We had another cold week. I channeled my Italian Nona and made up a batch of Chicken Cacciatore!
Not much happened this week in Colorado except for another cold snap and a couple of days of wet, heavy snow. This is what prompted the Chicken Cacciatore this week. My Mom used to make this when we were kids and it’s major comfort food in my book. I love this recipe as it’s perfect to make on a day when you are stuck in your house! It smells so good while it braises away! It’s the best kind of “air freshener”! LOL! I had a hard time shaking the damp weather but it’s all good because now it’s really warm, the sun is shining and there is zero remnants of snow from the giant storm last week! I have spring fever in a big way, so much so that I will be playing tennis outside and a tee time later this afternoon with friends! Time to start working on my tan and get some vitamin D in my system!
I belong to a “Bloggers” club here in Denver and yesterday we were lucky enough to have our meeting at Racca’s Pizzeria Napolentana (Formally Marco’s Wood Fired Pizza). Pizza is a food group in my book and while yes Denver has some “good” pizza joints, nothing comes close to Racca’s. I have written about this place before but I’ll do it again because it’s just that awesome. So awesome that it was just voted by Westward as the best pizza in Denver. When you go make sure that you try the Sardegna. It’s this pizza made with pistachio pesto, fresh Mozzarella and sweet Italian Sausage. I know sounds crazy but Omg, if I didn’t have self control, I’d eat the whole pizza. It’s that good. Also, when you go, you must get the Lemoncello Chicken Wings. I love these so much that I make them at home now. I thought that I had already posted a recipe for these before but I haven’t so I’ll post a recipe for them soon! Delicious. Anyway, read up on Racca’s and make sure you go. They have two locations in Denver and opening a third soon. Their restaurants have a really cool vibe and great staff as well! Make sure you also peek into the kitchen and check out their ovens. It’s quite impressive!
- Olive oil
- 1 whole cut up chicken, bone in and skin on
- 1 onion, diced
- 8 oz mushrooms, sliced
- 1 cup carrots, sliced (I used the mini ones cut into 3’s)
- 1 bell pepper, chopped (I used a yellow one)
- 5-6 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 10 oz package whole cherry tomatoes
- 2 tbs tomato paste
- 28 oz can diced tomatoes
- 3 tbs capers
- 1 cup pitted Kalamata olives, left whole
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 cup white wine (I used Chardonnay)
- 1 cup chicken broth
- Fresh parsley
- Cooked rice or pasta for serving
- Coat a large dutch oven liberally with olive oil and heat up to a medium high. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and place in the pot skin side down and do not move it until it can be easily moved and the skin is well browned. You made need to do this in 2 batches so that the chicken doesn’t overcrowd the pan and it browns better. Remove chicken and set aside.
- In the same pan add the onions, carrots, bell pepper, garlic, and mushrooms and saute for 5-8 minutes until the vegetables become soft. Add the salt, pepper, Italian seasoning and bay leaves.
- Stir in the wine and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the diced tomatoes, whole tomatoes, olives, capers, tomato paste and the chicken broth. Stir to incorporate.
- Add the chicken back to the pot.
- Reduce heat to a low and simmer uncovered for around three hours until the chick falls off the bone. Add about 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley.
- Serve with cooked rice or pasta or alone as a stew.
All done! I can’t wait to eat!
Leftover Chicken Cacciatore freezes like a dream! Perfect to pull out for later when you don’t have time to cook!
My seed experiment is working! My little friends are growing up nicely! I can’t wait to get them in the ground.