Roman Chicken Cacciatore Recipe
This Roman Chicken Cacciatore Recipe is a lighter, tangier take on an Italian classic with garlic and a delicious sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 whole 3 ½ to 4 pounds roasting chicken fabricated into individual cuts of breasts, thighs, and drums
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 finely minced anchovy fillets
- 6 thinly sliced garlic cloves
- 1 sprig of fresh rosemary
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- ½ cup white wine vinegar
- 1 cup chicken stock
- Finely minced flat-leaf Italian parsley for garnish
- Coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
- Pat the chicken dry on all sides with a paper towel and generously season with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Add 3 tablespoons of oil to a large sauce pan and heat over medium heat for 2 minutes.
- Place in the seasoned chicken skin side down and cook for 4 to 5 minutes per side or until the skin is crispy. Don’t worry about it being cooked all the way through. Set the chicken to the side on a plate.
- Add the anchovies to the pan and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes or until they break down and integrate into the hot oil.
- Stir in the rosemary sprig and sliced garlic cloves and cook just until they’re fragrant, which only takes about 30 to 45 seconds.
- Deglaze with the white wine and white wine vinegar and cook down until the amount of liquid is reduced by one half. Scrape the bottom of the pan as it reduces to remove all the fond.
- Pour in the chicken stock, season with salt and pepper, and place the chicken back in the pan. I like to leave the skin of the chicken out of the braising liquid to help keep it crispy.
- Cook uncovered over low to medium heat for 20 to 25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
- Serve with a garnish of parsley
Notes
Make-Ahead: For the crispiest chicken skin and most vibrant flavors, serve this as soon as it’s ready. You can also make it up to 1 hour ahead and keep it covered in a warm oven (around 200°F) until it’s time to eat.
How to Store: Cover the leftovers and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Place the cooled chicken and sauce in a freezer-safe container and freeze for 3 months. Thaw the leftovers overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
How to Reheat: Heat your desired amount of chicken and sauce in a saucepan over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes or until warmed through.
You need a well-sharpened chef’s knife or kitchen shears to split a whole chicken.
Always pat the chicken dry before adding the seasonings and searing to help the skin crisp up nicely.
If you don’t have a pan big enough to fit every piece, sear the chicken in batches. Overcrowding the pan can cause the chicken to steam and make the skin soggy.
Keep the skin above the chicken broth in the pan to help it stay crispy.
Adding olives is optional but standard in Roman cacciatore recipes. Some home cooks include them for a briny, salty kick. If this sounds tasty, add up to 1/2 cup of pitted green or black olives during the final 10 minutes of cooking.
Nutrition
Calories: 566kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 36gFat: 41gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 8gMonounsaturated Fat: 20gCholesterol: 170mgSodium: 229mgPotassium: 511mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 1615IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 43mgIron: 3mg