Wherever the name came from, chicken cacciatore is a succulent
dish of tender poultry braised along with vegetables-often
mushrooms-garlic, and fresh herbs in a warm, flavorful sauce of
tomatoes, chicken broth, and red or white wine.
The preparation is as simple as the ingredients: a quick sauté to brown the chicken and get the vegetables started, then a slow, easy braise to deepen the flavors and allow the sauce to thicken a bit.
Serve the cacciatore by itself or with pasta. Here, I used buttered noodles alongside-but serve the sauce on top, if you like.
This is simple, rustic Italian at its best.
Serves 4
Ingredients
The preparation is as simple as the ingredients: a quick sauté to brown the chicken and get the vegetables started, then a slow, easy braise to deepen the flavors and allow the sauce to thicken a bit.
Serve the cacciatore by itself or with pasta. Here, I used buttered noodles alongside-but serve the sauce on top, if you like.
This is simple, rustic Italian at its best.
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil, plus more as needed
- 1 whole fryer chicken (about 3-1/2 lbs), cut into 8 serving pieces
- flour, for dredging
- sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 8 ounces crimini mushrooms, thickly sliced
- 1 medium onion, cut into thin, vertical strips
- 1 medium red bell pepper, cut into thin, 2-inch strips
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1/2 cup dry red wine
- 1 14.5-oz can stewed tomatoes, in juice
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
- 8-oz broad egg noodles (with or without yolks)
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium heat and add 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Dredge the chicken pieces in flour, shaking off excess. Season with salt and pepper and add to the skillet. Cook until browned, about 5 minutes per side.
- Transfer the chicken to a plate. If there is less than 2 tablespoons of fat in the pan, add more oil.
- Add the mushrooms, onion, and bell pepper to the pan. Sauté until just tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté 1 minute.
- Add the wine to the pan, scraping up browned bits, and bring to a simmer. Cook 2 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes, chicken broth, and dried oregano and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, breaking up the tomatoes, and cook 5 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to low and return the chicken to the pan, nestling into the sauce. Cook with the lid slightly ajar, until the chicken is tender (turning 2-3 times) and the sauce is slightly thickened, 45-50 minutes.
- Stir in the parsley, vinegar, and rosemary and cook 5 minutes longer. Remove from the heat.
- Meanwhile, cook the noodles in a pot of boiling, salted water 10 minutes and drain. Return to the pot and add the butter, stirring well to melt and combine. Season with salt and pepper.
