Pollo alla cacciatora confortante (senza glutine)

Ingredienti

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts*
• 1/4 cup (50g) organic olive oil
• 1 red bell pepper, stem and seeds discarded, chopped
• 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
• 2 stalks celery, trimmed and chopped
• 1/2 lb (227g) mushrooms, halved or quartered
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 cup (227g) dry white wine or dry vermouth (see PRO Tip above)
• 1 cup (about 225g) chopped tomatoes (my favorite brand is Pomi)
• 1/4 cup (61g) tomato sauce
• 1-1/2 cups (341g) chicken broth (gluten-free if needed)
• Kosher or fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes, optional
• Chopped green onions, optional

Preparazione

1. 1

   Brown the Chicken: Lightly season both sides of...: Brown the Chicken: Lightly season both sides of the chicken breasts with kosher or fine sea salt. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or deep, 12-inch (31cm) covered skillet, over medium-high heat. (I prefer a Dutch oven.) When it is shimmering, add the chicken and reduce the heat to medium. Cook just until golden brown, then turn them over and brown the other side. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside on a plate. You will finish cooking it in the sauce.

2. 2

   Make the Sauce: With the stove on medium...: Make the Sauce: With the stove on medium heat, add the bell peppers, onions, and celery to the same pan. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are softened, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic, rosemary, and oregano. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour in the wine and scrape up any browned bits from the chicken, deglazing the pan.

3. 3

   Stir in the tomatoes, tomato sauce, and chicken...: Stir in the tomatoes, tomato sauce, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and cook at a low boil for 20 minutes to blend the flavors and thicken the sauce a bit. About halfway through, stir in the mushrooms. When the sauce is thickened to your liking, taste and add salt and pepper if needed. If you want a spicy dish, add the red pepper flakes.

4. 4

   Place the chicken back in the pan, nestling...: Place the chicken back in the pan, nestling it into the sauce. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 10 to 15 more minutes or until an instant read thermometer inserted in the middle of the breast registers about 160°F (71°C). Timing will depend on the thickness of the chicken pieces. If the chicken pieces are sitting partially exposed above the level of the liquid, turn them over once or twice while cooking so they cook evenly and absorb the flavor of the sauce. Taste the sauce again and adjust the seasonings if needed.

5. 5

   Pull off the heat and cover; let rest...: Pull off the heat and cover; let rest at least 15 minutes which will allow the chicken to finish cooking. The cast iron pan will hold the heat for a long time, giving you time to finish making any accompanying dishes. I like to serve this with cooked pasta, smashed potatoes, creamy polenta, or boiled rice to help us get every last bite of the delicious sauce!

6. 6

   Place your choice of starch in serving bowls...: Place your choice of starch in serving bowls and top with some of the chicken and sauce. Sprinkle with green onions if desired and serve immediately.

7. 7

   * If you choose, you can use bone-in...: * If you choose, you can use bone-in chicken pieces instead of the boneless breasts. Brown them and set on a plate as described. Once you’ve stirred in the chicken stock, add the bone-in chicken pieces to the pot while you are reducing the sauce. They will take about 20 to 25 minutes to cook, just about as long as the sauce takes to thicken and the flavors to blend. Add the mushrooms about halfway through the cooking. Check the chicken with an instant read thermometer making sure the probe isn’t touching a bone for the best accuracy; about 160°F (71°C) for white meat, about 170°F (77°C) for dark meat.

8. 8

   If you are using Pomi tomatoes or...: If you are using Pomi tomatoes or another brand that has their chopped tomatoes in a thick sauce, you can use 1-1/4 cups of the tomatoes and delete the 1/4 cup of tomato sauce.