Chicken Cacciatore

Ingredients

• 2 lbs chicken thighs
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• All-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1+ pounds mushrooms, washed, trimmed, and quartered
• 1 medium (8-ounce; 225g) yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 5 medium cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 cup dry white wine OR red wine (like a Barbera D'Alba)
• 1 (28-ounce can) can peeled whole tomatoes, drained and crushed by hand, plus 1/2 cup (120ml) reserved juices from can
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• Sprigs of fresh rosemary, sage, or thyme
• 2 bay leaf

Directions

Season chicken all over with salt and pepper. Pour a roughly 1/2-inch layer of flour into a wide, shallow bowl. Dredge each chicken piece in flour and tap off excess.

In a Dutch oven or large straight-sided sauté pan, heat oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Working in batches, add chicken and cook, turning occasionally, until browned all over, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a platter as it finishes cooking and set aside. Once cooled, cook the chicken thighs into cubes.

Add mushrooms to pan and cook, scraping up browned bits with a wooden spoon and stirring occasionally, until browned all over, about 8 minutes. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring and scraping up any browned bits, until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the tomato paste and let caramalize, about 2 minutes.

Add wine and bring to a simmer. Add tomatoes and reserved juices, along with herb sprigs and bay leaf. Return to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Nestle chicken and any accumulated juices into liquid and vegetables.

Reduce to a low simmer for about 30 minutes, covered. Wine with a slapsh of wine (if using red), and salt to taste. Discard herb sprigs and bay leaf. Serve right away.