Weekday Chicken Cacciatore Recipes

WEEKNIGHT CHICKEN CACCIATORE

Steps:

• The chicken: Heat a dry skillet on high for 1 minute, then add the oil. Season chicken with salt and pepper on both sides and add to the pan. Brown chicken, about 2-3 minutes per side, reducing heat to medium after 1 minute. Remove and pour out any dark oil.
• The sauce: To the same skillet, add more oil and sweat the onions, 3-5 minutes (add more olive oil as needed). Add garlic, thyme, and bay leaf, followed by white wine. Reduce white wine until almost dry, then add tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, and toss. Add the chicken back to the pan, along with the olives. Cook 10 minutes, occasionally moving the sauce around until it thickens. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Assembly: Spoon the sauce onto a serving platter. Remove the bay leaf and thyme. Add fresh oregano followed by chicken.

SLOW COOKER CHICKEN CACCIATORE

Steps:

• Lightly coat a large slow cooker with nonstick spray. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium high. Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper. Once the oil is hot and shimmering, add the chicken in a single layer. Cook on the first side for 3 to 4 minutes, until browned, moving the chicken as little as possible so that it gets a nice sear. Flip and brown on the other side, about 2 additional minutes. Transfer the chicken to the slow cooker.
• Reduce the skillet heat to medium. With a paper towel, carefully wipe out the skillet. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil. One the oil is hot, add the onion and cook until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar. Cook for 1 minute, or until the garlic is fragrant and the vinegar has reduced. Transfer to the slow cooker, along with any pan drippings.
• Top the chicken with the tomatoes, green bell pepper, mushrooms, and Italian seasoning. If using chicken breasts: cover and cook on HIGH for 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours or LOW for 4 to 5 hours, until the chicken is cooked through. If using chicken thighs: cover and cook for 3 to 4 hours on HIGH or 5 to 6 hours on LOW. Remove the chicken from the slow cooker as soon as it reaches 165 degrees F. If desired, chop or shred the chicken (or you can serve the pieces whole).
• At this point, you can serve the sauce right away if you are in a hurry, BUT, if time allows, this is what I like to do for the best-ever sauce: Uncover the slow cooker and let cook on HIGH for 1 hour to allow the sauce to thicken and the flavor to further develop. Just before serving, stir in the remaining 1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar. Taste and season the sauce with additional salt/pepper as desired. If you've chopped or shredded the chicken, return it to the sauce and toss to combine and warm through. Otherwise, serve the chicken pieces whole with a generous amount of the sauce on top. Serve hot over pasta, rice, polenta, or veggie noodles, with a big extra spoonful of sauce and a sprinkle of parsley and Parmesan.

WEEKDAY CHICKEN CACCIATORE

Steps:

• Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Brown chicken on both sides., In a 5-qt. slow cooker, combine sauce ingredients; arrange chicken over sauce. Cook, covered, on low until chicken and vegetables are tender, 4-6 hours. If desired, top with fresh oregano and grated Parmesan cheese.

EASY CHICKEN CACCIATORE

Steps:

• Combine the crushed tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, mushrooms, and garlic and stir to combine.
• In a large baking dish, place the chicken breasts flat on the bottom of the dish. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, then spread the tomato mixture over the chicken. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese on top.
• Bake at 400˚F uncovered for 45-55 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through (165˚F internal temp) and the sauce is bubbling.
• Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and serve over pasta, greens, or rice. Enjoy!