Best Umbrian Style Chicken Alla Cacciatora Recipes

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UMBRIAN-STYLE CHICKEN ALLA CACCIATORA



Umbrian-Style Chicken alla Cacciatora image

Chicken alla cacciatora, or hunter's style, is found all over Italy - but for a long time, tomatoes were not. Most Americans know the southern Italian version, with tomatoes, but this one is from Umbria, in the country's center, and it's made savory with lemon, vinegar, olives and rosemary instead of tomatoes. It's lovely served with steamed greens dressed with a fruity olive oil, over homemade mashed potatoes or polenta.

Provided by Julia Moskin

Categories     main course

Time 1h

Yield 3 to 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 12

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 small chicken (about 2 1/2 pounds), cut into serving pieces, or use bone-in, skin-on thighs and drumsticks
1 onion, sliced
2 to 3 cloves garlic, very finely minced
1 tablespoon capers
1/4 cup good-quality brine-cured olives, black or green, with pits
1 sprig rosemary
1 handful sage leaves
Salt and black pepper
1 cup dry white wine
Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Steps:

  • Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large non-stick pan. Add chicken pieces and sear over medium heat until golden on all sides, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a plate and wipe the pan clean before proceeding.
  • Turn heat to low, add remaining 1 teaspoon oil, and return the chicken to the pan. Add onions and stir frequently until caramelized, about 18 minutes. Add minced garlic, capers, olives, rosemary sprig and sage leaves. Season with just a sprinkle of salt and black pepper.
  • After a couple of minutes, when everything smells fragrant, add wine. Cover and simmer very slowly until the chicken is tender and cooked through (165 degrees). Start checking the temperature of the chicken after 15 minutes to avoid overcooking. Add some water if the sauce gets too dry while simmering.
  • When ready to serve, reheat if necessary, then add lemon juice and zest and balsamic vinegar. Taste and add more lemon if desired. Remove the rosemary sprig and serve.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 590, UnsaturatedFat 21 grams, Carbohydrate 11 grams, Fat 32 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 53 grams, SaturatedFat 8 grams, Sodium 942 milligrams, Sugar 3 grams, TransFat 0 grams

CHICKEN ALLA CACCIATORA



Chicken alla Cacciatora image

The name refers to "hunter's style," whatever that is supposed to mean. I doubt that hunters in Italy, or anywhere else, ever carried all these ingredients, but this is a traditional southern Italian dish. This is a far better version than those popularized in the sixties, which were essentially chicken with canned tomato sauce. This is great with bread, even better with a simple risotto (page 521).

Yield makes 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 12

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 chicken, 3 to 4 pounds, cut into 8 pieces, or 2 1/2 to 3 pounds chicken legs and thighs
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 medium onion, sliced
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 medium carrots, thinly sliced
1/4 pound shiitake or button mushrooms, stems removed and discarded (or reserved for stock), sliced
1 tablespoon juniper berries, lightly crushed
2 bay leaves
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup canned tomatoes, coarsely chopped, with their juice
Chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnish

Steps:

  • Put the oil in a deep skillet or flameproof casserole, preferably nonstick, with a lid. Turn the heat to medium-high and wait a minute or so, until the oil is hot. Add the chicken, skin side down. Season it with salt and pepper and brown it well, rotating and turning the pieces as necessary, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and pour off the excess fat.
  • Reduce the heat to medium, add the onion, garlic, carrots, mushrooms, juniper berries, and bay leaves, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens, about 10 minutes. Add the wine and let it bubble away for a minute or two, then add the tomatoes and the chicken. Stir, then partially cover the pan; reduce the heat to low and cook for about 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Garnish and serve.
  • It's perhaps odd that this variation begins "omit the chicken," but aside from that the recipe is markedly similar: Omit the chicken. Brown about 1/2 cup minced pancetta or bacon in 1 tablespoon olive oil and leave it in the skillet. Proceed with step 2. After adding the tomatoes, cook a pound of broad, long pasta, like fettuccine, and toss it with the sauce. Good with or without freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

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