Earlier than making this dish, basic tomato-based hen cacciatore by no means actually registered on my radar. And if I had been on some type of culinary Jeopardy, I’m unsure I might even inform you the substances within the dish past hen and, perhaps, tomatoes.
So, I approached this pared-down hen cacciatore recipe with out preconceived notions. And, boy, am I certain glad I did. As a result of this blew away The One and me. Really. We didn’t anticipate the hen to be so falling-apart tender, to have a zing of acid from the vinegar and bass notes of umami from the anchovies. (Which, by the best way, are an absolute should. Don’t skimp, or I’ll hunt you down….)
We loved this lighter, cleaner model of cacciatore a lot that we made it twice in a single week. And we agreed that it deserves a spot in our entertaining menu rotation.
It’s a cinch to make (with substances you in all probability have in your fridge and pantry), and takes all of 90 minutes (largely hands-off time), which supplies you time to whip up a salad or facet dish. Or, even higher, to place up your toes and knock again a cocktail or three.
Buon appetito!
Why Our Testers Liked This
The testers adored the tender, fall-off-the-bone hen this recipe produced and cherished that it made for a “delicious, straightforward dinner” with minimal effort.
What You’ll Have to Make This
- Hen–You’ll be able to have your butcher break down an entire fowl into 8 items, or you may make this with a mixture of bone-in hen thighs, drumsticks, and halved bone-in hen breasts.
- Lard or olive oil—Prior to now, it was extra economical to cook dinner with lard (pork fats) fairly than costly olive oil. Lard has the next smoke level than olive oil and imparts a delicate taste to recipes. Both works right here, however I urge you to make use of lard.
- White wine—For finest outcomes, use a dry white wine, akin to Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc. Candy wines will alter the flavour of the dish.
Methods to Make This Recipe
- Season the hen items throughout with salt and pepper. Warmth the lard or oil in a big skillet or braising dish, then add the garlic and rosemary. Let cook dinner till aromatic, then take away from the oil and put aside.
- Fry the hen within the oil, turning sometimes, till golden brown throughout.
- Pour within the vinegar and wine and convey to a boil. Let it scale back for a couple of minutes.
- Add the anchovies and return the garlic and rosemary to the pan. Cowl and simmer till the hen is tender and pulls away from the bone.
Frequent Questions
The place does the naming conference cacciatore, which in Italy is extra historically known as “alla cacciatora,” come from? The authors clarify that “cacciatora” means ‘hunter’s spouse,’ and in instances previous, she would’ve needed to rustle up a effervescent scorching pot from something her hunter hubby dragged house from a hunt.
Through the years, it grew to become a moniker for a stew of combined meats, normally cooked with tomatoes, wine, and herbs. This dish in all probability dates all the best way again to historical Rome, when tomatoes hadn’t been introduced ashore from South America, and meals had been usually flavored with herbs, vinegar, and a splash of garum, the pungent anchovy sauce.
The hunter’s catch may very well be rabbit, hen, lamb, guinea fowl (which has a lot taste), and even meaty fish akin to swordfish or monkfish. There you have got it. Excellent chit-chat to your subsequent ceremonial dinner the place this spectacular but straightforward recipe is the centerpiece.
I like to recommend sticking with bone-in hen items when braising. The bones assist to maintain the meat tender and add taste to the dish, and, because of this, you’re much less prone to have dry, overcooked hen.
Useful Suggestions
- Use a skillet, Dutch oven, or braiser large enough to carry the entire hen comfortably.
- Don’t crowd the pan when frying the hen items, and work in batches, if essential.
- This recipe is appropriate for gluten-free and dairy-free diets.
Storage and Reheating
You’ll be able to retailer the cooked hen cacciatore in a sealed container within the fridge for as much as 4 days. Reheat in a braiser, skillet, or Dutch oven on the stovetop over low warmth till warmed via.
What to Serve With This Recipe
I recommend serving this basic Italian hen recipe with some creamy polenta and a few blanched spinach or charred greens. This time round, I charred some recent rainbow Swiss chard. It had simply the correct quantity of bitterness to stability the dish.
Extra Excellent Braised Hen Recipes
Write a Evaluate
When you make this recipe, or any dish on LC, take into account leaving a overview, a star score, and your finest photograph within the feedback beneath. I really like listening to from you.–David
I had an identical dish whereas in Rome, and it modified my life. I’ve been trying to find a Roman cacciatore recipe ever since.
That is very shut, though the one in Rome had an assortment of olives. Undoubtedly a incredible dish and actual proof of Rome’s historical secret weapon–the anchovy.
Vincent
Stop your display screen from going darkish
- Don’t crowd the hen–Use a skillet, Dutch oven, or braiser large enough to carry the hen items comfortably. When frying the hen, don’t crowd the pan and work in batches, if essential.
- Dietary–This recipe is appropriate for gluten-free and dairy-free diets.
Serving: 1 portionEnergy: 236 kcalCarbohydrates: 1 gProtein: 14 gFats: 18 gSaturated Fats: 6 gMonounsaturated Fats: 8 gTrans Fats: 0.1 gLdl cholesterol: 63 mgSodium: 157 mgFiber: 0.02 gSugar: 0.2 g
Diet data is routinely calculated, so ought to solely be used as an approximation.
Recipe © 2015 Katie and Giancarlo Caldesi. Images © 2024 David Leite. All rights reserved.
Recipe Testers’ Opinions
This model of hen cacciatore with out tomatoes has actually gained me over. What I cherished about this model was the austere remedy.
I attempted this with guinea legs and thighs and once more with simply bone-in, skin-on hen thighs. I believe it’s simpler to show the smaller items within the pan for the browning, which you wish to be very thorough, as that is the one time they’ll be capable to decide up shade. I additionally made certain that when completed browning, the pores and skin facet was going through up so that they’d retain as a lot crispness as attainable.
Use your finest anchovies and very nice vinegar and wine. Subsequent time, I’ll additionally make a pleasant batch of primary polenta.
Scrumptious hen and beautiful pan juices with out a lot fuss. This recipe produced a delicious, straightforward weekend dinner for us. I made a decision to make use of hen drumsticks to make it even easier to arrange and extra economical.
It took all of 45 minutes for the hen to change into fall-off-the-bone tender, and the pan juices tasted vivid with the vinegar with out being sharp. The aroma of rosemary was pretty.
I served the hen with sautéed inexperienced beans, and the sauce and garlic had been loved with heat ciabatta bread. I shared this dish with the identical taster, who additionally had Hen with 40 Cloves of Garlic. We cherished each equally!
We actually loved this Roman model of Hen alla Cacciatora. The flavour of the rosemary, garlic, and vinegar got here via completely.
Searing the hen for 10 minutes gave it a beautiful golden shade and imparted nice taste. We used a white Bordeaux wine. I served the hen with sautéed zucchini and roasted crimson potatoes.
