Pollo alla Cacciatore

This is a famous New York Italian recipe.  Cacciatore is a stewed chicken recipe.  The sauce should be tight against the chicken and not thin and loose on the plate.  The flavor of this entree is very rich! 
     Recipe:  Trim the skin and fat off of a chicken breast and leave the bones on.  Cut the chicken breast through the bone into large pieces. 
     Saute the chicken pieces with a splash of olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat till the chicken becomes lightly browned. 
     Add a little bit of chopped garlic.  Add large pieces of onions and green bell peppers.  Add fresh mushroom halves.  Add a bay leaf, a few pinches of oregano, sea salt and black pepper. 
     Saute and stir till vegetables are cooked al dente.  Add a splash of white wine.  Add a little bit of chicken broth.  Add some salsa pomodoro.  (The salsa pomodoro recipe was posted at my recipe blog on 11/12/2010 in the Calamari e Spaghetti alla Salsa Pomodoro recipe.) 
     Simmer and turn the chicken pieces occasionally.  Simmer uncovered till the chicken is fully cooked.  (Don't overcook the chicken or it will be dried out like a cheap buffet chicken cacciatore ... LOL) 
     Set the chicken pieces on a plate.  Spoon the sauce and vegetables over and around the chicken.  Place some al dente cooked fettucini noodles in the center of the plate between chicken pieces.  Serve with some grated fresh parmesan cheese on the side. 
     The tomato sauce will turn a little darker color from stewing instead of bright red.  The flavor and aroma is 100% New York Italian!  This is another simple perfection Italian dish that has so much history and flavor.  Its funny, you never feel full eating chicken cacciatore!  Some people make this dish with no mushrooms but this is the way it was taught to me when I apprenticed in Italian kitchens.  Mama Mia!  YUM!  Ciao baby...  Shawna