Name: Chicken Cacciatore for Two
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Ingredients: 2 (10-ounce) chicken leg quarters , trimmed; Salt and pepper; 2 teaspoons vegetable oil; 6 ounces cremini mushrooms , trimmed and quartered; 1 small onion , chopped; 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper; 1 tablespoon tomato paste; 2 garlic cloves , minced; 1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary; 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes; 1/4 cup white wine; 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes; 1/2 cup chicken broth; 1 tablespoon minced fresh basil

Why This Recipe Works

Cacciatore, which means “hunter-style” in Italian, refers to a rustic dish of freshly caught game, foraged mushrooms, and rosemary that’s traditionally long-simmered and served after a hunt. It’s since become a ubiquitous Italian American dish, with bone-in chicken and chunky tomatoes and peppers added to the saucy braise. But once cooked through, the chicken often needs to be removed from the pot to avoid dryness while the sauce finishes reducing. For an easier weeknight version for two, we synced the sauce and the chicken to finish at the same time. We used chicken leg quarters: The dark meat stays juicier longer than white meat so the window of time to cook them is more flexible; plus, they kept the dish feeling rustic at a great price. We preferred the sweetness and brightness of red bell pepper to green, and we caramelized the tomato paste to develop complexity. Sharp, light white wine added acidity to balance the sweet tomatoes and peppers. We covered the skillet on the stovetop to let the chicken cook through. We then removed the lid and kept the forgiving leg quarters in the pan as the sauce reduced.

Before You Begin

Some leg quarters are sold with the backbone attached. Be sure to remove it before cooking to make serving easier. If serving with pasta, adjust sauce consistency with reserved pasta cooking water as needed.

Instructions

Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add chicken and cook until browned, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to plate, skin side up.

Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet; heat fat over medium heat until shimmering. Add mushrooms, onion, bell pepper, ⅛teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and browned, 8 to 10 minutes.

Stir in tomato paste, garlic, rosemary, and pepper flakes and cook until mixture is rust colored and fragrant, stirring frequently, about 2 minutes. Stir in wine and any accumulated chicken juices, scraping up any browned bits, and cook until liquid is evaporated, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes and their juice and broth and bring to boil.

Nestle chicken into sauce, skin side up. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until chicken registers 175 degrees, 22 to 25 minutes. Remove lid, increase heat to mediumhigh, and continue to cook until sauce is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes longer. Sprinkle with basil. Serve.