Given my half Italian roots, it ought to be pretty shocking that I've never made chicken cacciatore. I remember it being one of my grandfather's favorite dishes, something he ordered whenever we went out. Considering how much he loved it, I'm not sure why my grandmother never cooked it. Surely, if she had I would have made it dozens of times by now!It's not a difficult dish to make, and it certainly satisfies a winter meal craving. I started with this basic recipe adapted from Better Homes & Gardens below, which was super tasty, but I have a feeling I'll be working to perfect it over the next few, cold months!
Chicken Cacciatore
Ingredients:
2 teaspoons olive oil
6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 medium onion, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
8 oz. white mushrooms, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup white wine
1 (14.5 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper
Hot cooked rice or pasta
Directions:
Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Brown chicken on all sides; remove from skillet and set aside.
Add onion, bell pepper, mushrooms, and garlic to skillet. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add wine to skillet, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pan. Return chicken to skillet. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, and Italian seasoning to skillet. Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer 20 to 25 minutes (until thighs register 180 degrees).
Serve over rice or pasta.
