Chicken alla cacciatora — the classic Italian chicken braised with tomatoes, peppers and red wine

Chicken alla cacciatora, which in Italian means “hunter’s style”, is one of the best-known dishes of Italian peasant cuisine. As Italy’s long culinary tradition has it, the recipe was born in central Italy, where hunters prepared their game with vegetables, wine and herbs — today it is made with chicken and is one of the most sought-after recipes in the world.

Ingredients (4 servings):

• 1 whole chicken, about 1.5 kg, cut into pieces (or 8 chicken thighs)
• 2 red peppers, cut into strips
• 200 g mushrooms, sliced
• 1 large onion, finely sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 can peeled tomatoes (400 g)
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 150 ml red wine (or chicken stock)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 bay leaves
• salt and black pepper, to taste
• fresh chopped parsley, to serve

Preparation steps:

1. Heat the olive oil in a deep pot and fry the chicken pieces, seasoned with salt and pepper, until golden on all sides. Remove and set aside.
2. In the same pot add the onion, peppers and mushrooms; fry for 6–7 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and fry for 1 more minute.
3. Add the tomato paste, stir for 1 minute, then pour in the red wine and let it simmer for 2 minutes until some of the alcohol evaporates.
4. Return the chicken pieces to the pot, add the crushed peeled tomatoes, the oregano and the bay leaves. Cover with a lid and let it simmer on low heat for about 40 minutes, until the chicken is tender.
5. Remove the lid for the last 10 minutes so the sauce thickens. Remove the bay leaves, check the salt and serve warm with fresh parsley on top.

Preparation time: 20 minutes | Cooking time: 50 minutes | Servings: 4

Serve with rustic bread, polenta or short pasta that soaks up the sauce.