“Cacciatore” in Italian means “hunter.” Chicken cacciatore, as the name suggests, is a recipe passed down from the traditional methods used by hunters.
Chicken cacciatore is popular throughout Europe, and the Italian version is just one variation. Since hunting could take two to three days, hunters would cook whatever they had on hand to sustain themselves. This often included canned tomatoes or mushrooms foraged from the wild, making the recipe flexible and adaptable with whatever ingredients were available.
In addition to chicken, hunters would also cook with whatever game they caught that day, such as rabbit or venison. Chicken cacciatore is straightforward to make and emphasizes the pure flavours of the ingredients, making it a dish that's easy to enjoy bite after bite. I've also made a video to guide you step-by-step through the cooking process.
Ingredietns (serve 2)
Chicken Maryland | 2 pcs |
|---|---|
Mushroom | 200g |
Onion | ½ bulb |
Garlic | 2 cloves |
Chopped tomato (Canned) | 1 can/400g |
capers | 1 tbsp |
White Wine | 40 ml |
Chicken Stock | 100 ml |
Basil | 2 sprigs |
Salt | 2 tsp |
Ground Black Pepper | 1 tsp |
Steps
1.
Start by cutting the whole chicken legs at the joints to separate them into thighs and drumsticks. Rub the chicken evenly with 1 tsp of salt, black pepper and a little olive oil. Marinate for 15 minutes.
2.
Clean the mushrooms with a paper towel and trim off the stems. Brunoise the onion and garlic. Stack the basil leaves, roll them up, and slice them into thin strips.
3.
Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken pieces and cook until one side is golden brown. Flip and cook the other side until golden brown as well. Remove the chicken and set aside.
4.
In the same skillet, add the chopped onion and garlic, cooking until the onion becomes soft. Add white wine to deglaze the pan and cook for about 40 seconds.
5.
Add chicken broth, diced tomatoes, and capers to the pan, and bring to a boil. Return the chicken pieces to the pan, spooning some of the tomato sauce over them. Cook for 10 minutes.
6.
After 10 minutes, add the mushrooms to the pan. Spoon more tomato sauce over the chicken and mushrooms, and continue cooking for an additional 7-8 minutes.
7.
Finally, adjust the seasoning with a bit of salt if needed and garnish with fresh basil strips. Serve with bread or pasta for a delicious meal!
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