Chicken Cacciatore

Or, Hunter's Chicken. This is another one of those things that my Mom made that became part of my repertoire. Basically Chicken simmered in tomato sauce with mushrooms and peppers, she always serve it on mostaccioli (mustaches).

Chicken Cacciatore

1 tablespoon olive oil
4 chicken thighs (or whatever bone in chicken pieces you like)
salt to taste
1 onion, halved and sliced into slivers
1 bell pepper, sliced into strips
1 8 ounce package mushrooms, sliced
2 or 3 garlic cloves, sliced
1 32 ounce can diced tomatoes and their juice
1 pound pasta, I like penne for this
plenty of grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese

Heat the oil over medium high heat in a large skillet. Season the chicken with salt and to the skillet, skin side down (or meat side down if you're using skinless).

Cook until browned, turn and brown the other side. Remove to a bowl.

Add the onion, bell pepper and mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally and scraping the bottom of the pan to bring up the crusty bits as the veggies exude their juices.

When everything is beginning to brown, add the garlic, the chicken and any accumulated juices and the diced tomatoes and their juice.

Cover and reduce heat to medium low. Simmer until the chicken is cooked through (I give it about 45 minutes which might be a bit long). Meanwhile cook the pasta to manufacturer's directions in water seasoned with salt as you would soup.

Drain the pasta (don't rinse). Stir some of the sauce into the pasta to moisten it and turn out into a bowl. Top with the chicken, remaining sauce and cheese.

Yum!

Shrimp13