Chicken Cacciatore Recipe
From:
The Silver Spoon
, by
Editors of Phaidon Press
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Makes:
4 servings
This is the simplest way to prepare chicken cacciatore—in some regions more celery and carrots are added, in others white wine is used instead of water or stock, and in still others sliced mushrooms are added.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 chicken, cut into pieces
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion
- 6 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
- 1 carrot, chopped
- 1 celery stalk, chopped
- 1 fresh flat-leaf parsley sprig, chopped
- Salt and pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
- Put the chicken in a flameproof casserole with the butter, oil, and onion and cook over medium heat, stirring and turning frequently, for about 15 minutes until browned. Add the tomatoes, carrot, and celery, pour in 2/3 cup water, cover and simmer for 45 minutes until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
- Sprinkle in the parsley and season with salt and pepper.
Beverage pairing: Banfi Chianti Classico, Italy. A classic dish deserves a classic wine—this Chianti has a lovely dose of herbs, black fruits and flowers, sprightly acidity, and not too much tannin, so it will enhance but not overwhelm the chicken.
This recipe, while from a trusted source, may not have been tested by the CHOW food
team.
I use Mario Batali's cacciatore recipe, which I discovered while cooking from his books for chowhound Cookbook of the Month October 2008. First I make a basic marinara. Then I rub the meat with fresh rosemary, salt, and pepper. Sometimes I use a whole chicken in pieces, and sometimes just chicken thighs.
After browning the meat, I remove it from the pot. Then I sautee veggies (onion, celery, mushroom, and red bell pepper today for fun) with some pancetta. Then I add 2 cups tomato sauce, a cup broth/stock, a cup "wine" (I don't drink so I use all natural grape juice and a little vinegar), pinches of Aleppo chile and sugar. Chicken goes back in and it all cooks together. Today I will try the olives -- thanks dario! I make this in my Le Creuset.
When bringing this to a gathering, I remove the meat from the pan and take it off the bone, then throw it back into the stew. This is much easier for guests to enjoy without spilling and splattering -- and cacciatore is such a crowd-pleaser!
I like to serve this with buttered Israeli couscous or bread to soak up the sauce!
Black olives are a must ingredient in this dish. I also add some drained brined capers towards the end.
I love me some Chicken Cacciatore!