CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Today our friends Melanie and Andy Tritten join us in the kitchen for a delicious recipe that is perfect for fall. “Cacciatore” actually translates from Italian to “hunter.” And chicken cacciatore is a rustic, hunter-style braised chicken with onions, herbs, tomatoes, and sometimes chopped vegetables.
“It is one of those classics Italian-American dishes that many people grew up with” says Melanie. She adds “and true to hunter-style cooking, almost every household has their own spin and twist on Chicken Cacciatore. Aside from the chicken, the basic ingredients in chicken cacciatore are: onions, herbs, tomatoes and sometimes mushrooms. Chicken Cacciatore has a lot of steps and ingredients; it is a pretty involved dish. Andy adds “our Mushroom Marinara already contains most of the ingredients so we have simplified it in to just 5 and is a wonderful, hearty dish for fall.” This recipe calls for a whole chicken to serve 4-6 but we make it all the time with just 2 pieces - it is a really simple to make for 2 or a larger group.
Chicken Cacciatore
Serves 4-6
1 Whole Chicken, Cut In 8 Pieces
1 of each – Green, Red, Yellow Peppers, cut in large pieces
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
Parmesan Cheese
1 Quart Cannizzaro Mushroom Marinara
1 tsp Crushed Red Pepper (optional)
Directions:
Season the chicken with Salt & Pepper. Heat a heavy bottom pot or Dutch Oven over medium-high heat. Drizzle with olive oil and place chicken, in batches (so as not to overcrowd the pan) to brown. Remove chicken once browned and set aside. Add peppers to the pan and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Add back the chicken with any juices, crushed red pepper and 1 quart of Cannizzaro Mushroom Marinara. Lower heat to a simmer, cover and cook for about 30 minutes until chicken is cooked through. Serve by itself or over rice or your favorite pasta.
For more great recipes visit Cannizzarofamiglia.com.