tomatoes, and bring to a low boil
- Nestle the chicken into the sauce, but don’t submerge it, keeping the crisp skin uncovered, and braise in the oven for 45-60 minutes.
- Check for seasonings, and then add the olives scattered over the top and braise another 10 minutes to heat through
- Garnish with fresh parsley and serve over pasta or rice.
Notes
Chicken Cacciatori with linguini.