Chicken cacciatore was the first dish I fixed for my boyfriend who eventually became my husband. And after all these years together he remembers that was the dish I prepared. If it sealed the marriage deal I don’t know but it surely helped.
Nowadays people eat skinless, boneless chicken breast and restaurant chicken cacciatore offerings are just that, the boneless chicken breasts that have been seared off and tossed in a sauce at the last moment. BLECK-----Pleeeze! Chicken cacciatore should be cooked with chicken on the bone, preferably the dark meat.
What brought this rant on
Chatting up my friend, we were discussing a restaurant recently visited where the boneless chicken breast was being used in the chicken cacciatore. My Italian friend talked of his mother’s chicken cacciatore preparation and that the sauce along with dark meat chicken, simmered for a number of hours. He believed his mother used Sherry in the sauce.
Next thing you know an invite to my friend and his wife to come over this past weekend for a chicken cacciatore dinner was extended. Second helpings to the chicken proved the dinner a success.
I’m not the only one
Brian Michael Lawrence, editor of Style Magazine, is also an aficionado of chicken cacciatore. Brian said the best chicken cacciatore he has had locally was at Pazza Luna Restaurant. Their chicken cacciatore was a half chicken, bone-in. Being involved with Pazza Luna when it opened, I championed Chef Fracassetti’s bone-in rendition. Sadly, it is no longer offered.
I have no real set recipe on chicken cacciatore though here is my current rendition. Taste it as it cooks and make any adjustments. If the sauce gets a bit thick add some more stock, wine or water.
Chicken Cacciatore Recipe –serves 4 to 6 people
Sauce
3 tablespoons pure olive oil or canola oil
1 large onion diced
½ cup diced celery
1 medium green pepper diced
1 tsp salt
3 cloves garlic crushed
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 tablespoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon crushed dried chili flakes
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup white wine
1 28 oz can whole tomatoes, crushed with liquid
1 12 oz can tomato sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
Chicken
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons pure olive oil or canola oil
4 to 6 pounds chicken thighs, skin and bone in (no boneless, skinless chicken breast permitted)
¼ to ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Equipment: 6 quart saucepan/dutch oven with lid
1 large sauté pan
tongs
wooden spoon
Directions
- Heat 3 tablespoon of pure olive oil in 6 quart saucepan/dutch oven over a medium high heat.
- Add onions, celery, green peppers and salt and stir. After about 3 minutes add the crushed garlic, stir and let it cook until onions are translucent and green peppers have become soft.
- Add the sliced mushrooms, stir and let them get soft and give off their liquid. Add the dried basil, oregano and crushed chili flakes. Stir and cook about 2 minutes.
- Add the chicken stock, white wine, whole tomatoes, tomato sauce and sugar. Stir and turn the heat to low or medium low. You want the sauce to be simmering not rapidly boiling. Cover and let simmer. Stir from time to time. Let cook for approximately 1 hour. After the hour, start to prep your chicken
- In a large bowl stir the flour, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, salt, black pepper and mix well. Coat enough pieces of chicken in the flour mixture that will comfortably fit in your sauté pan. Be sure to shake off excess flour.
- Heat sauté pan on medium high heat and add oil. As soon as the oil is hot add the chicken pieces skin side down and let them sear. You want them to get a nice golden color and then turn the piece over to sear a couple of minutes. Put the chicken on a plate and repeat the process until all the chicken has been seared.
- Place the seared chicken in the saucepan with the sauce, making sure the chicken pieces are submerged in the sauce. Add any juices to the sauce that have accumulated on the plate from the chicken. Let it all simmer for about 1 ½ hours. Do not put the lid on the pot. Stir from time-to-time and add additional liquid if it seems to be getting too thick (i.e. chicken stock, wine or water).
Put the chicken on a platter, family-style and sprinkle on the grated Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley. I like to serve this dish with pasta using sauce from the chicken cacciatore.
Here are my suggestions on how to properly prepare pasta - click HERE
Mangia!!!!! Remember, no boneless, skinless chicken breast pleeeeze!
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Comments
Unless the restaurant's intention was to make this dish a little healthier, they surely did miss the mark. Your recipe sounds great! Maybe the restaurant needs to rename their dish - boneless, boring breast covered in sauce.
I make mine with bone in but I do take the skin and little bits of fat off...... Same with my Fricase de Pollo. The taste is not as rich when cooked with boneless chicken. I just can't brink myself to cook with the skin on ;-)
Dara, you hit the nail squarely on the head: the best meat is next to the bone and cooking thighs and legs until the meat is falling off infuses the sauce with all the meaty goodness. What the heck, throw in a breast or two for the white meat lovers (but WITH the bones!) and let 'em simmer. They'll only end up better for the association.
Also, this dish is somehow even better as leftovers - the flavors marry so thoroughly!
Ciao Bella!
To Sonia: Pluck the skin off when you're serving if you must, but leave it on to lend its flavor to the pot. You might like it better if you sear it a bit longer before adding the chicken in.....
Thanks for the recipe.
My mom made the best chicken cacciatore - dark meat, skin, bones and all! I do it the same way, and remove the skin before serving only because it's soggy by that point, otherwise I'd eat the skin too.
dara - this looks so good! i'm going to make it!
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