Chicken Cacciatore

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped (scant 4 cups)
8 ounces crimini (baby bella) mushrooms
1 very large red onion, thinly sliced (about 3 cups)
5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons Sherry wine vinegar
1 4 1/2- to 4 3/4-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces, excess fat trimmed
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary, divided
1/2 cup dry red wine (or red wine or sherry vinegar)
1 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
1 cup low-salt chicken broth
1/3 cup thinly sliced basil, divided
2 tablespoons drained capers, divided
12 ounces gemelli or penne, freshly cooked
 
Preparation
Preheat oven to 400°F. Combine plum tomatoes, mushrooms, and onion in large bowl. Add 3 tablespoons oil and vinegar; toss to blend. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Spread vegetable mixture in single layer on large rimmed baking sheet. Roast until onion slices are golden brown and all vegetables are tender, stirring frequently, about 50 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.
 
Sprinkle chicken with salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon rosemary. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large deep ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and sauté until golden brown, about 6 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to bowl. Add wine to skillet and boil until wine is reduced by half, scraping up browned bits, about 1 minute. Stir in canned tomatoes with juice, then broth and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer 10 minutes to blend flavors. Return chicken to sauce in skillet. Place skillet in oven and roast uncovered until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear when pierced with knife, about 25 minutes. Remove skillet from oven. Stir in roasted vegetables, remaining 1/2 tablespoon rosemary, half of basil, and half of capers. Simmer over medium heat until vegetables are heated through. Season with salt and pepper.
Place pasta in large shallow bowl. Top with chicken and sauce. Sprinkle remaining basil and capers over.

I was in a hurry to get this meal on the table and I skipped roasting the vegetables and just fried them in the skillet after the chicken was browned, then threw it together as a one pot meal. I also had to use water instead of broth, dried basil instead of fresh, and I skipped the capers, but it tasted just as good. My whole family complained while it was cooking....mushrooms & tomatoes, yuk....but it was devoured without a word at the table. Always a tell tale sign. I served it with the rissotto & peas & asparagus.

Makes 8 servings
Prep time 20 mins
Approx $10

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Cane Vinegar Chicken With Pearl Onions, Orange & Spinach

I love a dish of interest...and this one is certainly interesting

 

 

Ingredients

4 chicken thighs, each weighing 5 to 6 ounces (total of 2 1/2 pounds chicken thighs)

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

16 pearl onions, peeled

1/4 teaspoon smoked hot paprika

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 cup cane vinegar

1 cup chicken stock

2 large navel oranges, cut into supremes

1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves

2 cups cleaned spinach (stems removed)

Preparation

Season the thighs with the salt and pepper. In a wide, heavy-bottomed pot that has a lid, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the thighs, skin side down, and let them cook without moving them around for 7 minutes. You are encouraging good caramelization of the skin and developing a ton of flavor in the process. After 7 minutes turn the thighs over and add the onions, paprika, and garlic to the pot. Cook for 5 minutes and then add the vinegar, being careful not to let it flame up. This is a good time to get a spatula and loosen up all of those pan drippings. The vinegar needs to cook down by half, and when it does, add the stock. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 20 minutes over low heat, remove the lid, and add the oranges, mint, and spinach. Stir lightly and serve immediately. Serves 2-4. See Recipe...

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