Emeril's Chicken Cacciatore
Also known as Hunter's Chicken, here chicken is cooked until meltingly tender in a flavorful tomato sauce with mushrooms and served over pasta. As the story goes, if the hunter came home without a kill for dinner, the wife would cook a chicken. Not bad for second place! Toward the end of cooking, taste your sauce. If it is a bit on the acidic side, stir in a pinch or two of sugar.
Ingredients
- 4 chicken thighs
- 4 chicken drum sticks
- 4 chicken wings
- Essence
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups chopped onions
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 3 cups sliced shiitake mushrooms, cleaned and stemmed
- 3 tablespoons chopped garlic
- 3/4 cup dry white wine
- 2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes, peeled and seeded
- One 15 ounce can tomato sauce
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper, or more to taste
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 1 tablespoon chiffonade basil
- 1 pound cooked fettuccine, linguine, or spaghetti
- 4 ounces grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
Directions
Season the chicken with Essence. Season the flour with Essence. Dredge the chicken in the seasoned flour, coating completely.
In a large Dutch oven, over medium-high heat, add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the chicken and brown until golden, 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Remove the chicken and set aside.
Add the onions. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté for until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Continue to sauté until mushrooms are golden around the edges, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the wine, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and stock. Bring the mixture to a boil. Stir in the red pepper, bay leaves thyme and basil. Add the chicken back to the mixture. Reduce the heat to medium and cover. Simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until very tender.
Serve over pasta, garnished with Parmesan and parsley.
Note: If you prefer, you can prepare this dish using 6 chicken drumsticks and 6 chicken thighs.
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