Rooster Cacciatore (Italian hen stew)

Rooster Cacciatore, “Hunter’s Stew” or Pollo Cacciatore in Italian, is a hearty, rustic stew made with hen and greens simmered in a tomato sauce wealthy with wine and herbs. Easy, cosy, downright tasty do-it-yourself consolation meals!

Pan of freshly made Chicken Cacciatore - Pollo Cacciatore

Rooster cacciatore – an Italian hen stew

I’ve a comfortable spot for hen stews (proof right here and right here and right here) since you get all of the stewy-goodness that takes hours with beef stew in underneath an hour. As a result of, thanks hen, you prepare dinner quick and we don’t have to take you to fall-apart-goodness to be juicy perfection!

As we speak’s hen stew is Rooster Cacciatore. “Cacciatore” means “hunter” in Italian and in cooking it generally refers to a stewy-type meal made with tomatoes, onion, herbs and often crimson wine wherein a protein is braised, sometimes hen and rabbit, although I’ve additionally seen lamb and vegetarian variations.

Cut open piece of Chicken Cacciatore - Pollo Cacciatore

Cacciatore is a type of meals the place there are not any guidelines or one strategy to make it, which implies there are numerous regional varieties and household recipes throughout Italy and the world.

And immediately, I’m sharing my model which, in outdoors of Italy (actually in Australia) can be thought of a reasonably basic model made with well-liked decisions together with hen with onions, mushrooms and capsicum (bell peppers).

The tomato based mostly stew sauce is flavoured with crimson wine, rosemary, bay leaves and dried oregano, in addition to the flavours from the hen, greens and entire olives (don’t skip this!). It’s all simmered collectively for half-hour which is sufficient time for the flavours to meld collectively and for the hen to be cooked by means of to juicy perfection, however a lot sooner to make than a gradual cooked beef stew!

Chicken Cacciatore - Pollo Cacciatore in a bowl ready to be served

Elements in Rooster Cacciatore

Right here’s what it’s essential to make this Rooster Cacciatore.

Greatest hen for Rooster Cacciatore

As a result of the sauce must be simmered for half-hour to permit it to develop flavour and thicken, we’d like a minimize of hen that may maintain as much as that simmer time. Bone in thighs and drumsticks are the reply! Bonus: Juicier, tastier and cheaper than boneless hen breast. 🙂

Mixture of thighs and drumsticks – I like to make use of a mixture of thighs and drumsticks, however you should utilize only one or the opposite. Use as many as you possibly can match within the pan, taking into account they are going to shrink a bit as they prepare dinner (I exploit 4 of every, round 1.6kg / 3lb in whole). This can feed 4 adults with hearty appetites (one thigh and one drumstick every), or 6 smaller servings (both 1 thigh or 2 drumsticks per particular person).

Different appropriate cuts – Rooster Marylands (quarters) would even be superb! I might use 4.

Boneless thighs or breast – Nonetheless, for those who choose or solely have boneless thighs or breast, I’ve popped instructions within the recipe notes for tips on how to modify the recipe (simply add them again into the sauce in the direction of the tip of the simmer time in order that they don’t overcook).

Greens and herbs

Bugger! I forgot dried oregano within the picture. 🙂

Mushrooms – I simply use common white / button mushrooms. Be happy to make use of different varieties.
Capsicum (bell peppers) – This imparts a definite flavour into the sauce which I like and affiliate with the “cacciatore” flavour. So I at all times use capsicum!

My brother prefers fennel which could be very on theme, being a vegetable extensively utilized in conventional Italian cooking. He additionally threw out the assertion “capsicum is soooo pedestrian, fennel makes it extra attention-grabbing!”. The entire RecipeTin Household could be very opinionated about meals! 😂 Each fennel and capsicum are beautiful on this dish. You select! There isn’t any proper reply.
Bay leaves – I like to make use of contemporary as a result of I’ve a plant (glorious one to develop in a pot, onerous to unintentionally kill). Nonetheless, dried will work high-quality too.
Rosemary – Utilizing sprigs of contemporary rosemary form of “perfumes” the sauce in a approach that dried rosemary is not going to. So actually attempt to use contemporary for those who can, although it may be substituted with dried rosemary.
Dried oregano – Unintentionally omitted of the picture! I choose to make use of dried somewhat than contemporary as a result of it has an earthier flavour that I feel works higher for this dish.
Onion and garlic – Important flavour base for the sauce!

