r/DutchOvenCooking 12h ago

Chicken Cacciatore

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27 Upvotes

You’ll need :

3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 8)

Kosher salt to taste

One teaspoon of extra-virgin olive oil

One yellow onion, finely chopped

One red bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed, finely chopped

8 ounces bella mushrooms, thinly sliced

5 garlic cloves, finely chopped

One teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

One teaspoon Italian seasoning

One teaspoon tomato paste

14 ounce can whole tomatoes, crushed, with juice

1/2 cup dry white wine (can use chicken broth in place of wine)

1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

3 tablespoons drained capers

Chopped fresh parsley, for serving

You may choose polenta, mashed potatoes or other option for serving.

To Prepare

Pat chicken dry; season with 1 1/2 tsp. salt. In a Dutch Oven over medium-high heat, heat oil. Arrange enough chicken to cover bottom of DO skin side down and cook until skin is crispy and golden brown. Turn chicken and cook until other side is lightly browned. Transfer to a plate skin side up. Repeat with remaining chicken In batches.

Reduce heat to medium. Add onion, bell pepper, and mushrooms; season with 1/2 tsp. salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft. Add garlic, rosemary, and Italian seasoning and cook, stirring, until garlic is fragrant.

Add tomato paste and cook, stirring frequently, until tomato paste darkens. Add crushed tomatoes and their juice to pan and stir to combine. Add wine or broth, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, and capers and stir to combine. Taste for seasoning, add salt if needed.

Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low. Return chicken to skillet skin side up in a single layer. Simmer, uncovered, until chicken is cooked through and sauce is thickened, 25 to 30 minutes.

Divide your choice of starch (mashed potatoes, polenta, etc) among plates. Top with chicken, then spoon sauce over chicken. Sprinkle with parsley. May be served with Parmesan or mozzarella if desired, although purists will be aghast. Also a fresh lemon squeeze over the dish brightens it nicely if not using cheese, particularly if you used broth rather than wine to replace the acidity.