Chicken Cacciatore

I've been making chicken cacciatore now for over forty years and my mother made it before me. My mom liked making and serving all kinds of foods from various cultures. I remember we grew to love Italian, Mexican, and Thai foods. I remember my mom's chicken cacciatore was one of the best things I ever tasted in my life. And imagine to my surprise when I visited small villages in southern Italy that they made chicken cacciatore very much like my mom had made.

My mom would split open a loaf of Italian Bread and spread the bread with garlic butter before she would toast it under the broiler. She always offered a huge garden salad with the chicken cacciatore. We often had chicken cacciatore on the Sunday that the local priest was coming to our house for dinner. I know I looked forward to those Sundays when we had chicken cacciatore.

I like to use the white button mushrooms in my chicken cacciatore. I usually cut them up into small pieces and saute them in a little butter before I add them to my chicken cacciatore.

In Italy Chicken Cacciatore would also be known as Hunter Style Chicken. If you've never had chicken caccitore made with rock cornish game hens then you need to give it a try. The game hens make some of the most delicious chicken caccitore in the world.

Chicken Cacciatore was first developed in central Italy and in Italian Cacciatore means hunter style. If you have access to a fresh young rabbit you can try making your cacciatore with rabbit rather than chicken. Its one of the best things I've ever tasted made with the rabbit.

Have You Ever Tried Delicious Rabbit Cacciatore?

I;ve often made this dish with rabbit rather than chicken and almost everyone who has ever tried it says its one of the most delicious recipes that they have ever tasted in their life. For the best results you'll want a very young tender rabbit to make your cacciatore with. Just roll it in flour and brown it like you would the chicken and proceed with your recipe.

When I make the rabbit caccitore I like to make a delicious saffron yellow rice and serve my rabbit caccitore over the yellow saffron rice. I use fresh sprigs of basil for a garnish and I serve crusty deeply browned garlic bread and a green salad. I offer everyone spaghetti noodles and marinara sauce. This is exactly how it would have been served in Italy.

I've also made it a few times with duck and also with phesant. I like it better with the game birds but its just as delicious made with rabbit or chicken. No matter how you make it be sure to have plenty of garlic bread and a big tossed green salad.

Cook Slow For Best Results

When your browning your chicken or other meat go slow and take your time. You want your chicken or other meat to get browned but not burned. As soon as your chicken or other meat is browned on both sides remove it from the pan and put it into the crock pot or slow cooker.

In case you don't know Cacciatore means hunter style in Italian. It is a meal prepared hunter style with tomatoes , onions , mushrooms , herbs , and often bell pepper and wine. In case you don't know there are many different variations of this dish.

Your basic Chicken Cacciatore recipe starts with you slightly browning a cut up fryer in olive oil. You will need to shake your chicken pieces in a bag with all purpose flour , salt and pepper. You want to cook your chicken until it is slightly brown. Remove your chicken pieces from the pan and place into a baking dish with plenty of room.

You can if you want to make your Chicken Cacciatore out of skinned and boned chicken thighs and you'll end up with flavorful delicious chicken that I guarantee you will have people wanting more. In case you don't know chicken thighs have a lot more flavor than chicken breasts and if you remove the skin and bones you'll end up with delicious chicken that will turn out perfect in dishes like chicken cacciatore.

Now you want to add the below to your pan.

1. 2 Cups Fresh Sliced Button Mushrooms.

2. 2 Cups Fine DIced Celery.

3. 1 Cup Purple Sweet onion Diced Fine.

4. 1 Cup Fine Diced Green Bell Pepper.

5. 2 Tablespoons Fresh Minced Garlic.

6. 1 Teaspoon Dried Crushed Basil.

7. 1 Teaspoon Dried Crushed Oregano.

Now you want to saute your vegetables until they are tender and then pour into a large bowl. Add one 28 ounce can of Italian tomatoes garlic and spices and stir well. Add 1 cup of red wine to the bowl and stir well.

Now pour your vegetable , tomato and wine mixture over your chicken and cover with tin foil. Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for one hour or until your thick pieces of chicken register 160 degrees on a meat thermometer.

You can serve your chicken cacciatore over your favorite pasta with a green garden salad and garlic bread.

In case you don't know Cacciatore means hunter in Italian. Often in Italy a gamebird will be used when making this dish. You should try making this dish with cut up Rock Cornish Game Hens. Use poultry or kitchen shears to cut up your chickens.

Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore

Here I'm going to tell you exactly how to make a delicious slow cooker chicken caccitore that I guarantee you will be one of the most delicious things you'll ever cook in your crock pot. People keep asking for crock pot or slow cooker recipes and this is one of the best ever.

Ingredients For Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore

1. Three Pounds Chicken Thighs With Skin And Bones Removed.

2. One Cup Sweet Onion Diced Fine.

3. One Fourteen Ounce Can Diced Tomatoes.

4. One 1 Pound Carton Button Mushrooms Diced Fine.

5. One Bay Leaf.

6. One Teaspoon Ground Sea Salt.

7. One Tablespoon Fresh Minced Garlic.

8. One Teaspoon Dried Oregeno.

9. One Teaspoon Sweet Basil Diced Fine.

10. One Fourth Cup Red Wine.

11. One Teaspoon White Granulated Sugar.

12. One Teaspoon Ground Cayenne Pepper.

13. Two Red Bell Peppers With Seeds Removed And Cut Into Thin Strips.

14. One Green Bell Pepper With Seeds Removed And Cut Into Thin Strips.

You'll want to have enough flour, salt, and black pepper to dip your chicken in. Dip it in the flour and then fry the chicken on each side in a skillet until the chicken is browned on both sides. Use a little olive oil for frying your chicken in.

Now cook your onions and garlic until they are soft but not browned. Add just a little more olive oil if you need to.

Now add all your ingredients to a crock pot or slow cooker and turn on high for about eight hours. When you finish cooking remove the bay leaf.

I like to cook my chicken caccitore until done and then when its near done I cook spaghetti noodles and serve my chicken caccitore over the noodles. I add a green garden salad and garlic bread for a delicious meal.