Pollo Alla Cacciatora Italian Hunter Style Chicken Recipes

POLLO ALLA CACCIATORA (ITALIAN HUNTER-STYLE CHICKEN)

Steps:

• Rinse the chicken pieces and pat them dry.
• Mix the flour, salt and pepper together in a large bowl. Toss the chicken pieces in the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess, and set aside.
• Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high flame. Add a few chicken pieces at a time and brown them on both sides. Remove the chicken to a plate.
• Add the onions and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
• Add the garlic and mushrooms and sauté for another 3-4 minutes, or until the mushrooms are wilted and cooked through.
• Stir in the wine and tomatoes and simmer for a few minutes until cooked down somewhat. Then stir in the water or stock, herbs and salt and pepper to taste.
• Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
• Adjust seasoning to taste and serve with polenta or roasted potatoes.
• *Variations.
• Coniglio alla Cacciatora: use rabbit instead of chicken.
• Other possible additions: chopped bell peppers, chopped carrots, chopped celery, chopped oregano, bay leaves, juniper berries, dried porcini mushrooms, black olives, capers, 3 or 4 chopped anchovies.
• Use boneless, skinless chicken breast for a lower fat version.

POLLO ALLA CACCIATORA (CHICKEN CACCIATORE)

Steps:

• Warm the olive oil in a large saute pan set over medium-high heat. Stir in the peppers and cook, stirring, until slightly softened, about 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside. Stir the mushrooms into the pan and cook, stirring, until slightly softened, about 8 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Add to the pan and brown lightly on both sides, about 15 minutes in all. Remove the chicken from the pan to a platter and set aside. Pour the wine into the pan and stir to incorporate any cooking juices. Add the garlic, onions, and rosemary and cook until the onions are slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, crushing them with your hand or the back of a slotted spoon as you add them to the pan. Return the chicken to the pan, along with any juices that have accumulated on the plate. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes. Stir the peppers and mushrooms into the chicken. Return to a simmer, cover, and cook to blend in the flavor of these ingredients, about 10 minutes. The stew may be set aside at this point for several hours before reheating and serving with bread to dip into the sauce. Variation: Rabbit cut into serving portions may be substituted for the chicken. Omit the peppers. Quarter rather than slice the mushrooms. To the basic recipe add 2 all purpose potatoes, peeled, halved and each half quartered. Stir these into the stew at the same time the rabbit is returned to the pot. stir 6 kalamata olives into the stew along with the mushrooms during the last 10 minutes of cooking.;

CHICKEN HUNTER'S STYLE: POLLO ALLA CACCIATORE

Steps:

• Rinse the chicken, pat it dry, and season with salt and pepper. In a large casseroleset over moderately high heat, warm 2 tablespoons of the oil until hot. Add the chicken and cook it until no longer pink on all sides. Transfer to a plate. Heat the remaining oil in the casserole over moderate heat until hot. Add the onion, carrot, and salt and pepper to taste, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes, or until softened. Add the tomato, garlic, oregano, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves, and cook the mixture, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes more. Return the chicken to the casserole, add the wine, and reduce it over moderately high heat for 1 minute. Add the water, bouillon cube, sun-dried tomatoes, dried red pepper, if desired, and more salt to taste, bring to a boil, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes more, or until chicken is tender. Add olives and cook 5 minutes more. Transfer chicken to a serving plate and reduce sauce over moderately high heat until lightly thickened. Discard bay leaves, spoon sauce over chicken, and sprinkle with parsley.