POLLO ALLA CACCIATORA (CHICKEN CACCIATORE)

Pollo alla Cacciatora (Chicken Cacciatore) image

Provided by Food Network

Number Of Ingredients 10

Ingredients

1/4 cup olive oil
2 red or green bell peppers, seeded and cut into 1-inch wide strips
1/2 pound mushrooms, cut into 1/4- inch thick slices
1 (3 pound) free-range chicken cut into serving size pieces
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
2 1/2 cups roughly chopped onions (about 2 medium size onions)
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary or oregano leaves
1 cup canned whole plum tomatoes, Salsa Marinara, or your own favorite tomato sauce

Steps:

Warm the olive oil in a large saute pan set over medium-high heat. Stir in the peppers and cook, stirring, until slightly softened, about 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside. Stir the mushrooms into the pan and cook, stirring, until slightly softened, about 8 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Add to the pan and brown lightly on both sides, about 15 minutes in all. Remove the chicken from the pan to a platter and set aside. Pour the wine into the pan and stir to incorporate any cooking juices. Add the garlic, onions, and rosemary and cook until the onions are slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, crushing them with your hand or the back of a slotted spoon as you add them to the pan. Return the chicken to the pan, along with any juices that have accumulated on the plate. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes. Stir the peppers and mushrooms into the chicken. Return to a simmer, cover, and cook to blend in the flavor of these ingredients, about 10 minutes. The stew may be set aside at this point for several hours before reheating and serving with bread to dip into the sauce. Variation: Rabbit cut into serving portions may be substituted for the chicken. Omit the peppers. Quarter rather than slice the mushrooms. To the basic recipe add 2 all purpose potatoes, peeled, halved and each half quartered. Stir these into the stew at the same time the rabbit is returned to the pot. stir 6 kalamata olives into the stew along with the mushrooms during the last 10 minutes of cooking.;