Delicious Chicken Cacciatore - Food Today
This recipe for chicken cacciatore is a classic dish made with braised chicken and an assortment of vegetables , all cooked together in a flavorful tomato sauce. It’s an easy dinner that the whole family will love!
When it comes to dinner time , chicken dishes are always at the top of my list. My kids adore chicken and green beans , chicken casserole and this hearty chicken cacciatore.
Cacciatore means hunter in Italian , and alla cacciatora translates to a ‘hunter-style’ meal with chicken (or rabbit) , onions , tomatoes , herbs , vegetables , and usually wine or vinegar.
This is one of those recipes I found years ago in an old , tattered Italian cookbook. Every time I’d remake it through the years , I’d adjust something in it to eventually reach a cacciatore recipe so perfect , it’s one recipe your entire family will look forward too!
WHAT IS CHICKEN CACCIATORE?
The word cacciatore means “hunter” in Italian , which refers to a dish being prepared in a hunter style. Hunter style dishes typically contain onions , herbs , bell peppers , tomatoes and wine. Chicken cacciatore contain all of these ingredients , plus other flavors such as olives and mushrooms.
HOW DO YOU MAKE CHICKEN CACCIATORE?
This dish starts with bone in chicken thighs , which are seared to golden brown perfection. The thighs are removed from the pan , and a combination of onions , peppers , mushrooms and olives get cooked until tender. The chicken goes back into the pan with the vegetables , along with tomatoes , white wine and tomato sauce. Everything cooks together in the oven until the chicken is tender. The finishing touch is a sprinkle of fresh parsley , then you’ll be ready to eat.
Ingredients
- 1 broiler/fryer chicken (3-1/2 to 4 pounds) , cut up
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 large onion , chopped
- 2 celery ribs , sliced
- 1 large green pepper , cut into strips
- 1/2 pound sliced fresh mushrooms
- 1 can (28 ounces) tomatoes , cut up and juice reserved
- 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
- 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
- 1 cup dry red wine or water
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary , crushed
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 3 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- Hot cooked pasta
- Grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
- Dust chicken with flour. Season with salt and pepper. In a large skillet , brown chicken on all sides in oil and butter over medium-high heat. Remove chicken to platter.
- In the same skillet , cook and stir the onion , celery , pepper and mushrooms for 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes , tomato sauce , tomato paste , wine , herbs , garlic and sugar. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Return chicken to skillet. Cover and simmer for 45-60 minutes or until chicken is tender. Serve over pasta and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
- Freeze option: Cool chicken mixture. Freeze in freezer containers. To use , partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through slowly in a covered skillet until a thermometer inserted in chicken reads 165° , stirring occasionally.
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