Chicken Cacciatore
Chicken Cacciatore is such an easy preparation experience with such wonderful flavor and texture that I do not know why it is not a standard on restaurant menus any longer. I grew up with this dish and my mom made this periodically throughout my entire youth. Today, I bet it is not on her radar either, but it is on mine. Let’s cook some chicken cacciatore and garlic bread to use to gather some of that fine sauce.
I am going to use my crock pot. This is a stove top meal and translates to the crock pot really well, please feel free to make the dish in either fashion.
1 ea Whole Chicken (cut into parts)
1 can diced tomatoes (15 oz)
1 can tomato sauce (15 oz)
1 large onion (cut into crescent moon slices)
1 large green bell pepper (cut into crescent moon slices)
12 oz small button head mushrooms (optional)
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup chicken stock
Preparation
In a fry pan place olive oil and garlic (heat on med high until garlic is sizzling). Add onion, mushroom and bell pepper and continue to heat until onion has clarified.
Transfer onion/pepper mix to the crock pot and add chicken parts and contents of both tomato cans. Add oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Cook on low until the chicken is so tender that the meat is ready to fall from bone. If contents of crock pot requires additional liquid during cooking add a ladle of chicken stock.
Remove pieces of chicken onto service plate and top with peppers and onion tomato sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese for additional burst of flavor. Serve with garlic bread and pasta for a full menu of Italian delight.
Note: If I over do it with chicken stock and want a thick cacciatore sauce I will add a bit of tomato paste as a thickener and stir it in before serving to incorporate the tomato paste.