Linda.......glad I can help and very flattered you liked the ideas.
Food is so expensive anymore that leftovers are always on our menu. The get served as an encore just as they are or become my 'Chopped Challenge'. Most of the time I can hit it lucky and come up with something good.
Anna...your issue with Thyme sounds like mine with Rosemary.
I just spare myself the aggravation and use the bottled or even ground and save a little of the fresh for garnish. Found this, if it helps.
https://www.epicurious.com/exp...
Teacup....I used an old recipe from a former neighbor in Ohio. She was from Tuscany. As explained in her notes, she said always use bone in chicken pieces with the skin on when making cacciatore for two reasons.
----First the rendered fat from the skin and the browned pan bits and juices is what 'makes' the sauce when you go to de-glaze it with the wine and tomatoes. It keeps it from tasting like chicken in spaghetti sauce and more like a true cacciatore which is 'meat' based.
----Second leaving the skin on the chicken pieces will keep them plump and moist while cooking them and keeps them from sticking to the pan, getting fibrous, stringy and dried out like skinless chicken.
The trick is after cooking the chicken you remove it from the pot. Let it cool and then remove the skin as it has 'served its purpose'. Yep. Toss the skin out at this point. All it will do is now get flabby, soggy and make your sauce greasy and taste nasty. You can now pour off all the grease, except for 2 Tablespoons from the pan and start making your sauce.
Here's the recipe I used. I made this with 4 thighs. It is originally for 8 pieces of chicken (a whole chicken so just double everything).
I have found dark meat works best with this but use the whole chicken if you like. It is an easy recipe it just moves quick so make sure you have everything prepped and ready to go. Also the timing is 'exact' so if it is 5 minutes then I cook the chicken EXACTLY 5 minutes per side as stated.
CHICKEN CACCIATORE
Ingredients:
4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs; washed/dried and seasoned
1/2 cup of flour + 1 or 2 tablespoons set aside seasoned
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper
1 small-medium onion cut in thin slices
1 medium green bell pepper cut in thin slices
2-3 large Portabella mushroom caps; clean and gills removed and cut into strips
4 Tablespoons garlic; minced
1/2 cup dry white wine (Sauvignon Blanc)
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
1 can 28 oz San Marzano or plum tomatoes in juice; cut up or crushed by hand
1 can 14 oz diced tomatoes; separate tomatoes and juice (set aside juice in case you need it)
2 bay leaves
pinch of sugar
fresh basil and parsley
fresh grated parmesan
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Wash and dry chicken. Make sure chicken is very, very dry as you will be putting it in hot oil. Season with salt, pepper and some dry basil and oregano. Roll in flour very well and coat good. Shake off excess.
2. Heat oil in Dutch Oven or very heavy deep skillet on M-H for 2 minutes until it is shimmering. Carefully put half of the chicken pieces in skin side down. Do not crowd pan. Cook WITHOUT MOVING THE CHICKEN for 5 minutes. Flip the pieces and cook 5 more minutes without moving them. Repeat with the remaining chicken. (Of course smaller pieces like wings will take less time to cook)
3. Put chicken on platter to drain.
4.) Pour off all of the olive oil and chicken fat except for 2 Tablespoons. Lower heat to medium and then add your green bell pepper and onion. Cook 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook another 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add tomato paste and 1-2 tablespoons of seasoned flour and cook 1 minute. This should take 6-8 minutes total.
5.) Deglaze pan with white wine and scrape up any browned bits off bottom of pan. Stir in the 28 oz can of tomatoes and liquid. Add the drained 14 oz can of tomatoes without liquid. Add a pinch or two sugar to cut the acid. Add salt, pepper and the 2 bay leaves, half the parsley and basil. Bring to boil and then reduce to low.
6.) Taste sauce and adjust seasoning. TAKE THE SKIN OFF OF YOUR CHICKEN AND THROW IT AWAY.
7.) Nestle the now skinless chicken into the sauce and cover. Let simmer on low for 45 minutes while pasta water boils and pasta cooks. IF the sauce looks thin then use the reserved tomato liquid from the 14 oz can to add to it. If it looks 'watery' feel free to add more paste.
8.) Serve chicken with pasta and top with the remaining basil and parsley and fresh grated Parmesan.
Enjoy!
