Spicy Chicken Cacciatore
This Italian main course is a straightforward dinner for four. Chicken leg portions are first browned on the hob, then cooked with sliced red peppers, chilli, red wine and a base of homemade tomato sauce. Black olives are added before the dish is finished in the oven, resulting in a rich, spicy casserole. It takes about 85 minutes to prepare and is served scattered with parsley, ideally with rice, mashed potato or polenta on the side.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 4 chicken leg portions, skin on
- 2 red peppers deseeded and cut into strips
- 1 medium red chilli deseeded and sliced
- glass red wine (about 175ml/6fl oz)
- 1/2 quantity tomato sauce (see 'Goes well with')
- 1-2 handfuls black olives
- chopped flatleaf parsley to serve
Method
- Set your oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Warm the olive oil in a large, deep ovenproof roasting pan that can hold the chicken in one layer. Season the chicken leg portions all over, then place the pan on the hob and cook for 7-10 mins per side until they are nicely browned. Remove the chicken from the pan using a slotted spoon and set it aside.
- Place the red pepper strips and sliced chilli into the same pan, which should still contain some fat. Cook them for 10 mins until softened and starting to colour at the edges. Drain away any extra fat, then pour in the glass of red wine, stirring well for 1-2 mins as it simmers. Add the half quantity of tomato sauce and stir to combine. Pour in a little water, up to 150ml, to create a thick, pourable sauce. Return the chicken to the pan, nestling it into the sauce, and scatter the black olives over the top. Cover the pan and bake for 30 mins. Remove the cover and cook for a further 15-20 mins to crisp the chicken skin. Skim off any surface fat, sprinkle with chopped flatleaf parsley and serve.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories485 kcal
Fat31 g
Saturates8 g
Carbs17 g
Sugars15 g
Fibre5 g
Protein32 g
Sodium304 mg
Recipe details
Skill levelEasy
CategoryMain course
Cuisineitalian
