Earlier than making this dish, basic tomato-based rooster cacciatore by no means actually registered on my radar. And if I have been on some type of culinary Jeopardy, I’m unsure I may even inform you the elements within the dish past rooster and, possibly, tomatoes.
So, I approached this pared-down rooster cacciatore recipe with out preconceived notions. And, boy, am I certain glad I did. As a result of this blew away The One and me. Actually. We didn’t count on the rooster to be so falling-apart tender, to have a zing of acid from the vinegar and bass notes of umami from the anchovies. (Which, by the way in which, are an absolute should. Don’t skimp, or I’ll hunt you down….)
We loved this lighter, cleaner model of cacciatore a lot that we made it twice in a single week. And we agreed that it deserves a spot in our entertaining menu rotation.
It’s a cinch to make (with elements you most likely have in your fridge and pantry), and takes all of 90 minutes (principally hands-off time), which provides you time to whip up a salad or facet dish. Or, even higher, to place up your toes and knock again a cocktail or three.
Buon appetito!
Why Our Testers Beloved This
The testers adored the tender, fall-off-the-bone rooster this recipe produced and beloved that it made for a “delicious, simple dinner” with minimal effort.
What You’ll Have to Make This
- Rooster–You may have your butcher break down an entire chicken into 8 items, or you can also make this with a mix of bone-in rooster thighs, drumsticks, and halved bone-in rooster breasts.
- Lard or olive oil—Up to now, it was extra economical to prepare dinner with lard (pork fats) fairly than costly olive oil. Lard has a better smoke level than olive oil and imparts a delicate taste to recipes. Both works right here, however I urge you to make use of lard.
- White wine—For finest outcomes, use a dry white wine, comparable to Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc. Candy wines will alter the flavour of the dish.
The way to Make This Recipe
- Season the rooster items throughout with salt and pepper. Warmth the lard or oil in a big skillet or braising dish, then add the garlic and rosemary. Let prepare dinner till aromatic, then take away from the oil and put aside.
- Fry the rooster within the oil, turning sometimes, till golden brown throughout.
- Pour within the vinegar and wine and produce to a boil. Let it scale back for a couple of minutes.
- Add the anchovies and return the garlic and rosemary to the pan. Cowl and simmer till the rooster is tender and pulls away from the bone.
Widespread Questions
The place does the naming conference cacciatore, which in Italy is extra historically known as “alla cacciatora,” come from? The authors clarify that “cacciatora” means ‘hunter’s spouse,’ and in instances previous, she would’ve needed to rustle up a effervescent scorching pot from something her hunter hubby dragged house from a hunt.
Through the years, it grew to become a moniker for a stew of combined meats, often cooked with tomatoes, wine, and herbs. This dish most likely dates all the way in which again to historic Rome, when tomatoes hadn’t been introduced ashore from South America, and meals have been usually flavored with herbs, vinegar, and a touch of garum, the pungent anchovy sauce.
The hunter’s catch could possibly be rabbit, rooster, lamb, guinea fowl (which has a lot taste), and even meaty fish comparable to swordfish or monkfish. There you’ve it. Excellent chit-chat to your subsequent banquet the place this spectacular but simple recipe is the centerpiece.
I like to recommend sticking with bone-in rooster items when braising. The bones assist to maintain the meat tender and add taste to the dish, and, because of this, you’re much less prone to have dry, overcooked rooster.
Useful Suggestions
- Use a skillet, Dutch oven, or braiser sufficiently big to carry the entire rooster comfortably.
- Don’t crowd the pan when frying the rooster items, and work in batches, if crucial.
- This recipe is appropriate for gluten-free and dairy-free diets.
Storage and Reheating
You may retailer the cooked rooster cacciatore in a sealed container within the fridge for as much as 4 days. Reheat in a braiser, skillet, or Dutch oven on the stovetop over low warmth till warmed via.
What to Serve With This Recipe
I recommend serving this basic Italian rooster recipe with some creamy polenta and a few blanched spinach or charred greens. This time round, I charred some contemporary rainbow Swiss chard. It had simply the correct amount of bitterness to steadiness the dish.
