Chicken Cacciatore

serves 4 to 6

3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 onion, diced

4 garlic cloves, sliced

1/2 pound crimini mushrooms, quartered

1 red bell pepper, sliced (or roasted red peppers)

1 T tomato paste

1 cup red wine

2 cans (15oz) diced tomatoes

1 T oregano

smidge of cinnamon

1 big sprig of rosemary

pinch of red pepper flakes

1 bay leaf

5 to 10 olives of your choice

Parmesan cheese

• Heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a deep-sided saute pan (or soup pot if you don't have a saute pan big enough). Sprinkle one side of  the chicken with salt & pepper. Place the salted side down in the pan and cook until it's a little brown. Sprinkle the other side and repeat. You will probably have to do this in two rounds. Set the chicken aside.

• In the same pan, saute the onions and garlic (add a little more oil if needed) until they are just starting to brown.

• Add the mushrooms (keep the heat high, mushrooms like that) and peppers and saute until they are starting to get brown edges. If the onions and garlic start to head in the direction of too brown, just go to the next step and it will all still turn out great.

• Add the tomato paste to the vegetables and saute for about 2 more minutes. Tomato paste always tastes better if it is browned.

• Add the wine and bring to a boil for a couple of minutes. Scrape all the good browned bits off the bottom of the pan.

• Add the tomatoes, herbs and spices, and the olives.

• Give it all a good stir and allow it to simmer, uncovered, for 30 to 40 minutes. Just check it a couple of times to be sure nothing is sticking

• Serve with pasta or polenta and top it with grated Parmesan cheese.