Receta Chicken Cacciatore...
The mister called on his way home from work to tell me the Seahawks are interested in Peyton Manning...along with a half dozen other teams...but why, you ask, would I care? And why would the mister feel the need to report this late-breaking news?!? I'm happy to decode his sub-text for you: IF the Seahawks are even remotely interested in Manning, then the mister feels justified, obligated even, to purchase season tickets once again...never mind that he went to all of one game last year...never mind that the Seahawks stink...the fact that someone on the radio mentioned the Seahawks in the same breath as Manning, in March, is the same as me saying, "Sure my sweet man, go ahead and buy those season tickets, you'd be crazy not to! And while you're at it, see if you can upgrade your seats to the more expensive section and be sure to pick up a few more sweatshirts and other football paraphernalia for game day!" The day the Seahawks get No-neck-Manning or the day I say anything like that to the mister, will be the day you-know-what is frozen over...in the meantime, the mister will continue to build his case, one little radio comment at a time, until he convinces himself that the entire NFL season rests on his decision to purchase Seahawks season tickets.
When the mister walked in the house he walked into a wall of aroma...peppers, onions, garlic...I was prepared for his snarl and his usual remark, "Can't a guy just get a piece of boiled chicken and some canned green beans?!" His favorite meal...but I ignored him and pointed out the Pepto Bismol sitting at his place on the table. I only make Chicken Cacciatore about once a year, even though I love it, because as you know, the mister hates flavor and spice - and this dish is full of both. I gave the mister a choice of something else because of his delicate constitution but he was swept up by the aroma of this intoxicating dish, and after two solid swigs of Pepto, he dug in!
This recipe is a compilation of several recipes that I've adapted over the years. I serve this over Fettucine noodles but it's good over any pasta or rice!
- Chicken Cacciatore - Pots and Pins
- 1/2 cup olive oil, divided
- 2 red peppers, one thinly sliced, one finely diced
- 2 green peppers, one thinly sliced, one finely diced
- 1 large white onion, thinly sliced
- 2 celery stalks, finely diced
- 1 cup button mushrooms, sliced
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
- 1/4 cup, tightly packed, chopped fresh basil leaves
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon pepper, plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 6 chicken breasts or 1 (3 lb.) chicken cut into pieces, rinsed and dried
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large roasting pan or Dutch oven, coat chicken pieces with 1/4 cup of the olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Roast the chicken for 45 minutes. While chicken is roasting, make the sauce.
In a large skillet heat remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the peppers, onion, celery, mushrooms and stir until the vegetables just barely soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the sugar, garlic, tomato sauce, wine, parsley and basil and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and cover with lid until chicken is finished.
After chicken has roasted for 45 minutes, remove from oven and pour vegetable mixture over chicken and bake for another 30 minutes. Serve over buttered Fettucine noodles or your favorite pasta or over rice. Serves 6.