Chicken cacciatore, is one of the most popular Italian recipes. Named “pollo alla cacciatora”, this recipe is prepared with some little differences in almost all the regions of Italy. I like sear the chicken reduced into pieces before slowly cook it into a fresh tomatoes sauce. Garlic, rosemary and give at the meat a delicious flavor. Even if it’s possible braise the meat with white wine, I suggest baste with red wine in order to make the taste of the sauce bold!
- 1 chicken skin on
- 1 yellow onion
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1 sprig of rosemary
- 1 pint (500 ml) tomato puree (here my fresh tomatoes recipe)
- 1 tbsp triple concentrated tomato paste
- 1 glass red wine
- 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3 juniper berries
- 1 dash black pepper
- to taste table salt
SEARED CHICKEN
First, reduce the chicken into pieces. Slice the onion into thin half rings. Peel and crush the garlic and juniper berries. Now, place a stainless or enamel pan over medium heat. Finally, sear the chicken a little pieces at time along with 3 tbsp of olive oil. When all the pieces of the chicken are golden brown, store them into a bowl, covered.
TOMATOES SAUCE
Pour the red wine into the pan, deglaze the fond of the pan stirring and scraping the meat and skin bites. Let the wine simmering five minutes, then store the wine reduction. Saute onion, garlic, juniper berries and rosemary along with 3 tbsp of olive oil, stirring occasionally. When the onions are golden and translucent, add the chicken pieces and triple concentrated tomato paste. Stir fry five minutes over medium heat, then raise the flame and pour the wine reduction. Cook five minutes more. Finally, add tomato puree and stir until consistent (for a fresh and tasty tomatoes sauce take a look at my recipe here).
CHICKEN CACCIATORE
Now, cover the pan with a lid and stew slowly the chicken cacciatore 1 hour over minimum. Salt as needed and complete with a dash of black pepper. Serve the chicken hot with bread slices, white rice or polenta.
TAKE A LOOK AT THIS
ITALIAN CHICKEN STEW WITH BELL PEPPERS - pollo ai peperoni
PRINTABLE VERSION
- 1 chicken skin on
- 1 yellow onion
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1 sprig of rosemary
- 1 pint (500 ml) tomato puree
- 1 tbsp triple concentrated tomato paste
- 1 glass red wine
- 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3 juniper berries
- 1 dash black pepper
- to taste table salt
- SEARED CHICKEN
First, reduce the chicken into pieces. Slice the onion into thin half rings. Peel and crush the garlic and juniper berries. Now, place a stainless or enamel pan over medium heat. Finally, sear the chicken a little pieces at time along with 3 tbsp of olive oil. When all the pieces of the chicken are golden brown, store them into a bowl, covered. - TOMATOES SAUCE
Pour the red wine into the pan, deglaze the fond of the pan stirring and scraping the meat and skin bites. Let the wine simmering five minutes, then store the wine reduction. Saute onion, garlic, juniper berries and rosemary along with 3 tbsp of olive oil, stirring occasionally. When the onions are golden and translucent, add the chicken pieces and triple concentrated tomato paste. Stir fry five minutes over medium heat, then raise the flame and pour the wine reduction. Cook five minutes more. Finally, add tomato puree and stir until consistent. - CHICKEN CACCIATORE
Now, cover the pan with a lid and stew slowly the chicken cacciatore 1 hour over minimumt. Salt as needed and complete with a dash of black pepper. Serve the chicken hot with bread slices, white rice or polenta. 
Nice food
Another favorite of mine! Who knew how much flavor those juniper berries would bring to the dish??? I always add them to my cacciatore now. Delicious recipe.