Chicken Cacciatore

By draingal

Ingredients

• 4 chicken thighs
• 2 chicken breasts with skin and backbone, halved crosswise
• 2 tsp. salt, plus more to taste
• 1 tsp. freshly ground pepper, plus more to taste
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour, for dredging
• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 large red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 5 medium mushrooms quartered
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 3/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes with juice
• 3/4 cup chicken broth
• 3 tbsp. drained capers (or not)
• 1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano leaves
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves

Preparation

Step 1

Sprinkle the chicken pieces with 1 tsp. of each salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour to coat lightly.
In a large heavy sauté pan, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. Add the chicken pieces to the pan and sauté just until brown, about 5 minutes per side. If all the chicken does not fit in the pan , sauté in two batches. Transfer the chicken the a plate and set aside. Add the bell pepper, onion, mushrooms and garlic to the same pan and sauté over medium heat until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the wine and simmer until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add the pan and turn them to coat in the sauce. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Continue simmering over medium-low heat until the chicken is just cooked through, about 30 minutes for the breast pieces, and 20 minutes for the thighs.
Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a platter. If necessary, boil the sauce until it thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Spoon off excess fat from atop the sauce. Spoon the sauce over the chicken, then sprinkle with the basil and serve.