Extra Excellent Braised Rooster Recipes
Write a Evaluate
In case you make this recipe, or any dish on LC, think about leaving a evaluation, a star ranking, and your finest photograph within the feedback under. I really like listening to from you.–David
I had the same dish whereas in Rome, and it modified my life. I’ve been looking for a Roman cacciatore recipe ever since.
That is very shut, though the one in Rome had an assortment of olives. Undoubtedly a unbelievable dish and actual proof of Rome’s historic secret weapon–the anchovy.
Vincent
Forestall your display screen from going darkish
Season the rooster items generously throughout with salt and pepper.
Warmth the lard or oil within the largest lidded skillet you’ve (or use 2 for those who can’t match all of the rooster comfortably into 1 pan) and add the garlic and rosemary.
Fry for two to three minutes over a medium warmth till you’ll be able to scent the herbs strongly; it will taste the oil. Take away the herbs from the pan earlier than they burn and put aside for later.
- Fry the rooster items on all sides till they are a wealthy golden brown, about 10 minutes.
☞ TESTER TIP: Be affected person and don’t flip them too usually; allow them to brown on one facet after which flip to the opposite.
Pour within the vinegar and wine and produce to a boil. Permit the liquid to cut back for a minute or two.
Stir the anchovies and the reserved herbs into the liquid.
Cowl the pan and scale back the warmth to a mild simmer. Cook dinner for 1 hour or till the meat falls simply from the bone. This can rely in your kind of meat, so permit sufficient time for it to get marvelously mushy. Examine the pan once in a while and add somewhat scorching water if it appears to be like dry.
Alter the seasoning as crucial and serve on mushy polenta or with a facet of merely sautéed greens.
- Don’t crowd the rooster–Use a skillet, Dutch oven, or braiser sufficiently big to carry the rooster items comfortably. When frying the rooster, don’t crowd the pan and work in batches, if crucial.
- Dietary–This recipe is appropriate for gluten-free and dairy-free diets.
Serving: 1 portionEnergy: 236 kcalCarbohydrates: 1 gProtein: 14 gFats: 18 gSaturated Fats: 6 gMonounsaturated Fats: 8 gTrans Fats: 0.1 gLdl cholesterol: 63 mgSodium: 157 mgFiber: 0.02 gSugar: 0.2 g
Vitamin info is robotically calculated, so ought to solely be used as an approximation.
Recipe © 2015 Katie and Giancarlo Caldesi. Pictures © 2024 David Leite. All rights reserved.
Recipe Testers’ Critiques
This model of rooster cacciatore with out tomatoes has actually received me over. What I beloved about this model was the austere therapy.
I attempted this with guinea legs and thighs and once more with simply bone-in, skin-on rooster thighs. I believe it’s simpler to show the smaller items within the pan for the browning, which you need to be very thorough, as that is the one time they’ll be capable to choose up shade. I additionally made certain that when completed browning, the pores and skin facet was dealing with up so that they’d retain as a lot crispness as doable.
Use your finest anchovies and very nice vinegar and wine. Subsequent time, I’ll additionally make a pleasant batch of fundamental polenta.
Scrumptious rooster and lovely pan juices with out a lot fuss. This recipe produced a delicious, simple weekend dinner for us. I made a decision to make use of rooster drumsticks to make it even easier to arrange and extra economical.
It took all of 45 minutes for the rooster to turn out to be fall-off-the-bone tender, and the pan juices tasted shiny with the vinegar with out being sharp. The aroma of rosemary was beautiful.
I served the rooster with sautéed inexperienced beans, and the sauce and garlic have been loved with heat ciabatta bread. I shared this dish with the identical taster, who additionally had Rooster with 40 Cloves of Garlic. We beloved each equally!
We actually loved this Roman model of Rooster alla Cacciatora. The flavour of the rosemary, garlic, and vinegar got here via completely.
Searing the rooster for 10 minutes gave it a stunning golden shade and imparted nice taste. We used a white Bordeaux wine. I served the rooster with sautéed zucchini and roasted pink potatoes.
