When I was growing up, I didn’t appreciate all the great food my mother made for dinner every night. She was always a wonderful cook, having learned how to make many Italian dishes from her mother-in-law, my Nona. But there were some things she made that I didn’t like. Back then, I didn’t like tomatoes so I didn’t like many of the Italian dishes my mom cooked. I don’t know why I didn’t like tomatoes or tomato based dishes. I have since learned the error of my ways. I love tomatoes! I grow at least 3 varieties of tomatoes in my garden, I eat tomatoes at least 5 days a week in my lunch salads and I cook many things with tomatoes.

One of the tomato based dishes I wasn’t fond of growing up that my grandmother taught my mother to make was chicken cacciatore, chicken & tomatoes in wine. What’s not to like about that?! Fortunately, my taste buds have grown up and improved with age and we now make an updated version of this great dish. I’m still not fond of beets (sorry, Mom!) but now that I am older, I appreciate all the time and effort that went into the meals my mother put together for our family each night!  Thanks, Mom!

Chicken Cacciatore   (adapted from Giada De Laurentiis)
Total Time:  55 min  Prep  15 min  Cook  40 min  Yield:  4 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 whole, boneless chicken breasts, halved crosswise
• 2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour, for dredging
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 3/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 ( 28-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
• 3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves

Directions
Sprinkle the chicken pieces with 1 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Lightly coat the chicken pieces in the flour.

Sauté the floured chicken.

In a large heavy sauté pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces to the pan and sauté just until brown, about 5 minutes per side.Transfer the chicken to a plate and set it aside. Add the onion and garlic to the same pan and sauté over medium heat until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes.

Sauté the onions after the chicken is browned.

Season with onions with the red pepper flakes and the salt and pepper. Add the wine and simmer until it is reduced by half, about 3 minutes.

Add in the wine and reduce the sauce.

Add the tomatoes with their juice, the broth and oregano.

No draining of the tomatoes is needed!

Return the chicken pieces to the pan and turn them to coat in the sauce. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Continue simmering over medium-low heat until the chicken is just cooked through, about 10-15 minutes.

The chicken will finish cooking in the sauce.

Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a platter. If necessary, boil the sauce until it thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Spoon off any excess fat from atop the sauce. Spoon the sauce over the chicken, then sprinkle with the basil and serve with pasta, if desired.

Great Italian cooking!

Happy Mother’s Day to all the generations of moms!  ~Linda

Chicken Cacciatore   (adapted from Giada De Laurentiis)
Total Time:  55 min  Prep  15 min  Cook  40 min  Yield:  4 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 whole, boneless chicken breasts, halved crosswise
• 2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour, for dredging
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 3/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 ( 28-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
• 3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves

Directions
Sprinkle the chicken pieces with 1 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Lightly coat the chicken pieces in the flour. In a large heavy sauté pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces to the pan and sauté just until brown, about 5 minutes per side.Transfer the chicken to a plate and set it aside.

Add the onion and garlic to the same pan and sauté over medium heat until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Season with onions with the red pepper flakes and the salt and pepper. Add the wine and simmer until it is reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juice, the broth and oregano.

Return the chicken pieces to the pan and turn them to coat in the sauce. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Continue simmering over medium-low heat until the chicken is just cooked through, about 10-15 minutes.

Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a platter. If necessary, boil the sauce until it thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Spoon off any excess fat from atop the sauce. Spoon the sauce over the chicken, then sprinkle with the basil and serve with pasta, if desired.