First of all, thank you for your patience. The Pollo alla Cacciatora (Chicken Cacciatore) episode of “Katie Parla’s Roman Kitchen” on Recipe.TV premiered 2,000 years ago and yet I am only now sharing the written version. I was so occupied with writing, editing, and printing Food of the Italian Islands (support ya girl and order here, per favore!) and I just dropped the ball. My bad! If you haven’t seen the show you can catch the trailer for preview. Check your local listings for the full ep! And if your provider doesn’t have the network, you can see the recipe in action on my YouTube Channel:
Pollo alla cacciatora, “hunter’s style chicken,” is a central Italian staple. I grew up eating the Italian-American version in New Jersey, where it was often prepared with tomato sauce, mushrooms, peas, you name it. When I moved to Italy 20 years ago, I was pleasantly surprised to find the local versions in central and southern Italy used white wine and white wine vinegar instead of tomato to impart a touch of acid. The chicken absorbs these flavors, along with that of the garlic and herbs, as it simmers. The final product is tender and delicious and dare I say that it improves overnight in the fridge, so consider doubling the recipe so you have plenty of leftovers and can see for yourself!
My pollo alla cacciatora recipe is inspired by Stefano Callegari’s at Trappizzino and Romanè in Rome, which is why I only use dark meat, omitting breasts altogether so there’s no risk of having a dried out piece. If you are using white meat, consider that it cooks much more quickly and dries out more easily than dark meat. Take it out well before the dark meat pieces and set aside. You can substitute lamb or rabbit for the chicken.
Serves 4
Ingredients
3 pounds bone-in chicken legs and thighs, separated
Fine sea salt
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 sprig rosemary (or pick and roughly chop)
1 sprig sage, picked
3/4 cup dry white wine
¼ cup white wine vinegar
3 cups chicken broth or water, plus more as needed
Method
Salt the chicken at least a few hours and up to 12 hours before you intend to cook it. Place in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
Remove the chicken from the refrigerator 90 minutes before you intend to cook it so it’s not super cold when it goes in the pan.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over low heat. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the garlic and cook just until it begins to take color, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken, increase the heat to medium, and brown on all sides. Add the rosemary and sage and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add the wine, increase the heat to high and cook just until the alcohol aroma dissipates. Add the chicken stock and bring to a simmer.
Reduce the heat to low and cook, checking at the 30 minute mark to be sure there is enough stock in the pan. Cook until the chicken is super tender and easily detaches from the bone, about 1 hour total. Add the vinegar about 10 minutes before the chicken is ready.
If at this point the sauce is really juicy, increase the heat and reduce the liquid until it thickens. Adjust for seasoning and serve directly from the pan. Eat with your hands.
Sorry the closest thing to a finished product I’ve got is the obstructed photo below LOL.
