Chicken Cacciatore is a simple, rustic dish, but it so delicious that you want to suck the chicken bones clean and mop up every last drop of sauce with a chunk of crusty bread. Team the chicken with a simple rocket salad, a sourdough baguette and a decent bottle of Riesling and you have a feast.
4 chicken marylands
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 rashers of unsliced bacon
4 sticks celery, sliced
4 cloves garlic, sliced
500g very ripe tasty tomatoes, roughly chopped
150mls dry white wine
A sprig each of fresh sage, rosemary and thyme
2 bay leaves
250 g button Portobello mushrooms
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
Separate the drumsticks from the thighs, remove and discard the skin. Heat 2 tablespoon of the oil in a pan, season the chicken with salt and pepper then thoroughly brown the chicken pieces. Set aside. Deglaze the pan with the white wine incorporating all the caramelized meat juices. Heat the remaining oil in a large pan and sauté the bacon, celery and garlic until translucent. Add the white wine, tomatoes and herbs, stir to combine then bring the sauce to the boil, add the chicken, return the sauce to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, turning the chicken occasionally. Add the mushrooms and simmer for another 10 – 15 minutes. Serves 4
I like to chill braised meat overnight to allow the flavour to develop.