Chicken Cacciatore is one of my DH's favourite meals and is actually the first dinner he made for me. Basically, chicken pieces are browned and placed in a casserole dish, then covered with a homemade pasta sauce and baked in the oven. Both are then served over cooked pasta - delish! Hubby has always used the Wade Bogg's recipe (from his book, Fowl Tips) but I just make it my own way! (There isn't really a need to be precise - pasta sauce is pretty forgiving!)
You can use any chicken pieces you'd like, but I prefer boneless, skinless thighs and breasts. First shake the pieces in 1/3 of a cup of flour (with a bit of salt & pepper), then saute in 1/4 cup of olive oil until lightly browned. Remove to a casserole dish and then make the sauce right in the same pan. I make my sauce with sauteed onion, garlic, and sliced mushrooms, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and diced tomatoes. Red wine adds a fantastic flavour and chopped black kalamata olives really add a richness to the sauce. Salt, pepper, oregano, and basil are the obvious seasonings but I also add a pinch of rosemary, chili powder, paprika, and thyme to the sauce (I picked up those additions from the Tony's Towne Square restaurant in Disney World!) Simmer the sauce for 5-10 minutes then pour it over the chicken. Cover and bake at 375 degrees for about 40-45 minutes (a bit longer if you are using bone-in chicken pieces) or until chicken is cooked. Serve over hot spaghetti (my hubby likes rigatoni) and add grated Parmesan cheese at the table.
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