Lentils Cacciatore Recipes

CHICKEN CACCIATORE

Steps:

• Dust chicken with flour. Season with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, brown chicken on all sides in oil and butter over medium-high heat. Remove chicken to platter. , In the same skillet, cook and stir the onion, celery, pepper and mushrooms for 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, wine, herbs, garlic and sugar. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes., Return chicken to skillet. Cover and simmer for 45-60 minutes or until chicken is tender. Serve over pasta and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Freeze option: Cool chicken mixture. Freeze in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through slowly in a covered skillet until a thermometer inserted in chicken reads 165°, stirring occasionally.

CHICKEN CACCIATORE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large ovenproof pan.
• Dust the chicken with flour and brown the pieces on a high heat.
• Remove the chicken, lower the heat and add the onions.
• Once the onions are translucent, add the garlic and red peppers and fry for 2 minutes.
• Turn up the heat, add the wine and let it bubble for 2 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes and stock, and stir well.
• Return the chicken to the pan with the sauce and let the mixture reach a bubbling point.
• Lower the heat until the stew slowly simmers and continue to cook for 45 minutes or until the chicken is cooked and tender.
• Add the capers at the last minute and sprinkle the parsley upon serving.
• Serve with buttered pasta.

LENTILS CACCIATORE

Steps:

• In a large Dutch oven or pot, heat the oil over medium-high. Add the carrots and bell pepper, season with salt and pepper, and cook until just softened, 3 minutes.
• Add the capers, tomato paste, garlic and rosemary and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomato paste begins to stick to the bottom of the pot, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add the wine, season with salt and pepper, and cook until nearly all the liquid has evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes, red lentils and 2 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil, partly cover, then reduce the heat and simmer until the lentils start to break down and lose their shape, 20 to 25 minutes. Stir vigorously from time to time to scrape any stuck lentils from the bottom of the pot. Season generously with salt and pepper.

CHICKEN CACCIATORE

Steps:

• Sprinkle the chicken pieces with 1 teaspoon of each salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour to coat lightly.
• In a large heavy saute pan, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. Add the chicken pieces to the pan and saute just until brown, about 5 minutes per side. If all the chicken does not fit in the pan, saute it in 2 batches. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside. Add the bell pepper, onion and garlic to the same pan and saute over medium heat until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the wine and simmer until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juice, broth, capers and oregano. Return the chicken pieces to the pan and turn them to coat in the sauce. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Continue simmering over medium-low heat until the chicken is just cooked through, about 30 minutes for the breast pieces, and 20 minutes for the thighs.
• Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a platter. If necessary, boil the sauce until it thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Spoon off any excess fat from atop the sauce. Spoon the sauce over the chicken, then sprinkle with the basil and serve.