A reader asked me for the recipe for Chicken Cacciatore that she had heard on Midday on WYPR when I was the show’s host (2008-2016). I could not recall the recipe or who offered it. But, no surprise, Donna Crivello of Cosima (and formerly Donna’s) had one, and, also no surprise, it comes from her mother, Rosemarie.
(Mrs. Crivello’s recipe does not include wine; the addition of it here is mine, with Donna’s consent. Also, I made my cacciatore entirely with chicken thighs. I also added some garlic salt to the flour before dusting the chicken, following another one of my kitchen rules for savory cooking: Flavor at every step.)
Rosemarie’s Chicken cacciatore
Ingredients:
4 chicken thighs, 2 legs, 2 breasts (cut in half)
1 onion, 1 bell pepper, 2 cloves garlic
Flour for dusting chicken
Olive oil
1-2 large can Italian crushed and chopped tomatoes
2 cups chicken broth
Herbs (chopped fresh rosemary, thyme, oregano)
Salt and pepper to taste
Half a cup of red wine
To prepare:
Heat oil in dutch oven and brown floured chicken on all sides.
Set aside on platter. Add little more oil and sauté onion, peppers in pan.
Add tomatoes, garlic, herbs chicken pieces and some chicken broth (and the wine).
Cover and simmer for at least 15 minutes or until chicken is just firm. (Uncover for a couple of minutes to reduce and thicken the sauce a bit before finishing.)
Serve with rice. (I serve mine with polenta)
Italian “Hunter’s Chicken” is a stew that was prepared in late fall and winter while hunter’s were out stalking game. The French have poulet chausseur, a similar dish with the same meaning — a chicken stew simmering on a wood stove for the hunters’ lunch.
Dan Rodricks 