Momma’s Chicken Cacciatore
What an absolute pleasure it is to cook with the woman who first taught me how to make good food. On a recent trip to Naples, Florida I put “cooking with Momma” on the top of my list. Each February I leave my home in the frigid Midwest and head to South Florida where she lives during the winter.
While each annual trip is special, this year we celebrated her 80th birthday. Our family threw her an amazing celebration with 70 family and friends in attendance. It was a precious weekend filled with love for a lovely woman, admired and adored by many.
Once the last of the family members flew back home, Momma and I settled in to a week of rest and relaxation. My time with her included plenty of delicious seafood meals eaten at local restaurants in Naples and on Marco Island.
Momma and I enjoying some tasty Cuban food at the Havana Cafe of the Everglades.
But we made sure to carve out one evening where she could teach me to cook one of her favorite dishes, Chicken Cacciatore. Neither of us really remembers when she began cooking this family favorite. But we certainly remember how delicious it was and how perfect it was for feeding a large family. When my Momma remarried, she and her wonderful husband, Fred, ended up with 9 children! So you can imagine how important is was to find ways to satisfy such a huge and hungry group.
This is a traditional Tuscan dish that was probably first made with Rabbit, since Cacciatore means “hunter” in Italian. However, we went with the newer version that highlights chicken, tomatoes, onion and wine. This recipe is straight forward with ingredients that are readily available in most large grocery stores. Here’s how you do it:
Brown chicken pieces that have been seasoned and lightly floured. Don’t crowd the pan. Brown in batches.
Brown for about 4 minutes on each side, just to get a nice golden crust.
Since tomato is the essential ingredient for the sauce, pay the extra and purchase San Marzano tomatoes from Italy. Make sure the can says CENTO.
Once the sauce had all it’s ingredients, Momma adds the browned chicken pieces to the pot. They will then cook for another 40 minutes.
Serve chicken and sauce over hot cooked pasta and sprinkle with fresh basil and parmesan cheese.
As a started I put together a simple Burrata Salad. If you are a fan of Caprese Salad and freshly pulled Mozzarella cheese you will love Burrata. Everything I used from the salad was purchased at the fantastic Marco Island Farmers Market, including the fresh pulled Mozzarella Burrata cheese. Simply line the plate with romaine lettuce, slice fresh juicy tomatoes, fresh basil, cheese in the middle. Drizzle with good olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve with some freshly baked bread and you are good to go!
Simple Burrata Salad with all fresh farmers market finds.
Momma's Chicken Cacciatore
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 4 pound chicken, cut up into 8 pieces, skin and bone in
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 medium yellow onions, peeled and sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
- 1 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano flakes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 28 ounce can San Marzano Tomatoes
- 1 6 ounce can San Marzano Tomato Paste
- handful coarsely chopped fresh basil
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- In large stock pot, heat olive oil over medium high heat.
- Sprinkle chicken pieces with salt and black pepper.
- Dredge chicken pieces in all purpose flour. Shake gently to remove excess flour and add to hot oil in pot. Cook on each side for 4 - 5 minutes just to get a nice golden brown.
- Do not crowd pot. Consider cooking in 2 batches. Removing chicken to a plate after browned.
- Pour off any leftover oil if it has gotten too brown. Add a couple tablespoons of new oil to the pot.
- Saute onion for 5 minutes. Add garlic, celery seed, oregano and salt. Saute for 2 minutes.
- Add wine and cook for about 2-3 minutes until wine is reduced by about half.
- Add whole tomatoes and tomato paste. Break up tomatoes with wooden spoon. Bring to boil and then turn down to a simmer.
- Return browned chicken pieces to pot. Place lid ajar on pot and cook for about 40 minutes.
- Remove chicken thigh to check for doneness. Taste sauce and add additional salt if needed.
- Serve sauce and chicken on top of hot pasta. Sprinkle with fresh basil and Parmesan cheese.
Notes
- Avoid using boneless/skinless chicken. The bone and chicken skin/fat are what gives this amazing flavor.
- This dish freezes well.
- I usually cut the 2 chicken breasts into 4 total. I find that the chicken breasts are usually huge.
- To save time instead of butchering a whole chicken, purchase the chicken already cut up.
