You'll love traditional Italian chicken cacciatore with tender braised chicken thighs in a rich spicy stew of tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, and bell peppers.
¼ teaspooncrushed red pepper flakes, more to taste
¾ cupdry white wine
1can(28 oz.) crushed tomatoes
Chopped fresh parsley, for serving
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350ºF.
Season both sides of chicken thighs with salt and pepper, and then dredge chicken in flour.
Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches, if necessary, place chicken skin down in pan. Brown chicken on both sides, about 3 to 4 minutes per side; remove to plate. If needed, pour off fat in the pan so only about 1 tablespoon remains.
Add onions and pepper to pan, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until onions begin to soften. Add mushrooms and garlic, continuing to cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes. Add oregano, thyme, salt, and red pepper flakes.
Add wine to the pan and cook until slightly reduced, about 3 minutes, scraping up any browned bits.
Pour in canned tomatoes and stir to combine. Add chicken back into the pan, skin side up, without totally submerging the chicken. Place lid on the pot and carefully put it into the oven and bake for 45 minutes.
Remove lid and increase heat to 375ºF. Cook for an additional 15 minutes, or until sauce has thickened slightly.
Remove pan from the oven. Serve over cooked pasta, mashed potatoes, or polenta, sprinkled with chopped fresh parsley.
Video
Notes
Serve with cooked pasta or noodles, mashed potatoes, roasted potatoes, polenta, or crusty bread. Use whole wheat pasta if you prefer. Wilted greens, such as spinach or Swiss chard, are great, too, especially if you are looking for a low carb meal.
Make Ahead Ideas: Wash and slice the onions, bell peppers, and mushrooms ahead of time and refrigerate. If you're planning on using fresh herbs, make sure they're washed and ready.
Storage & Reheating Tips: Leftover chicken cacciatore can be stored in the refrigerator in a covered container for up to four days, or in the freezer for up to one month. To reheat, simmer over low heat in skillet until heated through. If frozen, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating for best results.
Leftover Love: To make it into something just a little different, remove the chicken from the bone and shred it. Stir the meat into the sauce, mix it with a few cups of cooked pasta (depending on how much is left over) and about a cup of shredded mozzarella, and put it into a greased casserole dish. Top it with another 1/3 cup cheese and bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes or until cheese is melted and casserole is heated through.