Chicken alla Cacciatora

We’ve spent three weeks talking about first courses: pasta, soups and rice dishes. Since we are almost finished with the Write 31 Days Challenge, it’s time to start talking about other dishes. This week we will focus on meats and some sides. Let’s tackle a classic Italian chicken dish first: Pollo alla Cacciatora. 

This is chicken prepared the way a hunter would, and like always, every cook has his own version. My mom makes this dish with rosemary whereas my Zio Tonino (remember is Bolognese?) likes to use hot pepper and sage. Some of my cookbooks recommend bay leaf, or basil. The method is the same; it’s just a few ingredients that change. It is best to use a cut up chicken with bones. If you try to make it with boneless breasts it will be dry and rubbery.

Chicken in the Cacciatora Style 

Ingredients

• 1 large fryer chicken or chicken pieces with bone in
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2-3 cloves garlic
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 5 Campari tomatoes, cut up OR 2/3 can of petite diced tomatoes
• small handful of sage
• salt to taste
• crushed red pepper to taste

Procedure

In a heavy bottomed pan, heat olive oil and add the garlic. Add chicken pieces, being careful not to crowd the pan. Brown in batches. When all the pieces are browned, remove chicken from the pan, and deglaze with white wine. Smash the garlic with a fork Add tomatoes and let cook for a few minutes. Place the chicken pieces back in the pan and add sage, salt and crushed red pepper to taste. Let the chicken braise in the liquid for about 10-15 minutes. Add more white wine if it dries up too much.