Anne Burrell's Chicken Cacciatore

Total Time: 55 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• olive oil, as needed
• 1 (4 -5 lb) roasting chickens, cut into 8 to 10 pieces
• kosher salt
• 2 large onions, sliced
• 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
• 4 garlic cloves, smashed and finely chopped
• 1 red pepper, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 1 yellow pepper, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 1 lb cremini mushroom, cleaned and sliced
• 2 cups dry wine
• 2 (28 ounce) cans italian plum tomatoes, passed through the food mill (or pureed )
• 1 bunch thyme
• 3 bay leaves

Recipe

• 1 coat a large, wide pot with olive oil and bring to a high heat. season the chicken with salt and brown in the hot oil, working in batches, if needed. once all the chicken is brown, remove to a plate and discard most of the excess fat.
• 2 if needed to coat the bottom of the pan, add a tablespoon of olive oil. add the onions and crushed red pepper, season with salt, and sweat over low heat for 8 to 10 minutes. add the garlic and sweat for 1 to 2 minutes. add the peppers and cook until they are soft, about 2 to 3 minutes. add the mushrooms, season with salt and cook until they are soft. add the wine and reduce by half.
• 3 return the chicken to the pan and add the tomatoes; taste for seasoning. add the thyme bundle and bay leaves. bring the liquid to a boil and reduce to a simmer. partially cover the pot and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. check the level of the sauce periodically during the cooking process and replenish it with water as needed; the level of liquid should be about even with the chicken.
• 4 remove the chicken from the pot and place it on a pretty serving platter. taste the sauce for seasoning, adjust if needed. skim the surface of the sauce if excessively greasy. spoon the sauce over the chicken. tastes like chicken!