Substitute 4 to 6 (4 to 6-ounce) boneless pork chops for the chicken.Cacciatore is Italian for “hunter’s style,” and since Italians in all regions are hunters this dish is almost a national one. A number of foods from chicken to beef to veal use cacciatore as a handle, but all it means is that the dish is cooked with tomatoes, onions, pancetta, and mushrooms. The rest of the ingredients are up to the cook.
Makes 4 to 6 servings | Prep time: 20 minutes | Minimum cook time: 3 hours in a medium slow cooker
1 (3- to 4-pound) chicken, cut into serving pieces, or 6 chicken pieces of your choice
1/4 cup olive oil
2 large onions, halved and thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound cremini mushrooms, wiped with a damp paper towel, trimmed, and sliced
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage or 1 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1. Preheat the oven broiler, and line a broiler pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Rinse chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Broil chicken pieces for 3 minutes per side, or until browned. Transfer chicken pieces to the slow cooker, skin side down.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, garlic, and mushrooms, and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes, or until mushrooms begin to soften. Scrape mixture into the slow cooker.
3. Add tomatoes, wine, thyme, sage, and rosemary to the slow cooker, and stir well. Cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours or on High for 3 to 4 hours, or until chicken is cooked through, tender, and no longer pink. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve hot.
Note: The dish can be prepared up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated, tightly covered. Reheat it, covered, in a 350°F oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until hot.
Variations:
Substitute 4 to 6 (4 to 6-ounce) boneless pork chops for the chicken.
Add 1/2 cup chopped dried porcini mushrooms to the slow cooker.