Hen Cacciatore, “Hunter’s Stew” or Pollo Cacciatore in Italian, is a hearty, rustic stew made with hen and greens simmered in a tomato sauce wealthy with wine and herbs. Easy, cosy, downright tasty do-it-yourself consolation meals!
Hen cacciatore – an Italian hen stew
I’ve a comfortable spot for hen stews (proof right here and right here and right here) since you get all of the stewy-goodness that takes hours with beef stew in below an hour. As a result of, thanks hen, you prepare dinner quick and we don’t must take you to fall-apart-goodness to be juicy perfection!
As we speak’s hen stew is Hen Cacciatore. “Cacciatore” means “hunter” in Italian and in cooking it generally refers to a stewy-type meal made with tomatoes, onion, herbs and often purple wine by which a protein is braised, sometimes hen and rabbit, although I’ve additionally seen lamb and vegetarian variations.
Cacciatore is a kind of meals the place there aren’t any guidelines or one technique to make it, which suggests there are numerous regional varieties and household recipes throughout Italy and the world.
And right now, I’m sharing my model which, in exterior of Italy (definitely in Australia) could be thought-about a reasonably basic model made with widespread selections together with hen with onions, mushrooms and capsicum (bell peppers).
The tomato based mostly stew sauce is flavoured with purple wine, rosemary, bay leaves and dried oregano, in addition to the flavours from the hen, greens and entire olives (don’t skip this!). It’s all simmered collectively for half-hour which is sufficient time for the flavours to meld collectively and for the hen to be cooked by to juicy perfection, however a lot quicker to make than a gradual cooked beef stew!
Elements in Hen Cacciatore
Right here’s what it is advisable make this Hen Cacciatore.
Greatest hen for Hen Cacciatore
As a result of the sauce must be simmered for half-hour to permit it to develop flavour and thicken, we’d like a minimize of hen that may maintain as much as that simmer time. Bone in thighs and drumsticks are the reply! Bonus: Juicier, tastier and cheaper than boneless hen breast. 🙂
Mixture of thighs and drumsticks – I like to make use of a mixture of thighs and drumsticks, however you need to use only one or the opposite. Use as many as you may match within the pan, allowing for they’ll shrink a bit as they prepare dinner (I exploit 4 of every, round 1.6kg / 3lb in whole). It will feed 4 adults with hearty appetites (one thigh and one drumstick every), or 6 smaller servings (both 1 thigh or 2 drumsticks per particular person).
Boneless thighs or breast – Nevertheless, should you favor or solely have boneless thighs or breast, I’ve popped instructions within the recipe notes for tips on how to regulate the recipe (simply add them again into the sauce in direction of the tip of the simmer time so that they don’t overcook).
Greens and herbs
Bugger! I forgot dried oregano within the photograph. 🙂
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Mushrooms – I simply use common white / button mushrooms. Be at liberty to make use of different varieties.
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Capsicum (bell peppers) – This imparts a definite flavour into the sauce which I like and affiliate with the “cacciatore” flavour. So I at all times use capsicum!
My brother prefers fennel which could be very on theme, being a vegetable broadly utilized in conventional Italian cooking. He additionally threw out the assertion “capsicum is soooo pedestrian, fennel makes it extra fascinating!”. The entire RecipeTin Household could be very opinionated about meals! 😂 Each fennel and capsicum are pretty on this dish. You select! There isn’t any proper reply.
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Bay leaves – I like to make use of contemporary as a result of I’ve a plant (glorious one to develop in a pot, arduous to unintentionally kill). Nevertheless, dried will work nice too.
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Rosemary – Utilizing sprigs of contemporary rosemary type of “perfumes” the sauce in a manner that dried rosemary is not going to. So actually attempt to use contemporary should you can, although it may be substituted with dried rosemary.
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Dried oregano – By chance overlooked of the photograph! I favor to make use of dried somewhat than contemporary as a result of it has an earthier flavour that I believe works higher for this dish.
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Onion and garlic – Important flavour base for the sauce!
Cacciatore sauce components
As talked about above, anchovies are the “secret ingredient” that add depth of flavour into this tomato based mostly sauce with out making it style fishy in any respect. I doubt even somebody with a very refined palette would know it’s in there. However, should you’re actually anti-anchovies, you need to use fish sauce as a substitute (related savouriness) or boring ole’ salt!
