Chicken Cacciatore

This dish is a fantastic excuse not to finish the bottle of red wine from the night before!

The rich flavours in the sauce and crisp skinned chicken make a very tasty combination.

He who doesn't like capers asked ' Are these small peas? '. 'Yes' I replied.

- 1 chicken jointed into 8
- olive oil ( not extra virgin )
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, sliced
- 70g pancetta cubes
- 1 glass of red wine
- 2 x 400g tins cherry tomatoes ( or chopped )
- 2 tbsp capers, rinsed and drained
- 10 black olives, pitted and halved
- handful of basil leaves


Season the chicken all over. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a large non stick frying pan and fry chicken until golden.
Take the chicken out of the pan and add the onions and garlic. Cook gently until the onions are soft.
Add the pancetta and cook for about 3 minutes, then add the wine and simmer until it has almost disappeared.
Add the tomatoes and season well ( taste it first as there was salt on chicken )
Simmer the sauce for about 15 minutes until it thickens then stir in the olives and capers.
Heat the oven to 190 C/ fan 170 C/gas 5. Tip the sauce into the bottem of an oven proof dish and sit the chicken in the sauce. Cook for 30-40 minutes. Stir in the basil and serve.

I used thighs and drumsticks as thats what was on offer in the supermarket but I am about to do a complete U turn and say in future I would joint a chicken or use breast on the bone. I know I have said brown meat is my prefered choice, and I wouldn't go so far as to use boneless breast but I honestly would of prepered it in this instance. I served it with some small roasted potatoes.

He who doesn't like capers and was suspisious about them being peas asked 'Are these green lentils then?'. 'Yes' I replied.

Time taken 1 hour 25 mins
Effort     3/5
end result 3.5/5