What is the cacciatore sauce made of?
Onions, red and green peppers, mushrooms, lots of garlic, thyme and turmeric, delicious wine and canned tomatoes to make the sauce rise. A word of warning: if you use whole canned tomatoes, break them up a bit so that there are no huge chunks of tomato left in the sauce.
What can I serve with chicken cacciatore?
Serve it with any kind of pasta. I use egg noodles to up the comfort food quotient a bit, but spaghetti or linguini would also be perfect.
What is the difference between chicken parmesan and chicken cacciatore?
Chicken parmigiana is prepared with boneless, skinless chicken breasts, finely chopped and fried before topping with tomato sauce and cheese. Chicken cacciatore is different. It is a hearty stew made with boneless chicken. The chicken is browned in a skillet, but ends up simmering in a sauce made with peppers, onions, mushrooms and preserved tomatoes.
YIELDS: 6 serving(s)
PREP TIME: 10 mins
COOK TIME: 1 hr 15 mins
TOTAL TIME: 1 hr 25 mins
Ingredients :
- 1 lb. pasta or egg noodles
- 8 whole chicken thighs, skin on (can use any whole piece chicken)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
- 4 tbsp. olive oil
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 1 whole medium onion, halved and sliced
- 2 whole red bell peppers, cored and sliced (not too thin)
- 2 whole green bell peppers, cored and sliced (not too thin)
- 5 cloves garlic, diced
- 12 oz. mushrooms (white or cremini), sliced
- 1/2 tsp. ground thyme
- 1/4 tsp. turmeric
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- Red pepper flakes, crushed, to taste (optional)
- 3/4 c. dry white wine
- 1 28-oz. can whole or diced tomatoes (with their juice)
- Chopped flat leaf parsley
- Parmesan cheese, for sprinkling
Directions :
- Preheat the oven to 350℉.
- Cook the pasta according to package directions. Do not overcook! Drain and set aside.
- Salt and pepper both sides of each piece of chicken. Dredge chicken in the flour.
- In a heavy skillet or Dutch oven, heat the oil and butter over medium-high heat. Place the chicken, skin down, in the pan, four pieces at a time. Brown the chicken on both sides, then remove it to a clean plate. Repeat with the remaining chicken. Pour off half of the fat in the pan and discard.
- Add the onion, peppers, and garlic to the pan. Stir for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and continue to stir for 1 minute more. Add the thyme, turmeric, and salt. (And crushed red pepper flakes if you like things a little spicy.) Add extra black pepper, to taste. Stir, then pour in the wine. Allow the mixture to bubble. Pour in the tomatoes and stir to combine. Return the chicken to the pan, skin side up, without totally submerging it in the sauce. Place the lid on the pan and put it into the oven for 45 minutes. Remove the lid and increase the heat to 375℉. Continue cooking for 15 minutes more.
- Remove the pan from the oven. Remove the chicken and vegetables to plates.
- Return the pot to the burner over medium-high heat. Cook and reduce the sauce for a few minutes.
- Place the cooked, drained noodles on a large platter or in a big serving bowl. Add the vegetables all over the top, then place the chicken pieces on top of the vegetables. Spoon juices from the pot over the chicken and pasta.
- Before serving, sprinkle with parsley and parmesan.
