Chicken Cacciatore
Serves 4
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, peeled and sliced
3 large cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
1 3 to 4 pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces
1 cup white wine
1 28-ounce can peeled whole tomatoes
1 large bay leaf
2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 teaspoon fennel seed
1/4 cup minced flat-leaf parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups rich chicken stock
Heat half the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and lightly colored, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook, continuing to stir, for about 2 minutes more. Remove onions from pan and reserve. Add remaining oil to pan and over moderately high heat brown the chicken on all sides, about 6 minutes.
Add onions back to pan then add the wine and cook until it evaporates, about 5 minutes. Chop the tomatoes reserving the juice and add to chicken. Stir in reserved juice, bay leaf, rosemary and fennel seed. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low, partially cover, and simmer, gradually adding chicken stock as tomato juice evaporates, for 45 minutes until chicken is tender. Correct seasoning and stir in parsley and serve with steamed potatoes or white rice.
John Ash © 2012
