Some nights there’s just nothing to do. You’ve watched so much Netflix your eyes are bloodshot. Your neighborhood’s nightlife is a snooze fest. There’s no way you’re touching your homework, and somehow doing chores sounds worse than Taylor Swift without auto tune. Those are the nights that are perfect for trying out more difficult recipes like this one: Chicken Cacciatore or simply “Hunter’s Chicken.” The Italians call it “Pollo Alla Cacciatora” because cacciatora means “hunter,” and this recipe has mushrooms and other vegetables that hunters used to find while hunting in the woods.
Impress your roommates, please your mother and spoil yourself with this challenging recipe that’ll be completely worth the effort.
Chicken Cacciatore
Prep Time: 15
Cook Time: 65
Total Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients:
6 chicken breasts and/or thighs and drumsticks
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon of flour (plus, extra for coating the chicken)
1 onion
2 celery ribs
1 carrot
½ pound of white mushrooms
1 garlic clove
1 teaspoon of fresh rosemary (or ¼ teaspoon dried)
3 plump tomatoes
½ cup of white wine
1 cup of beef stock
6 tablespoons of olive oil (for frying)
Photo by Elizabeth Layman
Directions:
1. Chop onion, celery, carrot, mushrooms and tomatoes. Mince garlic. If rosemary is fresh, you may either chop or use full stems.
Photo by Elizabeth Layman
2. Pat chicken dry, season with salt and pepper and dredge (or coat) in flour. Shake off excess.
Photo by Elizabeth Layman
3. In a skillet, heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add chicken and cook, turning once until both sides are golden brown or about 15 minutes. Remove from pan.
Photo by Elizabeth Layman
Photo by Elizabeth Layman
4. Add onion, celery, carrot, mushrooms, rosemary and garlic to pan. Cook until soft and aromatic, or about 10 minutes.
Photo by Elizabeth Layman+
5. Add tomatoes, wine and beef stock. Boil for 3 or 4 minutes (turn up heat, if needed). Add flour to mixture and stir to combine for 2 or 3 minutes. Turn down heat, return chicken to pan and spoon some of the mixture over it to keep it moist.
Photo by Elizabeth Layman
6. Let simmer, partially covered, for around 15 minutes on each side, until chicken is done.
Tip: If the pan is full to bursting, you don’t need to flip chicken over.
Photo by Elizabeth Layman
7. Serve hot with a side of noodles.
Photo by Elizabeth Layman
Inspired by The Harry’s Bar Cookbook’s “Pollo Alla Cacciatora”