I lighten up the standard cacciatore recipe and replaced the pasta with zucchini – still warm and filling and easy to make ahead, just sauté the zucchini right before serving.
Chicken Cacciatore with Zucchini and Green Olives
Serves 4
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 chicken thighs, bone in and skin removed, seasoned with salt and pepper
1 cup diced yellow onion (I use frozen)
1 ½ tablespoons sweet paprika
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
½ cup chicken stock
½ cup dry white wine
1 14.5 ounce can petite dice tomatoes
½ cup green olives, pitted if necessary
Salt and pepper to taste
2 pounds zucchini – in julienne strips (use a julienne peeler or a mandolin)
2 tablespoons butter
Sour cream
Flat leaf parsley – roughly chopped
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Heat a sauté pan to medium heat and add the butter.
- Add the onion and stir until they start to turn light brown.
- Add the, paprika, red pepper flakes and stir until fragrant.
- Add the chicken broth, wine and tomatoes and stir to deglaze the pan.
- In a Dutch oven (or an oven safe pan with a lid) place the chicken and the olives.
- Pour the tomato mixture over the chicken and olives.
- Cover and braise for about 2 hours or until the chicken is very tender.
- Remove the chicken to a cutting board and with two forks, pull apart the meat, remove the bones and return it to the pot – stir to combine.
