Chicken cacciatore, deconstructed!

There is no better time to make chicken cacciatore than when chicken thighs are on sale!  After the first serving, I not only have tender chicken leftover to use in a casserole, but lots of flavor-packed pasta sauce as well.

This particular recipe is made in a large pot on the stove.  The skin and bones on the chicken give great flavor to the sauce, but can be eliminated by those watching their fat intake.

Chicken cacciatore

Eight bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

1 c. white wine

2 cans diced tomatoes

1 can tomato sauce

1 small can sliced mushrooms

1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced

1 red bell pepper, deseeded and roughly chopped

5 large cloves garlic, smashed

1 TB. balsamic vinegar

1 TB. dried oregano

2 tsp. dry parsley

2 tsp. dried basil

1 tsp. dried rosemary

1 tsp. crushed red pepper

One bay leaf

Salt and pepper to taste

8 oz. can tomato paste

Spaghetti or dry pasta

Grated  Italian cheese

Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, pepper, mushrooms, garlic, white wine, vinegar, and spices to a large pot and stir.  Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat, allowing the sauce to simmer for about a half hour.  Taste and adjust for seasonings.  Place the chicken thighs on top, cover and let simmer for an hour and a half.  Turn off the heat, spoon sauce over the chicken and let sit for a half hour.

Remove the chicken and bay leaf from the sauce and let cool.  Using an immersion blender, puree all the vegetables in the sauce.  Add the tomato paste and blend well.

In another pot, cook the pasta until al dente.  Drain and add back into pot.  Immediately stir in 2-3 cups of sauce and cover.

Remove the skin and bones from the chicken.  Pour the pasta onto a serving platter and top with the meat from 4-5 chicken thighs.  Drizzle with a half cup of sauce, and lightly sprinkle your choice of fresh Italian herbs.  Serve with grated Italian cheese.

Store or freeze leftover chicken and pasta sauce for future meals.

Chicken cacciatore, deconstructed

Eight bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs 

>Fat alert:  Chicken thighs with the bone in and skin on are high in fat.   To lower the fat content, they may be replaced with boneless, skinless chicken thighs, or boneless, skinless chicken breasts.  However, the caloric difference between chicken thighs and breasts is minimal, and the substitution may not be worth the impact on the overall dish.

>Ingredient alert:  Braising is a cooking method particularly suited to chicken thighs.  Chicken breasts, however, are best grilled, or seared and baked in the oven.  If chicken breasts are substituted for chicken thighs, cook them separately and add at the end. 

 1 c. white wine

>Health alert:  Some wines contain a lot of sugar.  If this is a problem, substitute the wine with a low-sugar variety, vodka, chicken broth, or 1/4-1/2 c. lime or lemon juice.  The wine can also be replaced with 1/4 c. balsamic vinegar.

>Ingredient alert:  In this recipe, the wine serves as a flavor enhancer.  Substitution or elimination may change the flavor, requiring an adjustment in spices.  The best substitute?  Balsamic vinegar, lime, or lemon juice. 

2 cans diced tomatoes

>Health alert: Canned diced tomatoes can be high is salt and sugar.  It may be substituted with 2 cups of home-roasted, diced tomatoes, or a commercial low-sodium or low-sugar variety of diced tomatoes.  Always check the labels carefully. 

1 can tomato sauce

>Health alert: Commercial tomato sauces can contain all sorts of bad ingredients:  fat, sugar, salt, MSG. Check labels carefully.  In the alternative, make your own. 

1 small can sliced mushrooms

>Health alert:  The good news is that canned mushrooms are very low in saturated fat and cholesterol.  The bad news is that it is very high in sodium.  This can be addressed by rinsing the mushrooms, or substituting the canned variety with one cup of sliced button mushrooms

1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced

1 red bell pepper, deseeded and roughly chopped

5 large cloves garlic, smashed

1 TB. balsamic vinegar

1 TB. dried oregano

2 tsp. dry parsley

2 tsp. dried basil

1 tsp. dried rosemary

1 tsp. crushed red pepper

One bay leaf

Salt and pepper to taste

8 oz. can tomato paste 

>Health alert:  Some brands of tomato paste are high in sugar and/or salt.  Read the labels carefully, and select the one that best meets your dietary needs  

>Ingredient alert:  The tomato paste thickens the sauce.  If eliminated it may be necessary to add another thickening agent, such as corn starch or Agar Agar.

Spaghetti or dry pasta

>Health alert:  Pasta can be very high in carbohydrates, salt, and sugar. Some of the product labeling is extremely deceptive!  Check the ingredients carefully when selecting any type of pasta.  (Just because pasta is labeled “whole wheat “or “vegetable” does not mean it is a healthier alternative!)   Tasty and healthy pasta alternatives include spaghetti squash, zucchini ribbons, rice pasta, quinoa, whole grain pasta, and black bean pasta.

 Grated cheese

>Fat alert: Cheese is high in fat, but reduced-fat varieties are available. In the alternative, the amount used may be reduced or eliminated.

>Health alert: Cheese is high in salt. Low-sodium varieties are available. In the alternative, the amount used may be reduced or eliminated.  

>Health alert: Cheese is a dairy product. If this is a concern, vegan substitutes are available.

(Follow the instructions above.)