chicken cacciatore

I always wondered what this dish was and why it was so popular among kids at the Olive Garden. This recipe was great with boneless skinless chicken breasts instead of a whole chicken with skin. Save on fat here and eat ice cream later!


Chicken Cacciatore
from REal Simple Magazine
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 3 1/2- to 4-pound chicken, cut into pieces (i used 4 of those really big chicken breasts from Kirkland)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
1 carrot, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1 28-ounce can plum tomatoes
1/3 cup dry red wine
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

In a shallow bowl, combine the flour, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper. Rinse the chicken and pat it dry with paper towels. Working in batches, lightly coat the chicken in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium heat. Add some of the chicken to the pan, being careful not to crowd the pieces. Cook the chicken until browned, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate; set aside. Repeat with the remaining chicken. Add the onion to the pan and cook for 2 minutes. Add the carrot, celery, garlic, thyme, and bay leaf. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Crush the tomatoes in the can with a large spoon and stir them into the vegetables. Add the wine and the remaining salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Add the chicken, reduce heat, and cover. Simmer for 45 minutes, turning the pieces occasionally. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Stir in the parsley and serve on individual plates.

Yield: Makes 4 servings

Stats:
NUTRITION PER SERVINGCALORIES 803(63% from fat); FAT 56g (sat 14g); PROTEIN 54g; CHOLESTEROL 207mg; SODIUM 943mg; FIBER 3g; CARBOHYDRATE 19g