Chicken Cacciatore Recipe | Pollo Cacciatora

Michele Romano Recipes

Chicken Cacciatore Recipe

• 12 chicken thighs
• 1-1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• salt and pepper
• 4 tbsp olive oil


• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 large onion, diced
• 4 large garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1/2 cup sherry or dry red wine (optional)
• 1-1/2 cups of chicken broth
• 2-28 oz cans of plumb tomatoes, chopped, with juice
• 1 tbsp of fresh chopped rosemary (or 1 tsp of dried rosemary)
• 1 - 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 tsp salt

1. Prepare chicken pieces
2. Place flour in a bowl, add garlic powder and season with salt and pepper.
3. Evenly coat chicken with flour.
4. In a large pot, heat your olive oil and butter on medium to medium high
5. Cook half the chicken thighs, turning them occasionally until they are well browned on all sides. Then cook other half. (note: The secret to browning chicken is not to over crowd the pot)
6. Remove all chicken and set aside on a platter
7. Add onions, mushrooms and garlic to your pot and cook until tender about 3 minutes. (You may have to add a bit more oil or butter.)
8. Add sherry or wine if using and simmer on medium high for 5 minutes
9. Add chicken broth, tomatoes, oregano, bay leaf and rosemary, bring to low simmer.
10. Salt and pepper.
11. Using tongs, return chicken to pot
12. Cover and gently simmer for about 45 minutes until chicken is cooked and tender

Boil your pasta until firm (el dente).
Add 1 tbsp butter to cooked pasta.
Spoon sauce and chicken on pasta, serve immediately.
Top off with grated Parmesan or Romano cheese.

Prep time: 45 min.
Cook time: 60 min.
Serves: 6
Live Long and Mangia!

Note: If you decide to use creamy Polenta as a pasta substitute, follow the recipe below.

Creamy Polenta Recipe

Note: This recipe serves 6 to 8, cut in half to serve 3 to 4.

• 3 cups milk
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 2 cups water
• 1-1/2 cups of instant polenta (cornmeal)
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp salt
• Fresh ground pepper

1. Bring first 3 ingredients to a boil
2. Whisk the Polenta in until the mixture begins to thicken
3. Stir in butter, salt and pepper
4. Continue to cook and stir for 5 minutes.
5. Serve immediately with chicken and sauce.

You can also substitute coarse ground cornmeal in place of instant polenta to make it more traditional, but it takes at least 30 minutes longer to prepare. Follow package directions.

Oregano is loaded with health benefits. It is known to be an effective anti-bacterial. It also has potent anti-oxidant activity.

Rosemary is a key herb in European herbal medicine. It's known for strengthening the memory, aiding in fat digestion and relieving aching joints.

For more on eating healthy, I find Health Benefits Times very informative.