This dish is made in the style of my paternal Grandma. I never met her as she died before I was born but my Dad told me how she made it. I was surprised that her recipe did not include any tomato product. I now prefer this version over the more popular tomato based versions. I find it more flavorful – perhaps because there is no tomato taste, the chicken and Italian seasoning flavors shine through.
A Simple Easy-To-Make Dish
Don’t let the exotic sounding name and colorful presentation lead you to think that Cacciatore is hard to make. It’s not.
It is in essence just braised chicken. That is, first you brown it, then you simmer it until it is tender.
If there is only one recipe that is 100% foolproof then this is it. If you don’t brown it enough it will still taste pretty good. Same if you make it too brown. If you under cook it slightly…just a bit less tender. Over cooked it’s still darn good and fall-off-the-bone tender.
With Spaghetti, Right?
Well, sure, that’s the classic but my Dad always paired it with oven roasted potatoes.
Oven Roasted Potatoes
Three ingredients – olive oil, potatoes and grated cheese – plus salt and pepper are all it takes to make this wonderful side dish. A quick saute and then into a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes results in potatoes that are brown and crisp on the outside and creamy on the inside. Perfect with Cacciatore!
Italians Love Greens!
It’s true. So why not serve your chicken with broccoli rabe. This side dish is the undefeated champ when it comes to the triple threat of flavor, color and nutrition. Add a fresh squeeze of lemon just prior to serving for a true taste of Italy.
Print The Recipe Or Watch the Youtube Video
Sicilian Style Chicken Cacciatore
Ingredients
- 1½ Lbs Chicken Parts (Leg, thigh, wing, breast cut in two pieces)
- 1 Cup Sliced Sweet Onion)
- 1 Cup Sliced Green Bell Pepper
- 1 Cup Sliced Red Bell Pepper
- 2 Tbsp Coarsely Chopped Garlic
- 2 Tbsp Capers
- 2 Each Bay Leaves
- 1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning (Oregano, basil, parsley, thyme, rosemary, marjoram)
- Salt and Pepper To Taste
- A Few Dried Red Pepper Flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees and preheat a deep, covered skillet over medium heat.
- Using paper dry off each piece of chicken to ensure easy browning during the next step.
- Apply salt and pepper to all sides of the chicken pieces and lay them, skin side down, into the pre-heated skillet. Let the chicken sit uncovered and undisturbed on medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes or until some fat has rendered from the skin and the underside is nicely browned.
- Flip the chicken so that the second side browns. It should take another 10-15 minutes.
- When chicken is nicely browned, stir in all of the remaining ingredients except for the capers, cover the skillet and allow the mixture to cook for about 5 minutes or until the onions and peppers have softened but still retain their colors.
- Add the capers a stir the chicken and arrange the pieces so that they are sitting atop the pepper and onion mixture. This will ensure that the chicken skin retains it’s crispiness. Finish cooking the chicken, uncovered, in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked and tender.
- Serve with the drippings over pasta such as spaghetti or linguine or, for a true Sicilian style dish, with oven roasted potatoes and broccoli rabe.
So if you like chicken and you like Southern Italian food then give this one a try and let us know what you think of it in the “Leave a Reply” section below. We would love to hear from you!