Chicken Cacciatore

One sleep to the Cork City Marathon. After researching what the best pre dinner race meal is, the majority of websites advised pasta, to my delight. Pre race, it is recommended to have a high carb, high protein low fat meal, so I decided to cook Chicken Cacciatore. This is a simple one pot dish, which is perfect, as after Nicola's hen party last night, I welcome as little effort as possible. Chicken Cacciatore is Italian in orgin, and its basically a really nice chicken stew that can be equally nice with potatoes, rice or pasta. There are tonnes of different chicken cacciatore recipes on the internet, but I believe sometimes the simpliest of recipes are the best. So here this is quite a classic simple version of Chicken Cacciatore.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breast on the bone
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp flour
• 1 tin peeled tomatoes
• 2 chopped garlic cloves
• 1 chopped onion
• 2 chopped carrots
• 10 sliced mushrooms
• 1 yellow pepper chopped
• leaves from 4 sprigs of thyme
• Pinch of sugar
• Salt/pepper
• 1 tbsp of tomato puree
• 1 glass of white wine
• 1 bay leaf
• 4-5 torn basil leaves
• Pasta to serve

Method

1. In an oven proof lidded dish, gently brown the chicken breasts which should be previously dredged in flour
2. Remove the chicken once browned all over
3. Add the garlic, thyme and onion and gently fry
4. Add the remaining vegetables and stir to combine
5. Add the wine and bring the liquid to a boil.
6. Once some of the alcohol has been boiled off, add the tinned tomatoes and break them up as you add them
7. Add the bay leaf, sugar, puree, and salt and pepper
8. Add the chicken back to the dish, stir to combine and cover the dish.
9. Pop it into a pre heat oven at 180 degrees and bake for 45 minutes
10. Remove the lid and cook for a further 15 minutes
11. Add the torn basil leaves and remove the bay leaf with a slotted spoon
12. Serve with your preferred accompaniment.