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Anchovies – Use the anchovies in oil that is available in jars and cans. The anchovies are gray and salty. Don’t use the white anchovies in a vinegary oil which are dearer. These are made for popping straight into your mouth somewhat than cooking with! I put them on charcuterie boards.
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Purple wine – Wine is used to flavour the sauce however as soon as cooked, it received’t style winey. I like to make use of pinot noir for cooking so that is the one I’ve readily available on a regular basis. Nevertheless, any dry purple wine can be utilized, or substituted with white wine. There isn’t any want to make use of costly wine right here, it’s wasted! Get a steeply discounted bottle from the low cost bins on the liquor retailer.
Non-alcoholic substitute – The alcohol within the wine is generally cooked out as a result of we scale back the wine then the sauce is simmered for an additional half-hour. Nevertheless, should you want an alcohol-free possibility, use additional hen inventory as a substitute.
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Kalamata olives – Use entire, pitted kalamata olives. The brine goodness of the olives provides each flavour and salt into the sauce, so don’t skip it! (Be aware: I manner favor the flavour and texture of Kalamata olives over customary “black olives” that are firmer and have much less flavour).
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Hen inventory/broth – Low sodium please. This manner we are able to management the extent of salt we add. I at all times fear when utilizing full salt hen inventory that sauces find yourself too salty and you’ll’t undo it.
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Tomato – Tomato paste and canned tomato. The tomato paste thickens the sauce (so we don’t want flour or different thickener) and provides an additional hit of tomato flavour.
Tips on how to make Hen Cacciatore
Brown hen pores and skin > sauté veg > simmer half-hour. Straightforward!
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Season – Lay the hen out on a tray then sprinkle all sides with salt and pepper.
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Brown – Utilizing a big pan with a lid (mine is 30cm/12″ huge, this Pyrolux, it appears to solely be out there in Australia). Sear the pores and skin aspect of the thighs till golden (about 6 minutes) then the flesh aspect for just one minute. Put it again on the identical attempt then brown the drumsticks as greatest you may (due to the form, you may’t brown it evenly, that’s okay).
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Sauté & dissolve anchovies – Sauté the onion with the rosemary and bay leaves till the onion is softened. Then clear an area in the midst of the pan and prepare dinner the garlic with the anchovies, mashing up the anchovies as you go (ie no must mince with a knife, simply add them in entire). Then combine the garlic and anchovies up with the onion.
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Cook dinner greens – Add the capsicum and mushrooms and prepare dinner for five minutes till softened. The mushrooms will go watery then the water will evaporate, by this time they need to be softened.
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Cook dinner off tomato paste – Add the tomato paste and prepare dinner for two minutes. It will take off the bitter edge and enhance the flavour, so don’t skip this step.
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Sauce – Add the wine and scale back by about 3/4 (to prepare dinner out the winey flavour, abandoning simply the tasty wine flavour). Then add the canned tomato, hen inventory/broth, dried oregano, salt and pepper.
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Simmer – As soon as the sauce comes as much as a simmer, gently place the hen items in, skin-side up. Then put the lid on and simmer for 20 minutes on medium. The liquid must be simmering gently, not quickly (it should spill over if it does).
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Olives & thicken sauce – Take away the lid and add the olives. Then simmer for an additional 10 minutes with out the lid. The olives will soften and meld into the sauce, and the sauce will scale back and thicken.
And that’s it! Able to serve!
Serve over mashed potato or polenta, a wonderful on-theme possibility for Italian meals. If you happen to don’t have the time to make “actual” polenta (which does take a very good 40 minutes or so), purchase “on the spot polenta” or “fast polenta” which takes 5 to 10 minutes on the range.
