Pollo alla Cacciatora

Serves 4-6
chicken2

This recipe is from The New American Cookbook by Joan Nathan. She suggests using one whole chicken, cut up into 8 pieces: I generally buy 6 or so pre-cut split breasts; though sometimes I include some thighs or whole legs. Serve with pasta or potatoes.

Ingredients
1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup warm water
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 whole chicken (about 3 – 3 1/2 pounds), cut into 8 pieces
1/2 cup flour
1 red onion, diced
1 small carrot, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup chopped tomato, fresh or canned, with the juice
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley

  1. Put the dried mushrooms in a bowl, cover them with the water, and let them soak while you prepare the chicken. When they are soft, strain them over a bowl and reserve the liquid.
  2. Set a large sauté pan with a cover over medium heat and melt the butter and warm the olive oil in it. Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour, shaking off any excess. Brown the chicken on all sides in the butter and olive oil, about 8-10 minutes.
  3. Either remove the chicken or push it to one side of the pan, then add the onion and carrot and sauté for about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and bay leaf and sauté for another minute. If you have removed the chicken from the pan, return it to the pan now.
  4. Pour in the wine, bring it to a boil, and cook for 1 minute. Add the chicken broth, tomato, mushrooms, salt and pepper to taste, and the liquid from the mushrooms. Bring everything to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, covered for 30 minutes. This is best made in the morning or the day before you want to serve it. Simply reheat in the pan. Turn onto a platter and spoon the sauce over. Sprinkle with parsley before serving.

 

 

The New American Cookbook by Joan Nathan
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