Recipe Categories
Pastas
Back to Pasta

                         Chicken Cacciatore

1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast (3 pieces) or, 1 package boneless, skinless chicken thighs, if you prefer dark meat
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons (2 turns around the pan) extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 portobello mushroom caps, halved crosswise and thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
1/2 cup beef broth or stock
1 (28-ounces) can crushed tomatoes
A handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 pound egg ribbons or egg fettuccini, cooked to al dente
Crusty bread and grated Parmigiano or Romano, for passing

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add half of the extra-virgin olive oil and brown chicken breasts or thighs for 3 or 4 minutes on each side. Remove chicken from pan and season with salt and pepper.

Return pan to stove, reduce heat to medium and add the remaining. Add crushed pepper, sliced mushrooms, and garlic. Season with salt (salt is a magnet for drawing out liquid). Cover and cook mushrooms 5 minutes or until mushrooms are dark, tender and have given off their juices. Add about 1/2 cup of beef broth to intensify the wild mushroom flavor, then stir in the tomatoes and parsley. Cut the chicken into bite-size chunks or slices and add to sauce. Simmer sauce 5 minutes to finish cooking chicken pieces and to allow the flavors to combine. Toss pasta with cacciatore and serve with crusty bread and grated cheese.

Women like silent men. They think they're listening.