Recipe: Chicken Cacciatore

Chicken Cacciatore
Makes 4 Servings

1 tb poultry seasoning
1 tsp crushed dried oregano
1 (3 to 3 -pound) chicken, all visible fat removed, cut into 8 pieces
1 (16-ounce) can whole tomatoes with their liquid
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped green bell peppers
1 cup chopped fresh mushrooms
1 cup dry red wine
1/2 can tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 cup julienne onions
1 cup julienne green bell pepper
1/4 cup sliced fresh garlic
1 1/2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms

Combine the seasoning mix ingredients in a small bowl. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the seasoning mix evenly over the chicken and rub it in well. Pour the tomatoes and their liquid into a bowl and crush them. Heat the oil in a heavy 5-quart pot over high heat until very hot, about 4 minutes. Add the chicken pieces, skin side down, and cook, turning once or twice, until just golden brown on all sides, about 8 to 10 minutes. You may have to cook the chicken in batches. Remove the chicken to a bowl and set aside. Add the chopped onions, bell peppers, and mushrooms to the oil in the pot and scrape up all the browned bits on the bottom. Cook stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are lightly browned and beginning to stick to the pot, about 5 minutes. Add cup of the wine and scrape the pot bottom clean. Cook, stirring occasionally for 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook, scraping the bottom of the pot from time to time, about 4 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of the seasoning mix and cook, stirring, about 1 minute. Stir in the crushed tomatoes and the minced garlic, scrape the bottom of the pot clean, and bring to a bubbling boil. Add the remaining seasoning mix, the remaining wine, and some of the stock. Stir in the julienne onions and bell peppers and the sliced garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 minutes. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pot, stir and bring to a bubbling boil. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer for 2 minutes. Stir in the remaining stock, cover, and simmer for 7 minutes. Stir in the brown sugar, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the sliced mushrooms and simmer for 5 minutes. The sauce should be a rich, dark reddish brown. Serve 2 pieces of chicken per person with about 1 cup of sauce over your favorite pasta, and you can freeze any leftover sauce for another pasta dinner.