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 gentle 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 below 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!

Right now’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 normally purple wine through which a protein is braised, usually 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 aren’t any guidelines or one option to make it, which suggests there are numerous regional varieties and household recipes throughout Italy and the world.

And immediately, I’m sharing my model which, in exterior of Italy (definitely in Australia) could be thought-about a reasonably basic model made with common decisions together with hen with onions, mushrooms and capsicum (bell peppers).

The tomato based mostly stew sauce is flavoured with purple 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 way 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 you must 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 consideration they are going to shrink a bit as they prepare dinner (I take advantage of 4 of every, round 1.6kg / 3lb in complete). This may feed 4 adults with hearty appetites (one thigh and one drumstick every), or 6 smaller servings (both 1 thigh or 2 drumsticks per individual).

Different appropriate cuts – Rooster Marylands (quarters) would even be ultimate! I’d use 4.

Boneless thighs or breast – Nonetheless, for those who desire or solely have boneless thighs or breast, I’ve popped instructions within the recipe notes for find out how to regulate the recipe (simply add them again into the sauce in the direction of the top of the simmer time so that they don’t overcook).

Greens and herbs

Bugger! I forgot dried oregano within the photograph. 🙂

Mushrooms – I simply use common white / button mushrooms. Be at liberty to make use of different sorts.
Capsicum (bell peppers) – This imparts a definite flavour into the sauce which I like and affiliate with the “cacciatore” flavour. So I all the time 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 fascinating!”. The entire RecipeTin Household could be very opinionated about meals! 😂 Each fennel and capsicum are beautiful on this dish. You select! There is no such thing as a proper reply.
Bay leaves – I like to make use of contemporary as a result of I’ve a plant (wonderful one to develop in a pot, onerous to by chance kill). Nonetheless, dried will work tremendous too.
Rosemary – Utilizing sprigs of contemporary rosemary form of “perfumes” the sauce in a approach that dried rosemary won’t. So actually attempt to use contemporary for those who can, although it may be substituted with dried rosemary.
Dried oregano – By accident not noted of the photograph! I desire 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 elements

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 a substitute (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.
Pink wine – Wine is used to flavour the sauce however as soon as cooked, it gained’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 purple wine can be utilized, or substituted with white wine. There is no such thing as a 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 usually cooked out as a result of we cut back the wine then the sauce is simmered for an additional half-hour. Nonetheless, for those who want an alcohol-free possibility, use additional hen inventory as a substitute.
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! (Notice: I approach desire the flavour and texture of Kalamata olives over commonplace “black olives” that are firmer and have much less flavour).
Rooster inventory/broth – Low sodium please. This manner we will management the extent of salt we add. I all the time fear when utilizing full salt hen inventory that sauces find yourself too salty and you may’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.

The way to make Rooster Cacciatore

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

Season – Lay the hen out on a tray then sprinkle all sides with salt and pepper.
Brown – Utilizing a big pan with a lid (mine is 30cm/12″ extensive, this Pyrolux, it appears to solely be obtainable in Australia). Sear the pores and skin aspect of the thighs till golden (about 6 minutes) then the flesh aspect for just one minute. Put it again on the identical strive then brown the drumsticks as greatest 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.
Cook 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.

Cook dinner off tomato paste – Add the tomato paste and prepare dinner for two minutes. This may 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 ought to be simmering gently, not quickly (it is going to spill over if it does).
Olives & thicken sauce – Take away the lid and add the olives. Then simmer for an additional 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 superb on-theme possibility for Italian meals. In the event you don’t have the time to make “actual” polenta (which does take 40 minutes or so), purchase “immediate 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 aspect for mopping. Serve it with a leafy inexperienced salad on the aspect 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 mates, 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 (Italian hen stew)

Rooster cacciatore – an Italian hen stew