Chicken Cacciatore

In looking over my posts, I am embarrassed to notice that almost every dang one of them includes a trying-to-be-artistic photo of a tin can. Maybe it's part of my recovery. Maybe it's that I'm cheap. You never can tell. To all of the real foodies out there: cut me some slack! Don't stop reading! Please?

Begging and pleading aside, I do actually have a recipe to share here. (It does include canned tomatoes. Oops.) From time to time, I travel for work. One of the hardest things for me about being away from my husband is knowing that he will not so much as set foot in the kitchen while I am gone. He won't make coffee. He won't grab a piece of fruit or yogurt. Don't even think for a second that he will put a frozen pizza in the oven. My husband, who devours everything I cook like he has never eaten before, just can't be bothered to eat food when I am gone. My only hope is to make food ahead of time that he might consider warming up in the microwave.


Enter this Chicken Cacciatore. Fancy Italian for chicken "hunter's stew", it basically is chicken braised in a tomato sauce with vegetables and white wine. What I love about this is that it really keeps its flavor and texture if eaten the next day. Or the next. And even the next one. I have been known to eat some very questionable leftovers, folks. This characteristic makes it a good option to take to a family with a new baby, take to work for lunch, or leave with your spouse while you are away. They may even eat it.


Chicken Cacciatore
Adapted from Ellie Krieger, Healthy Appetite with Ellie Krieger
Yields 4 Servings

A couple of notes: If you can make yourself go there, please try this with the skin ON the chicken breasts. The skin creates more flavor, and I promise you don't actually have to eat the skin. Also, if you prefer to avoid wine in your cooking, you can substitute chicken stock. However, white wine reduces the need for salt, so you may have to adjust for seasoning at the end.

Ingredients
4 chicken breast halves on the bone, about 2 pounds
Kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 pound white mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 (15 ounce) can whole tomatoes in juice, chopped and juice reserved
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup italian parsley, chopped

Directions
Rinse the chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Season the chicken on both sides with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (evenly divided among all 4 breasts)and black pepper.

Heat the oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken on both sides, about 8 minutes. Remove the chicken.

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion and pepper, season with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms begin to brown, about another 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the wine and cook until reduced by half. Add the tomatoes and juice, oregano, red pepper flakes and 1/4 teaspoon of salt and simmer the mixture covered for 10 minutes.

Return the chicken breasts to the pan and simmer, covered, until the chicken is fully cooked, about 25 minutes longer. Top with chopped parsley and serve.