I always thought that the versions of food that I grew up with were the standard versions. I learned the error of my thinking as I became an adult and was exposed to new people and new experiences. Turns out, what I considered traditional was more of a reflection of the two wonderful cooks I grew up with, my mother and my grandmother. And the ingredients they used in their dishes reflected their particular food preferences.

This chicken dish is a food from my past, when growing up in an Italian household. It has a few additions that the entree from my childhood did not. Mushrooms and green pepper to be precise. (This is the version I enjoyed in my youth: Mom’s Chicken Cacciatore.)

The name of this dish literally means ‘hunter’ in Italian, in deference to hunters that first made the dish during the Renaissance period in Italy. In those days, the stew consisted of wild game, (typically rabbit) and foraged mushrooms collected during the day’s hunt.

The recipe ingredients have changed a bit since Renaissance times. Chicken is the current protein of choice when making cacciatore. The inclusion of onions, tomatoes, and herbs rounds out the flavor profile of the dish. We prefer it served with crusty bread, but it can also be served over pasta.

Classic Chicken Cacciatore

Classic Chicken Cacciatore (adapted from allrecipes.com)  Total Time Required: 1 hour, Prep Time: 10 minutes, Cook Time: 50 minutes, Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
• 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 4 pound chicken, cut into pieces
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 6 ounces (about 2 cups) fresh mushrooms, quartered
• salt and pepper to taste
• crusty bread or pasta for serving

Prep the chicken . . .

. . . mushrooms, green pepper, and onion first.

Directions:

Combine the flour, salt, and pepper in a plastic bag. Shake the chicken pieces in the flour until they are coated.

Coat the chicken pieces with the flour mixture.

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven. Fry the chicken pieces until they are browned on both sides.

Fry the chicken pieces.

Remove the chicken from the Dutch oven and set them aside.

Remove the chicken from the Dutch oven and set them aside.

Add the onion, garlic, and bell pepper to the pot and sauté them together until the onion is slightly browned.

Sauté the onion, garlic, and bell pepper together.

Return the chicken to the pot and add the tomatoes, oregano, and wine. Cover the Dutch oven and simmer for 30 minutes over medium-low heat.

Return the chicken to the pot and add the tomatoes.

Add the mushrooms and salt and pepper to taste.

Add in the mushrooms.

Simmer for 10 more minutes.

Simmer for 10 minutes.

Serve the chicken pieces with the sauce and bread or pasta, if desired.

Serve with bread or pasta.

Classic and flavorful Italian food!  ~Linda

Classic Chicken Cacciatore (adapted from allrecipes.com)  Total Time Required: 1 hour, Prep Time: 10 minutes, Cook Time: 50 minutes, Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
• 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 4 pound chicken, cut into pieces
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 6 ounces (about 2 cups) fresh mushrooms, quartered
• salt and pepper to taste
• crusty bread or pasta for serving

Directions:

Combine the flour, salt, and pepper in a plastic bag. Shake the chicken pieces in the flour until they are coated. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven. Fry the chicken pieces until they are browned on both sides. Remove the chicken pieces from the Dutch oven and set them aside.

Add the onion, garlic, and bell pepper to the pot and sauté them together until the onion is slightly browned. Return the chicken to the pot and add the tomatoes, oregano, and wine. Cover the Dutch oven and simmer for 30 minutes over medium-low heat.

Add the mushrooms and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 10 more minutes. Serve the chicken pieces with the sauce and bread or pasta, if desired.