You’ll Love Chicken Cacciatore – Italian Comfort Food at its Best

Chicken Cacciatore originated in the countryside of central Italy during the Renaissance (14th to 16th centuries). Cacciatore translates to “hunter’s style.” It is a rustic, hearty dish that was prepared for or by hunter’s using easily accessible ingredients. Originally, it was not made with chicken, but whatever the hunter’s had on hand, like rabbit, goose, duck, or veal. The protein was braised hunter-style with onion, tomatoes, bell peppers, and mushrooms. Some recipes include carrots, celery, and even olives.

You can make this recipe with any combination of chicken pieces—thighs, breasts, or legs. The chicken pieces are seared in a hot skillet, so it is best to use bone-in, skin-on pieces. Since air-chilled chicken sears better than water-chilled, purchase air-chilled chicken if possible. Chicken Cacciatore is normally served over plain pasta, creamy polenta, or mashed potatoes. Crusty bread is a must for dipping in the sauce. I like serving mine over Creamy Polenta. I have included a recipe for that dish as well.

Chicken Cacciatore

Serves 4

For the chicken:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon large grind black pepper

6 to 8 chicken thighs or 4 chicken breasts, bone-in and skin-on

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

In a medium-sized shallow bowl, combine flour, salt, and pepper. Wash chicken pieces and pat dry with paper towels. Dip chicken pieces in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess. In a large skillet, sauté chicken in olive oil over a medium-high heat until browned, cooking in batches if necessary to avoid crowding. As chicken pieces brown, remove them from the skillet and transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.

For the sauce:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 large yellow onion, sliced

1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and sliced

1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and sliced

8 ounces baby bella or cremini mushrooms, cleaned, stems removed, and sliced

3 teaspoons minced garlic

1 can (28-ounces) crushed tomatoes

3 heaping tablespoons tomato paste

1 cup merlot

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

In the same skillet, add olive oil, onion, bell peppers, mushrooms, and garlic. Sauté until vegetables are softened and fragrant, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, merlot, bay leaves, and Italian seasoning. Mix well to combine. Return the chicken pieces to the skillet. Lower the heat to a simmer, cover the skillet, and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the chicken pieces are cooked through.

Garnish with fresh chopped parsley.

Creamy, Cheesy Polenta

Makes 8 servings

2 cups milk

2 cups water

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon large grind black pepper

1 cup polenta

4 tablespoons butter

1 cup sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded

½ cup Asiago cheese, shredded

In a large saucepan, place milk, water, salt, and pepper over a medium-high heat. Bring the milk mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cover. Simmer until creamy, about 15 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent the polenta from sticking.

Remove the saucepan from the heat. Add butter and Cheddar and Asiago cheeses. Stir until the cheese melts. Serve hot.

Tips on selecting chicken: Chicken must be brought to a temperature of 40 degrees F after feather removal. The industry standard immerses chicken in a cold-water bath. When chicken is cooled using this process, it will absorb some of this liquid. Once packaged, it may purge fluid into its tray, which dilutes the flavor and results in a soggy texture. Avoid buying chicken with an excess amount of liquid in its packaging.

Another process is air chilling, which circulates chicken through purified cold air to bring it to a safe temperature. Not all air chilling is the same. Some producers will use a combination of water and cold air and seek verification from the USDA that an air-chilling process was used. Labels will indicate if chickens are 100 percent air chilled. In addition, if you love grilled or pan-seared chicken with crispy, golden skin, air-chilled chicken is a better choice. Because no water is used in the chilling process, chicken skin remains taut and never soggy

Carol Ann

Carol Ann Kates is the award-winning author of cookbook, Secret Recipes from the Corner Market, and international Amazon best-selling and award-winning author of Grocery Shopping Secrets. She’s an expert in how to shop, select, and store produce for maximizing home cooking outcomes and minimizing time and money spent. As a former supermarket and deli operator, Carol Ann shares grocery-insider wisdom—the same expertise you used to receive when patronizing a mom-and-pop establishment. Contact her at CarolAnn@CarolAnnKates.com and explore her website, www.CarolAnnKates.com.

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