Name: Chicken Cacciatora
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 4 medium size chicken hips; 1 medium size chicken hips; 1 diced carrot; 1 diced stick of celery; Some tomato (freshor in a can (10 cherry tomatoes or 2 peeled tomatoes)); Rosemary; Fresh parsley; A splash of red wine; 1 tbsp Extra virginolive oil; Salt; Blackpepper

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Chicken Cacciatora

“the dish of Tuscan peasants, everybody loves and easy to prepare“

We call Cacciatora (it means hunter) recipes where the use of garlic and rosemary is a must, and red wine to blend. These flavors are the basis of wild game preparation. Tuscany is the birthplace of this recipe, but other regions in Italy, especially in the center area, claim their authorship. For this reason, there are many versions that reflect the peculiarities of the different regions. Could be red or white, with or without tomato, garlic or not, with olives or peppers, in any case always wine and herbs as rosemary or sage. In the following recipe no garlic in it, needless to say you can add it if you like.

This is a rustic farmer food recipe, in which farmer own products are a must. In the past, farmers used their wine from winery, chicken from hen-house and vegetables from the garden. Was really what they had for lunch, on Sunday of course, the day of rest and a hearty lunch. Surely it can be defined as a poor dish, but is very tasty and filling, that is why it can be generally ordered in simple and rustic restaurants or trattorias here in Italy.

Chicken: the breast cannot work!

Here we are at the crucial point: does not exist chicken Cacciatora made with the breast. Sorry for that, we are inflexible, with chicken breast is another recipe, surely good but not the same. First of all, the parts of the chicken with bone, skin and some fat are more tender, juicy, tasty. It is simply good! Second, this recipe needs quite long cooking time, at least one hour in total (chicken breast at the end would be dry).

First step is sealing the meat in the pan and thanks to this, skin becomes crispy and releases fat and taste. How can you do that with the chicken breast? No way!

Tips How to choose and buy the good one: the free-range chicken is no more in the market (only in the farm) although in the supermarket there are different qualities. The best is the yellow one with reddish meats. Furthermore, the chicken must be well cooked, no pink color, make sure with a small cut near the bone when it seems ready.