Cacciatore sauce substances

As talked about above, anchovies are the “secret ingredient” that add depth of flavour into this tomato based mostly sauce with out making it style fishy in any respect. I doubt even somebody with a extremely refined palette would know it’s in there. However, for those who’re actually anti-anchovies, you should utilize fish sauce as an alternative (comparable savouriness) or boring ole’ salt!

Anchovies – Use the anchovies in oil that is available in jars and cans. The anchovies are gray and salty. Don’t use the white anchovies in a vinegary oil which are costlier. These are made for popping straight into your mouth somewhat than cooking with! I put them on charcuterie boards.
Crimson wine – Wine is used to flavour the sauce however as soon as cooked, it received’t style winey. I like to make use of pinot noir for cooking so that is the one I’ve readily available on a regular basis. Nonetheless, any dry crimson wine can be utilized, or substituted with white wine. There isn’t any want to make use of costly wine right here, it’s wasted! Get a steeply discounted bottle from the low cost bins on the liquor retailer.

Non-alcoholic substitute – The alcohol within the wine is generally cooked out as a result of we cut back the wine then the sauce is simmered for an extra half-hour. Nonetheless, for those who want an alcohol-free choice, use further hen inventory as an alternative.
Kalamata olives – Use entire, pitted kalamata olives. The brine goodness of the olives provides each flavour and salt into the sauce, so don’t skip it! (Observe: I approach choose the flavour and texture of Kalamata olives over customary “black olives” that are firmer and have much less flavour).
Rooster inventory/broth – Low sodium please. This fashion we are able to management the extent of salt we add. I at all times fear when utilizing full salt hen inventory that sauces find yourself too salty and you’ll’t undo it.
Tomato – Tomato paste and canned tomato. The tomato paste thickens the sauce (so we don’t want flour or different thickener) and provides an additional hit of tomato flavour.

How one can make Rooster Cacciatore

Brown hen pores and skin > sauté veg > simmer half-hour. Simple!

Season – Lay the hen out on a tray then sprinkle either side with salt and pepper.
Brown – Utilizing a big pan with a lid (mine is 30cm/12″ large, this Pyrolux, it appears to solely be obtainable in Australia). Sear the pores and skin facet of the thighs till golden (about 6 minutes) then the flesh facet for just one minute. Put it again on the identical strive then brown the drumsticks as finest you possibly can (due to the form, you possibly can’t brown it evenly, that’s okay).

Sauté & dissolve anchovies – Sauté the onion with the rosemary and bay leaves till the onion is softened. Then clear an area in the course of the pan and prepare dinner the garlic with the anchovies, mashing up the anchovies as you go (ie no have to mince with a knife, simply add them in entire). Then combine the garlic and anchovies up with the onion.
Prepare dinner greens – Add the capsicum and mushrooms and prepare dinner for five minutes till softened. The mushrooms will go watery then the water will evaporate, by this time they need to be softened.

Prepare dinner off tomato paste – Add the tomato paste and prepare dinner for two minutes. This can take off the bitter edge and enhance the flavour, so don’t skip this step.
Sauce – Add the wine and cut back by about 3/4 (to prepare dinner out the winey flavour, abandoning simply the tasty wine flavour). Then add the canned tomato, hen inventory/broth, dried oregano, salt and pepper.

Simmer – As soon as the sauce comes as much as a simmer, gently place the hen items in, skin-side up. Then put the lid on and simmer for 20 minutes on medium. The liquid must be simmering gently, not quickly (it should spill over if it does).
Olives & thicken sauce – Take away the lid and add the olives. Then simmer for an extra 10 minutes with out the lid. The olives will soften and meld into the sauce, and the sauce will cut back and thicken.

And that’s it! Able to serve!

Serve over mashed potato or polenta, a wonderful on-theme choice for Italian meals. For those who don’t have the time to make “actual” polenta (which does take a very good 40 minutes or so), purchase “instantaneous polenta” or “fast polenta” which takes 5 to 10 minutes on the range.

It’s additionally beautiful over plain rice or simply served in a bowl with crusty bread on the facet for mopping. Serve it with a leafy inexperienced salad on the facet tossed with my On a regular basis Salad Dressing (or improve to Italian Dressing) for a easy midweek meal. Or for those who’re making this for a Sunday Supper with household and associates, go all out by serving it with a Mega Italian Salad, garlic bread and a heat Cinnamon Rice Pudding or Baked Stuffed Apples for dessert. Swoon! – Nagi x

Rooster cacciatore – an Italian hen stew