It’s additionally pretty over plain rice or simply served in a bowl with crusty bread on the aspect for mopping. Serve it with a leafy inexperienced salad on the aspect tossed with my On a regular basis Salad Dressing (or improve to Italian Dressing) for a easy midweek meal. Or should you’re making this for a Sunday Supper with household and buddies, go all out by serving it with a Mega Italian Salad, garlic bread and a heat Cinnamon Rice Pudding or Baked Stuffed Apples for dessert. Swoon! – Nagi x
Watch tips on how to make it
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Hen Cacciatore
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook dinner: 55 minutes
Mains
Italian
Elements
Cacciatore:
- 1 onion , halved, finely sliced
- 2 rosemary sprigs (about 15 cm/6″ lengthy), or 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 2 bay leaves , ideally contemporary else dried
- 3 garlic cloves , finely minced
- 3 anchovy fillets (or 1 tsp anchovy paste), non-compulsory (Be aware 2)
- 250 g mushrooms , sliced
- 2 purple capsicum , sliced 8 mm thick (medium, not large)
- 1/3 cup tomato paste
- 3/4 cup dry purple wine
- 2 cups hen inventory/broth , low sodium
- 400g/14 oz canned crushed tomato
- 16 entire kalamata olives , pitted, drained
- 1/4 tsp cooking/kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp dried oregano
Directions
Hen:
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Season – Unfold the hen out on a tray. Sprinkle either side with the salt and pepper.
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Brown pores and skin – Warmth the oil over excessive warmth in a big, deep, heavy based mostly pan, ideally one with a lid (Be aware 3). Place the hen thighs within the pan, pores and skin aspect down, and prepare dinner till the pores and skin is golden brown, round 6 minutes. Flip and prepare dinner the flesh aspect for simply 1 minute, then take away the hen onto the identical tray. Then add the drumsticks and brown all sides as greatest you may, about 1 1/2 minutes on all sides (the form makes it awkward). Take away onto the tray.
Cacciatore:
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Onion – Pour off and discard all however about 2 tablespoons of fats. Flip the warmth all the way down to medium and let the pan cool barely. Add the onion, rosemary leaves, bay leaves and dried oregano. Cook dinner for 3 minutes till the onion is beginning to soften.
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Garlic and anchovies – Clear an area in the midst of the pan. Add the anchovies and garlic, cooking, mashing up the anchovies, till the garlic is gentle golden, then stir it into the onion.
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Greens & tomato paste – Flip the warmth again as much as excessive. Add the mushroom and capsicum. Stir till softened – about 5 minutes (the mushrooms will go watery then the water will evaporate). Add the tomato paste and prepare dinner for two minutes to prepare dinner out the bitter flavour – don’t shortcut this.
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Sauce – Add the wine. Stir, convey to simmer then enable to scale back by round 75%. Add the inventory, canned tomato, salt and pepper. Stir, convey to a simmer.
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Simmer – Then rigorously place the hen into the sauce (pores and skin aspect up) and pour any juices on the tray in as effectively. When the liquid returns to a simmer, cowl, scale back the warmth to medium then simmer energetically for 20 minutes. Take away lid, add olives, simmer for an additional 10 minutes (no lid). It will scale back and thicken the sauce.
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Serve – Serve the hen with loads of sauce over mashed potato or polenta, sprinkled with parsley if desired.
Recipe Notes:
2. Anchovies are a effectively documented supplier of additional flavour into dishes, and when used accurately (like right here!) you may’t style any fishiness in any respect. Belief me! However, should you merely can’t do it, substitute with 2 tsp fish sauce (add with canned tomato) or as a final resort, add an additional 1/2 tsp salt into the sauce.
3. The pot you see pictured is 30cm / 12″ huge, this Pyrolux.
Lifetime of Dozer
When Dozer made the duvet of gossip mags!!!
OK, so he’s a small inset on the duvet – however nonetheless! Test one off his bucket record! 🙌🏻😂
This was press in relation to a little bit visitor choose look I did for Masterchef Australia which aired on Monday seventeenth June which you may watch right here on Ten Play. What an expertise! I’ll share extra about it in an upcoming life happenings replace. 🙂
On the well being entrance, Dozer is doing so effectively! His vitality ranges and power have improved to the purpose that he’s breaking out right into a run with out me having to coax him like I used to. He needs to play, he’s again to chasing birds, trotting into the kitchen every time I pull one thing tasty out of the oven and I even take him on skilled shoot days once more! 🥰
I really feel so grateful and relieved that he’s recovered okay from his surgical procedure to get an inexpensive degree of normalcy again into his life. Most significantly to me, he’s pleased and again to having fun with life – and meals!
Love this darn canine so darn a lot.
