Hunter's Chicken

A simple, rustic braised chicken dish inspired by the classic Italian Pollo alla cacciatora.

Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 1 15

Total Time: 1 45

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: braised dishes, chicken cacciatore, comfort food, Italian recipes

Servings:

Calories: 482kcal

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 kg whole chicken, cut into pieces or use the equivalent amount of bone-in, skin on chicken pieces
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp butter
2-3 Portobello mushrooms halved, then sliced
1 large onion finely sliced
4-5 garlic clove crushed and left whole
1 sweet red bell pepper cut into strips
1 small red chilli sliced
2 sprigs of rosemary
2 sprigs of thyme
2 sprigs of sage
2 bay leaves
2 tbsp tomato paste
125 ml dry white wine
796 ml whole or crushed canned tomatoes
12 -15 black olives

Preheat oven to 160°C/325°F
Rub the chicken pieces all over with salt and pepper.
In a large, deep-frying pan, heat the oil over med- high heat. Working in batches, add the chicken to the pan and brown well all over.
Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Remove all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the saucepan. reduce the heat to medium and add the onions, cook until translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Raise the heat to med-high and add the sliced mushrooms. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms are browned, about 5 minutes.
Add the garlic, bell pepper, chili and tomato paste to the pan and cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add the wine and allow the wine to evaporate slightly.
Add the black olives and canned tomatoes along with their liquid, stir well.
Note: if using whole tomatoes gently crush them with your hand to break them up a bit before adding.
Add the chicken pieces to the pan in a single layer. Tuck the thyme, sage and rosemary into the pan along with the bay leaves.
Allow to come to a boil, then cover with a lid and transfer to the oven to cook for 1¼ hours.
For stove top; reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid and cook gently for 1¼ hours.
Remove the bay leaves and the woody stems from the herbs.
Serve with creamy polenta or pasta to soak up the sauce.

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