Chicken Cacciatore

Ingredients

• 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 red pepper, sliced
• 250 g chestnut mushrooms, halved
• 4 garlic cloves, sliced
• 200 ml red wine
• 1 tin of chopped tomatoes
• 100 g black olives
• 2 tbsp capers, rinsed
• a sprig of rosemary
• a handful of parsley

Method

1. Crisp the skin

   Season the thighs and brown them skin-down in the oil until the skin is deep gold, then lift them out. Give it a full 8 minutes without moving them — this is the only chance the skin gets to render properly.

   10 min

2. Vegetables in the fat

   Pour off most of the chicken fat, then cook the onion, pepper and mushrooms until softened and browning, and add the garlic for a minute.

   12 min

3. Deglaze with wine

   Add the wine and let it bubble down by half, scraping the base, then add the tomatoes and rosemary. Boiling the wine off first stops the sauce tasting raw and sharp.

   5 min

4. Braise skin-up

   Return the chicken skin-side up so the skin stays above the liquid, add the olives and capers, and simmer uncovered, or in a 170°C oven, until the meat is tender and the sauce thick.

   45 min

5. Rest and serve

   Let it stand 10 minutes and scatter with parsley. Like most braises it is better the next day, though the skin will have softened by then.

   10 min