Chicken Cacciatore

This one comes as a request from a frequent reader of the site (my apologies for the delay between the request and actually making it!).  When the request came in, I had never had the dish, nor could I have described it with any degree of accuracy.  Then, a few weeks ago, I found myself at an Italian restaurant for a retirement party (not my own, sadly), and it was on the menu.  Naturally, I had to try it to see what it was all about.  Now, I’m going to try to recreate it!  I hope you like my version!

We served this with some angel hair pasta, but it would go very well with whipped potatoes or Mashed Cauliflower (But exclude the sage, or swap it out for oregano/basil)!

Time: 30 Minutes

Ingredients:

• Chicken Breast
• Flour
• Tomato Paste
• Tomatoes (I’m using cherry tomatoes that I cut in half)
• Garlic
• Your Desired Vegetables. (We are using red peppers, green peppers, onions, spinach and black olives)
• Olive Oil (not extra virgin)
• Red Wine or Water
• Optional: A little cayenne Or some red pepper flakes to give your dish a distinctive little punch
• Optional: A little cream or half and half to build a fuller sauce
• Optional: Grated Parmesan Cheese

Method:

• Cut your veggies to your preferred size (I diced the onion and cut the peppers into large chunks), and set them aside.
• Cut your chicken, into large cubes, and toss them in some flour in a large bowl to coat.
• Heat some olive oil in a heavy bottomed pan (we’re using stainless steel for this one due to the acidic ingredients), and when it’s hot, add your onions and chicken.
• Shortly after, add your peppers and garlic, and stir occasionally.
• When the chicken is nearly cooked through, add your olives, spinach, tomatoes, and some tomato paste.
• Stir to combine, and then add your water or wine, and let everything simmer until the sauce cooks down and thickens a bit.
• If you want a slightly creamier sauce, add a little cream or half and half here, and continue to let everything simmer.
• Plate, devour, and enjoy! (Top with grated Parmesan cheese for added touch!)