Monday, April 8, 2013



Sorry there is no picture for this post. I have a picture, but it's not wanting to load. My cooking partner in crime and I recreated this dish, almost from memory. The last time I had made this dish was many years ago and had lost the recipe. My husband really likes this dish and is very happy that I've been able to recreate it. I hope you enjoy it as much as he does.
My Chicken Cacciatore
serves 4-6 

6 chicken thighs, excess skin removed and patted dry
2 cans (14 1/2 oz. cans) fire roasted tomatoes
1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste
1 med. to large onion, roughly chopped
1 bell pepper (any color), roughly chopped
2/3 cup kalamata olives, roughly chopped
1/2 oz. dried porcini mushrooms
6 oz. cremini (baby portobellas), roughly chopped
2 TBS minced garlic, or more to taste
1 cup chianti or other dry red wine
1 1/2 cups beef stock
3 TBS olive oil
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
6 fresh sage leaves, sliced
1 cup very hot water
Salt and pepper, to taste

--- Put porcini mushrooms in a medium sized bowl or measuring cup. Add the cup of hot water and soak until softened. Remove from water and chop. Reserve soaking liquid.
--- Add oil to large, heavy bottomed soup pot or dutch oven and heat over medium high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper.  Brown chicken on both sides and in batches if necessary. Remove from the dutch oven and set aside.
--- Pour off excess oil, leaving approximately 2 TBS oil in the bottom of the pan. Add onions, bell pepper and mushrooms. Saute for 3 minutes. Add minced garlic and saute for an additional minute, stirring to keep garlic from burning.
--- Add the wine and the porcini soaking liquid. Scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan.
--- Add the kalamata olives and stir well.
--- Add the tomatoes, tomato paste and beef stock. Give the sauce a really good stir, making sure the tomato paste melts completely.
--- Add the basil, oregano and sage to the sauce.
--- Return the chicken to the pot and cover. Turn the heat down to low and simmer for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
--- After 30 minutes of simmering time, pull the lid off the pot and taste. Adjust seasoning to taste.  Serve over pasta shape of your choice.

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