Chicken Cacciatore

Another proper one-pot meal great for a cold winters night.

This one’s a solid Italian classic and family favorite, rustic, rich, and full of flavour. Chicken browned off, then simmered in a sauce built with red wine, tomatoes, herbs, and a good handful of olives. I’ve added my Tuscan Herb blend into the mix to round it out with garlic, oregano, thyme and red pepper flakes.

It’s the kind of meal you can get on the stove in the afternoon and just let it bubble away. Perfect with mash or soft polenta, and even better the next day if you’ve got leftovers.

What You Need

• 4 bone-in chicken thighs

• 4 chicken drumsticks

• Salt and black pepper

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 onion, halved and finely sliced

• 1 tbsp Smokey Joe's Tuscan Herbs

• 2 bay leaves

• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 3 anchovy fillets (optional, but they add an amazing depth)

• 250g mushrooms, sliced

• 2 red capsicums, sliced

• ⅓ cup tomato paste

• ¾ cup dry red wine

• 2 cups chicken stock

• 400g crushed tomatoes

• 16 kalamata olives, pitted

  
  

What To Do

1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides.

2. Brown it off: Heat the oil in a deep pan over high heat. Sear the chicken thighs skin side down until golden (about 6 minutes), flip for 1 minute more, then set aside. Do the same with the drumsticks, browning as best you can. Set them aside too.

3. Start the base: Pour off excess fat, leaving about 2 tablespoons. Drop the heat to medium. Add the onion, bay leaves and Smokey Joe's Tuscan Herbs. Cook for a few minutes until the onion softens.

4. Garlic and anchovies: Push the onion aside, add garlic and anchovies. Let them sizzle gently, mash the anchovies into the garlic, then mix it all through.

5. Veg and paste: Add the mushrooms and capsicum. Cook over high heat for about 5 minutes until softened. Stir through the tomato paste and cook it out for a couple of minutes.

6. Build the sauce: Pour in the wine. Let it simmer and reduce down by about three-quarters. Then add the stock, crushed tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Bring it back to a simmer.

7. Simmer the chicken: Nestle the chicken back in, skin side up, along with any juices. Once it comes back to the simmer, cover and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes.

8. Uncover and finish: Add the olives, simmer uncovered for another 10 minutes to reduce the sauce.

9. Serve it up: Spoon the chicken and plenty of sauce over mash or polenta. Bit of chopped parsley if you like.