Chicken Cacciatore

I got my first chicken cacciatore recipe from the 1965 edition of the Better Homes & Gardens New Cook Book, which I bought when I transferred college to Los Angeles.

As the years went by, I changed it, adding ingredients and altering the measurements to cater to my own tastes.

This is a very easy recipe. Once you have your mise en place set, everything moves along quickly.

Ingredients

·         CHICKEN PIECES, 6 to 10

·         OLIVE OIL, ¼ cup

·         ONION, 2 medium, large chopped

·         GARLIC, 2 cloves, minced

·         CARROTS, 2 medium, diced

·         CELERY, 1 stalk, diced

·         MUSHROOMS, 8 ounces, quartered

·         TOMATOES, 1 28-oz. can, chopped

·         CHICKEN BROTH, ½ cup

·         GARLIC SALT and FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER

·         THYME, dried, 2 teaspoons

·         OREGANO, dried, 3 teaspoons

·         BAY LEAF, 1 or 2

·         RED WINE, ½ cup

Directions

1.       Brown the chicken pieces in the olive oil in a Dutch oven, remove and set aside.

2.       Add the onions and garlic, season with salt and pepper, cook until tender but not browned.

3.       Add the remaining ingredients.

4.       Return the chicken to the pot, season again, cover and simmer for 45 minutes.

5.       Remove the cover, and cook for 20 minutes more until chicken is tender and sauce is thick.

6.       Skim the excess fat, remove the bay leaves, and serve with pasta or rice.