Chicken Cacciatore

This is a very old recipe with probably 1,000 ways to make it the "right way," and of course I am sure mine isn't one of them, but right to me is what works and this worked great! Delicious, simple and will make superb leftovers.

One note about cooking time - if you arrive home at 8 p.m. after a workout, starving, use boneless chicken breasts or tenderloins - NOT bone-in chicken or you'll eat at 10:30 like I did. Just a note of caution.

Chicken Cacciatore:
(serves 4-6)
4 average size or 3 large bone-in chicken breasts, skin on
1 large onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
4-6 garlic cloves, minced
8 oz fresh sliced button mushrooms
1 28 oz can whole tomatoes, tomatoes & juice
2 tbs olive oil, or as needed
2 tbs fresh chopped rosemary
2 tbs fresh chopped parsley
2 tbs balsamic vinegar
1.5 c red wine
Salt and Pepper to taste
Crushed red pepper to taste
Cooked egg noodles/pasta for serving

Directions:
Season chicken and brown in a skillet on high heat with olive oil. Remove from skillet, set aside on a plate.

Saute chopped onion, pepper and garlic in the same saute pan until softened and the crusty brown bits have been absorbed.

Add mushrooms, cook until soft and all liquid is gone. Add red wine, reduce by half at least. Add balsamic and then tomatoes, chopping roughly with stirring spoon. Add rosemary. Simmer until reduced, then add chicken back in. If sauce is too dry, add up to 1/2 cup water or stock. Simmer chicken this way for 20-60 minutes. This depends on how large the chicken pieces are, you want fall-off-the-bone tender and the sauce reduced enough to be the right consistency for pasta.

Once chicken is done and sauce is thickened, season again to taste with salt and red and black pepper. Serve over egg noodles or pasta. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with red wine - preferably the same one you used for the sauce.