Chicken Cacciatore also called Italian hunter’s stew is a terrific dish to make ahead, bring to a party or serve for a casual dinner. I like to entertain with it by serving it right from the pot on my stove. Although customarily made with a whole cut-up chicken, (originally it was rabbit or other wild game) I’ve fancied it up a bit (a la Cook’s Illustrated Magazine) and use only thighs.
About the chicken
Using chicken thighs and removing the skin after sautéing solves the problems of soggy skin, greasy sauce and of course reduces the calories. I only purchase air chilled chicken thighs, bone-in, skin-on from Whole Foods. Air-chilling refers to a specific method for cooling chickens during processing. It means the poultry must be cooled to a temperature of 40°F or lower within four hours of slaughter, to prevent the growth of bacteria causing food-borne illness, like salmonella . Air chilled chicken has other benefits as well. It is plumper, juicier and has more flavor.
How thick should the sauce be?
I wouldn’t say that I’m so old fashioned that I like my gravies to be thick like grandma’s, which you could plop from a spoon, but I will say that I like my stews to be thick enough that the sauce lightly coats the meat. I don’t want such a thin sauce that it runs all over the plate. I begin by adding all-purpose flour at the beginning of the cooking process to thicken the sauce, but oftentimes it still is not thick enough. The easiest way to thicken any type of stew at the end is to remove the meat and sprinkle the sauce with Wondra instant flour. Bring to a boil, stir it in and voila!, a beautiful sauce to coat the spoon.
The rind from a chunk of Parmesan cheese is optional, but it adds a robust, savory hint of flavor to the sauce. I like to freeze Parmesan rinds in a baggie so I always have one on hand.
Serve the chicken over a bed of pasta to catch all the juices, along with a simple Italian salad with a few artichoke hearts and shredded Parmesan. An easy, simple and delizioso dinner.
A hearty dry red wine such as pinot noir or zin are good for this dish. Wondra flour can be sprinkled in at the end to thicken it, if desired.
Brown the thighs with the skin on until golden, turn and brown other side. Then to reduce calories, remove the skin.
Submerge the chicken into the sauce and simmer until tender.
CHICKEN CACCIATORE WITH PORTOBELLOS & SAGE.
8
bone in chicken thighs (about 3 pounds), trimmed of excess fat
1
teaspoon olive oil
1
medium onion, chopped
6
ounces portobello mushroom caps (about 3 medium), wiped clean and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
4
medium cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2
tablespoons all-purpose flour
1
cup dry red wine
1/2
cup chicken stock or low-sodium canned chicken broth
2 teaspoons white miso
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained
2
teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
1
piece of Parmesan cheese rind (2 inches, about 1 oz.), optional
2
teaspoons minced fresh sage leaves
1. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking, about 2 minutes. Add chicken thighs, skin-side down, without crowding (you may need to sauté half at a time.) Cook without moving them until skin is crisp and well browned, about 5 minutes. Using tongs, flip chicken and brown on second side, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer browned chicken to large plate, brown remaining chicken thighs, transfer to plate, and set aside.
2. Drain off all but 1 tablespoon fat from pot. Add onion, mushrooms, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; sauté over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until moisture evaporates and vegetables begin to brown, 6 to 8 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, remove and discard skin from browned chicken thighs. Add garlic to pot and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly, about 1 minute. Add wine, scraping pot bottom with wooden spoon to loosen brown bits. Stir in stock, tomatoes, miso, thyme, cheese rind (if using), 1/2 teaspoon salt (omit salt if using cheese rind), and pepper to taste.
4 Submerge chicken pieces in liquid as much as possible and bring to boil; cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until chicken is tender and cooked through, about 45 minutes, turning chicken pieces with tongs halfway through cooking.
MAKE AHEAD: Cover the sauce and meat with a piece of waxed paper directly over it, not over the pot. This will keep the chicken from drying out. Cover with lid and refrigerate up to 2 days.
5. Before serving, reheat chicken slowly until hot. Discard cheese rind, stir in sage, adjust seasonings with salt and pepper and serve.
Makes 4 servings.
