Chicken Cacciatori
This recipe has been derived from a variety of sources and modified to suit my own particular tastes. Sometimes called "Hunter’s Chicken", this dish is nearly a meal in itself and can be prepared to serve a large number of people. One chicken can easily serve 6 people.
1 Whole chicken cut into pieces
Flour for coating chicken pieces (about 1 cup)
Salt and pepper for coating
½ cup olive oil plus ¼ lb. butter for frying chicken
1 medium onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, diced
1 lb. can tomato puree or whole tomatoes
1 small can tomato paste
½ cup Marsala wine (Cream Sherry may be substituted)
½ lb. sliced mushrooms
1 tsp. dried basil leaves or 1 small bunch fresh chopped basil
½ tsp. dried oregano
½ tsp. dried marjoram
¼ tsp. dried rosemary leaves
¼ tsp. dried thyme leaves
¼ tsp. dried summer savory leaves
¼ tsp. dried tarragon leaves
1 lb. spaghetti cooked al dente
Salt and pepper chicken pieces and coat thoroughly with flour. Melt butter with olive oil in skillet. Fry chicken pieces over medium heat until golden brown. As the pieces become cooked, remove them from the skillet and set aside in a pan or plate. In the remaining pan drippings, sauté the onions and garlic until translucent, about 2 minutes. Now add the tomato paste and puree and stir thoroughly. Add Marsala wine and stir until hot. Add spices, stir and then return chicken pieces. Simmer for 10 minutes and then add the mushrooms.
While the sauce and chicken is simmering, bring a pot of water to boil and cook spaghetti for about 8 to 10 minutes (al dente). Drain the spaghetti and serve on plates. Top with the chicken and mushrooms. Top with grated Parmesan cheese if desired and enjoy with garlic toast and a green salad.
