Chicken Cacciatore

Ingredients:  

• Chicken Drumsticks – 3 lbs bone in

• Olive oil - 4 tablespoons

• Onion - 1 medium chopped

• Carrots - 1 cup finely chopped

• Celery - 1 cup finely chopped

• Tomatoes - 1.5 cups chopped

• Garlic - 8-10 cloves finely chopped

• Thyme - 4 springs

• Bay leaves - 4 

• Whole black peppers - 8-10

• Water - 1/4 cup

• Parsley - 1/4 cup

• Salt - to taste

• Black pepper - Fresh crushed to taste

• Red crushed peppers - 1 teaspoon 

Classic Italian dish of rustic chicken with slow-braised vegetables. It’s a one-pot meal that is perfect for family dinner time!  Cacciatore means “hunter” in Italian. It refers to a meal prepared “hunter-style” with onions, herbs, usually tomatoes, carrots and celery and sometimes wine.

For best flavor, definitely use bone-in chicken thighs or drumsticks.

Pat the chicken lightly with a couple of sheets of paper towels to remove some of the moisture. Generously season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper, to taste.  Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large dutch oven or saute pan over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add chicken and cook in batches for 4-5 minutes per side or until lightly browned. Remove the chicken to a plate.  Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and saute the onions for a few minutes until soft. Add the carrots, celery, garlic, thyme, black peppers, and bay leaves. Cook the vegetables for 8-10 minutes or until soft, stirring frequently.  Stir in the tomatoes and season with salt, pepper and red crushed peppers, to taste. Layer the chicken over the vegetable mixture. Add water, cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 45 minutes, stirring and flipping the chicken halfway through. Also at halfway mark, taste the sauce for salt and pepper.  Discard bay leaves and stir in parsley. Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before serving.