Chicken Cacciatore Recipe | Pollo Cacciatora
The best Chicken Cacciatore Recipe ever! One of my husband Dan’s all time favorite Italian chicken recipes. An adventure for your taste buds, chicken cacciatore will immediately be a family favorite and a must addition to your recipe repertoire.
This savory Italian chicken stew recipe is served best with creamy polenta (see recipe below), linguine, egg noodles or buttery mashed potatoes. I love to use fresh oregano and rosemary in this dish, but if unavailable, dried spices work as well. I use home made chicken broth when possible or store bought organic chicken broth.
Why not try a Roasted Garlic Caesar Salad on the side of this chicken cacciatore recipe using Michele’s very own Ceaser Salad Dressing recipe ?
Hunters Stew
The hunters in certain parts of Italy used to make this with their fresh caught game of geese or ducks etc. So therefore, it was named “Hunters Stew”.
Michele Romano Recipes
Chicken Cacciatore Recipe
Ingredients:
- 12 chicken thighs with bone in, (I remove skin)
- 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- Salt and pepper
- 4 tbsp. olive oil
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 onion, diced
- 4 large garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
- 1/2 cup of sherry or red wine (optional)
- 1-1/2 cups of chicken broth
- 2-28 oz. cans of plumb tomatoes, chopped, with juice
- 1-1/2 tbsp. of fresh chopped rosemary (or 1-1/2 tsp of dried rosemary)
- 1-1/2 tsp oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- ¾ tsp salt
Preparation:
- Prepare chicken pieces
- Place flour in a bowl and add garlic powder, season with salt and pepper.
- Evenly coat chicken with flour.
- In a large pot, heat olive oil and butter on medium to medium high.
- Cook half the chicken thighs, turning them occasionally until they are well browned on all sides. Then cook the other half. (Note: The secret to browning chicken is not to over crowd the pot)
- Remove all chicken and set aside on a platter.
- Add onions, mushrooms and garlic to your pot and cook until tender about 3 minutes. You may have to add a bit more oil and butter.
- Add sherry or wine if using and simmer on medium high for 5 minutes.
- Add chicken broth, tomatoes, oregano, bay leaf and rosemary, bring to slow simmer.
- Add salt and pepper.
- Using tongs, place chicken thighs back into pot.
- Cover and gently simmer for about 45 minutes until the chicken is cooked and tender
- Prepare polenta according to directions below. (or boil pasta till al dente)
- Add 2 tbsp to cooked pasta if using.
- Serve polenta or pasta hot with chicken and sauce.
- Top off with grated Parmesan or Romano cheese.
Serves 6-8
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 75 minutes
Creamy Polenta Recipe
Ingredients:
- 3 cups milk
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 2 cups water
- 1-1/2 cups of instant polenta (cornmeal)
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp salt
- Fresh ground pepper
Preparation:
- Bring first 3 ingredients to a boil
- Whisk the Polenta in until the mixture begins to thicken
- Stir in butter, salt and pepper
- Continue to cook and stir for 5 minutes.
Live Long & Mangia!
Nutritional Facts
Oregano is loaded with health benefits. It is known to be an effective anti-bacterial. It also has potent anti-oxidant activity.
Rosemary is a key herb in European herbal medicine. It’s known for strengthening the memory, aiding in fat digestion and relieving aching joints.
For more on eating healthy, I find Health Benefits Times very informative.