Written by Caccitore means “in the style of the hunter” in Italian. So chicken caccitore is a hunters chicken stew. Think chicken in a rich spaghetti type sauce with olives. This dish can be cooked on the stovetop, in the oven or in a slow cooker. This is a stove top version for two.
Ingredients:
4 skinless chicken thighs
1/2 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 bay leaf
dash rosemary, crushed
dash oregano, crushed
dash powdered thyme
1/3 C Chianti (or other red wine) *Use 1/3 C chicken broth if preferred
2 roma tomatoes, diced
1 8oz can of tomato sauce
2/3 C chicken broth
1/3 C green olives, sliced
1/3 C parsley, chopped
*EVOO denotes extra virgin olive oil
In a deep skillet w/a cover – saute your onions in a bit of EVOO or 1 Tbsp oleo/marg until they just start to golden brown – add the garlic and spices – cook an additional 3 minutes. Pour the wine in to “deglaze” the pan – allow this to simmer and reduce for a couple of minutes – then add the tomatoes, tomato sauce and chicken broth – allow to come up to simmer. Add the four chicken thighs and olives, spoon some sauce over the chicken – allow this to simmer for 25 minutes – remove lid and baste chicken, allowing the sauce to thicken to your preference. Add a bit of the parsley in as the sauce thickens – the rest for topping when serving.
*If you are serving this over pasta, keep the sauce thinner. I usually serve this with pasta on the side, lightly tossed and dusted with your favorite grated hard cheese. A green or marinated salad will make this a wonderfully balanced meal.
This recipe is for two hearty servings, it is easily adapted for more servings – just add additional chicken thighs, another 1/2 C of liquid with the tomatoes (wine or broth) and adjust seasonings if needed.
