Pollo Alla Cacciatora
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
20 mins
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Cook Time
1 hr 20 mins
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Total Time
1 hr 40 mins
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Servings
4 people
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Calories
719 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Italian
Pollo Alla Cacciatora
Description
Pollo Alla Cacciatora uses skin-on, boneless chicken thighs browned in olive oil to render fat and create a crispy surface. A vegetable soffritto of finely diced carrots, celery, onion, and garlic is sautéed until caramelized, adding aromatic depth. Mushrooms and pitted olives contribute earthy and briny flavors respectively, while canned whole peeled tomatoes and red wine create the hearty sauce base.
Fresh rosemary, bay leaves, and a touch of chili pepper season the dish, balancing herbal notes with mild heat. The slow simmer allows flavors to meld and the chicken to become tender. This preparation yields a rich and slightly chunky sauce that pairs well with rustic bread to soak up the juices.
Serve Pollo Alla Cacciatora as a main course for lunch or dinner, complemented by bread, pasta, or polenta. The dish develops more complexity after resting, making it suitable to prepare ahead. Leftovers freeze well and reheat on the stove, retaining their hearty flavors.
Variations include using chicken breasts or a white sauce version omitting tomatoes. Herbs like sage or thyme can be substituted. Adding potatoes midway can increase heartiness, and bacon bits added with vegetables enrich flavor. Anchovies can provide umami if adjusted for saltiness.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken thighs skin on (about 1 kg, boneless
- ½ cup mixed olives about 100g, pitted, in oil
- 1 ¼ cup mushrooms about 100g, fresh
- 2 carrot medium
- 1 yellow onion
- 1 celery stalk
- 14 oz can whole peeled tomatoes
- 2 prings rosemary fresh
- 2 bay leaf fresh
- ½ cup red wine (about 100ml)
- 1 clove garlic
- Chili pepper
- salt
- black pepper freshly ground
- 4-5 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Prepare the Vegetable Soffritto: Cut carrots, celery, onion, and garlic into very small (2-3 mm) cubes of the same size so they will cook evenly.
- Prepare the Mushrooms: Clean them and cut them about the same size as the vegetables.
- Season the Chicken: Place the thighs on a plate and add a pinch of salt and pepper and a drizzle of oil. Massage the surface of the chicken and repeat the same process on the other side.
- Brown the Chicken Thighs: Heat a saucepan with oil (just a drop is enough because the chicken skin will release its fat) and add the chicken thighs, skin side down. Cook them over high heat until the skin is nicely browned. At this point, remove the thighs from the pan and let them rest separately.
- Add the vegetables in the same saucepan and sauté them over high heat.
- Flavor the vegetables with the seasonings and add salt, pepper, and chili, while stirring them with a wooden spoon until browned.
- Return the chicken thighs to the pan. Add the olives, then deglaze the pan with the red wine, allowing the alcohol to evaporate.
- Add the peeled tomatoes. Cover with a lid and cook over medium-low heat for about one hour 20 minutes (or about 80 minutes), until chicken is cooked through and tender. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Prepare Pollo Alla Cacciatora a day ahead as flavors improve after resting overnight in the refrigerator.
- Store leftovers covered in the fridge for several days or freeze in a suitable container for up to one month.
- Chicken breasts can replace thighs, but thighs provide more moisture and flavor.
- Try a white sauce variation by omitting tomatoes and adding herbs like sage and tarragon.
- Adding potatoes partway through cooking makes the dish more filling and hearty.
- Incorporate bacon bits during vegetable sautéing for additional flavor depth.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4people
Amount Per Serving
Calories 719 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 250g | |
| Calories | 719kcal | 36% |
| Carbohydrates | 13g | 4% |
| Protein | 39g | 78% |
| Fat | 55g | 85% |
| Saturated Fat | 13g | 65% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 10g | 59% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 28g | 140% |
| Trans Fat | 0.2g | 10% |
| Cholesterol | 222mg | 74% |
| Sodium | 606mg | 25% |
| Potassium | 939mg | 20% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 6g | 12% |
| Vitamin A | 5478IU | 110% |
| Vitamin C | 14mg | 16% |
| Calcium | 81mg | 8% |
| Iron | 3mg | 17% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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