Traditionally, Chicken Cacciatore is made with a small chicken cut up and as a result, needs a longer cooking in the oven to ensure the meat is well cooked on the bone.
This variation uses boneless, skinless chicken thighs and can be completed in the skillet used to brown the chicken and cook the vegetables…very little cleanup!
Leftovers are good reheated the next day for lunch or dinner.
Chicken Cacciatore
This variation of Chicken Cacciatore is quick to make because it uses boneless, skinless chicken thighs and can be completed in the skillet used to brown the chicken and cook the vegetables…very little cleanup!
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 Tsp salt
- 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 2 – 3 Tbsp olive oil - (for frying)
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 1 onion - medium chop
- 1 – 2 celery stick - chopped
- 1 red or green or yellow sweet pepper - chopped
- 2 cloves garlic - minced
- 1 14 oz tin chopped tomatoes
- 1 cup sliced cremini mushrooms - white mushrooms would do
- 1/3 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 Tsp dried oregano
- 2 Tbsp fresh chopped basil - to use as a garnish on the finished dish
- 1/2 Tsp salt - or to taste
- good grinding of pepper
Instructions
- Combine flour and the ½ tsp salt in a clear plastic bag ; add a few pieces of chicken at a time and shake. In a skillet, melt the butter and add the oil, on a high heat. Brown the chicken on all sides, a few pieces at a time; remove chicken to a clean plate
- In same skillet cook the onions until they are translucent and then add the celery, chopped pepper, mushrooms and garlic and cook until tender but not brown. Return chicken to skillet.
- Add the tomatoes, wine, salt, oregano and pepper to the skillet. Cover and simmer for about 20 – 25 minutes. The sauce should thicken nicely.
- Serve with fresh basil sprinkled on the top, steamed rice and a nice green salad on the side.
Notes
Leftovers are good reheated the next day for lunch or dinner.
Easy Steamed Rice
A no fail perfect way to prepare rice
Ingredients
- ½ cup uncooked rice - makes 1 cup of cooked rice
- ½ tsp salt
- 3 to 4 cups water or chicken, beef or vegetable broth
Instructions
- Bring the water and salt to a rolling boil. Add the rice and stir it to prevent it from sticking to the bottom. Cook the rice in the boiling water for 10 minutes.
- Drain the rice into a strainer and then fill the bottom of the saucepan that you just used with about 2 – 3 inches of water. Place the strainer on the saucepan (ensure that the rice is not sitting in water. Cover the strainer and bring the water to a boil (steaming the rice). Cook for at least 20 minutes, but can continue to steam it until it is ready to be eaten. To increase the number of servings, just add more rice to the boiling water and follow the other steps.
Variation 1
- I will often cook some onions and mushrooms in a small frying pan and add them to to the cooked rice before serving. Sometimes I just add a tablespoon of butter to the rice and stir it in.
Variation 2
- If you would like to cook brown rice, increase the initial cook time in the water from 10 to 14 minutes and then steam it until it is tender.
Variation 3
- Cook the rice in chicken, beef or vegetable broth instead of water for the first 10 minutes and then steam over water as described above.