Oven Braised Chicken Cacciatore
INGREDIENTS
- 2 lb Butcher Box.ca air chilled bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed (can also use boneless skinless chicken thighs, we find bone in is juicier when finished cooking)
- 3 tbsp good quality olive oil
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Salt and freshly ground pepper, to season
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1 medium onion, roughly diced
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2 tbsp minced garlic (around 6 cloves)
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1 small yellow bell pepper, roughly diced
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1 small red bell pepper, roughly diced
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1 large carrot, peeled and sliced
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10 oz (300g) mushrooms,sliced
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1/2 cup pitted black olives (kalamata olives are particularly flavourful in this dish)
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8 sprigs fresh thyme
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2 tbsp each freshly chopped parsley and basil plus more to garnish
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1 tsp dried oregano
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150 ml red wine (if you won't drink it, don't cook with it, your taste buds will thank you later!)
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28 oz (820g) crushed tomatoes
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2 tbsp tomato paste
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7 oz (200g) Roma tomatoes, halved
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1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
PREPARATION
Step 1
Preheat oven to 375 F. Season chicken thighs generously with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a heavy cast iron skillet until shimmery. Add chicken thighs and cook on both sides until golden, about 3 - 4 mins per side. Set aside - in a Dutch oven or other covered oven ready skillet or pan.
Step 2
Add remaining oil to pan, saute onion until transparent, about 3 - 4 mins. Add garlic and cook, about 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add peppers, carrot, mushrooms and herbs - cook until vegetables are just softening, about 5 minutes. Pour in wine, scraping up browned bits from bottom of skillet. Cook about 2 minutes or until wine is reduced.
Step 3
Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, Roma tomatoes and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour over chicken thighs, cover and cook in preheated oven for 50 minutes.
Step 4
Remove lid, add olives and cook, uncovered, for an additional 20 minutes, until meat is fall of the bone tender and the sauce has reduced.
**For the stove top - Mix all of the ingredients together; cover with lid, reduce heat to low and allow to simmer (while stirring occasionally) for 40 minutes or until the meat is falling off the bone. Add in the olives, allow to simmer for a further 10 minutes. Garnish with parsley and serve hot with pasta, rice or mashed potatoes!