Sorry I haven’t posted in a long time. It’s been a busy season in my life and even though I’ve been cooking a ton, I haven’t posted anything. Don’t worry, I’m not eating out at Applebee’s everyday. That place is…. Anyway, here is my version of chicken cacciatore. I love making this because it is so easy and doesn’t require much prep.
Fresh herbs are key to this recipe. If you don’t grow your own, stop what your doing, go to home depot, and buy some plants. Otherwise, this recipe (and all other Italian recipes) will cost you $5 more than it should. These plants are so easy to grow. Rosemary and thyme are some of the more hardy plants and are very versatile.
Here is one final note about cooking I recently learned from a chef friend. The last thing you put in is the first thing you taste. This means that if you like the taste of garlic, put it in last NOT first. If you like the taste of fresh herbs, put them in 5 minutes before it’s done cooking. You can alter the balance of flavor by timing ingredients to your liking. Try some variations. I’m also not a fan of adding garlic to the oil before I add the chicken because it tends to burn. If you like that flavor, try sauteing the garlic to a perfect crispiness and then taking it out to add in at the end.
Recipe for 4 servings
- 4-5 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 – 24oz can of fire roasted tomatoes
- 5 handfuls of penne pasta
- 3 TBS balsamic vinegar
- 1 zucchini
- 1 teaspoon fresh minced thyme
- 1 teaspoon fresh minced rosemary
- 3 minced garlic cloves
- Add oil to pan on medium heat and bring to temp.
- Add chicken and cook on medium-high. After a few minutes lower temp to med-low to cook for 5-10 min per side. Make sure it is low enough so it gets crispy but does not burn. Don’t move the chicken around until it comes loose on its own. Lower heat is important here so it releases before it burns.
- Puree roasted tomatoes and add to chicken along with herbs, minced garlic, and balsamic vinegar. Drizzle some more olive oil on top and mix everything in.
- Simmer on low for 20 minutes
- Add diced zucchini 3 minutes before serving.
- Add salt and pepper to taste and add to pasta.
