PASTA WITH BRAISED CHICKEN, SAUSAGES, PEPPERS & TOMATOES

By HeatherS

You may use any cut of chicken or type of sausage to make this dish. Beef short ribs work well too. Try adding a head of chopped fennel to the sauce along with the peppers.

Ingredients

• a few splashes of olive oil
• 6 chicken thighs (skin-on and bone-in)
• 4 Italian sausages
• 2 large onions, diced
• 1 head of whole garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 cup (250 ml) of your favourite red wine
• one 28 oz (796 ml) can of tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of dried oregano
• 2 bay leaves
• a sprinkle or two of sea salt and freshly ground pepper
• one 11b (454 g) box of your favourite pasta

Details

Servings 4

Preparation

Step 1

Splash enough olive oil into a large sauce pot to cover the bottom with a thin film. Begin heating over medium-high heat.

Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Carefully add them to the pot, skin side down. If there is still room, add the sausages. Patiently brown the chicken and sausages on both sides. When they are golden brown and beautiful, remove them from the pan and set aside on a plate.

Drain some of the fat from the pan and put it back on the heat. Add the onions and stir for a few minutes until their moisture dissolves any lingering brown bits on the bottom of the pan. When the onions begin to caramelize and turn golden brown, add the garlic. Continue cooking for a few minutes longer.

Return the chicken and sausages to the pan and then toss in the bell peppers. Pour in the wine and tomatoes and add the oregano and bay leaves. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat just enough to maintain a simmer. Cover with a tight-fitting lid, and continue simmering until the chicken is cooked through and tender, about 1 hour or so.

When you are almost ready to serve, cook the pasta in lots of boiling salted water. (See Cooking Pasta, page 158.) Drain the pasta and pour into a large festive bowl, ladle the sauce over the pasta and serve immediately!