Herb seasoned crisp chicken thighs with a traditional Cacciatore sauce of tomatoes, wine, olives, onions and herbs served alongside zucchini ‘zoodles’!
Chicken Cacciatori
A rustic Italian sauce served most often over chicken or Rabbit, sometimes called “hunter-style”.
Since rabbit is a very lean mean and one I most often prefer to cook in a white wine sauce with lots of mushrooms, I chose the chicken thigh.
Not a lot of fat goes into the Cacciatore recipe, other than olive oil, so the skin of the chicken thigh, seared high to release its fat, was just enough extra flavor for this garden fresh Italian sauce.
Cacciatore Sauce
Summer gardens in Italy, my house here in Maryland as well, is bursting with lots and lots of tomatoes, peppers and fresh herbs that it makes sense to save this recipe until the end of summer.
Whether the ingredients come from your garden, deck pots or the farmer’s market, this dish is spectacular.
September is when I first made this dish and so dinner was served poolside, before it would soon close, and with a heap of ‘zoodles’!
Zoodles and Zoodles of Zucchini!
Who ever created the zoodle machine was nothing short of brilliant! This inexpensive little gadget takes zucchini, yellow squash, skinny eggplant and a few other veggies and cuts them into noodles.
The zoodles I served alongside the Chicken Cacciatore were from my garden as well, cut into noodles, sautéed quickly in olive oil, garlic and a squeeze of lemon. One spectacular and easy meal!
Homemade Bread and a glass of wine served with this garden fresh dinner is the only way I hope to wrap up summer for as long as I live!
Ingredients Needed
- Chicken thighs – bone in, skin on
- Flour
- Salt and Pepper
- Onions
- Tomatoes
- Garlic
- Black olives
- Fresh herbs – oregano or marjoram
- Red wine
- Olive oil
- Butter
- Zucchini
- Lemon juice and zest
Equipment Needed
- Large cast iron pan with a lid
- Tongs
- Cooking spoon
- Cutting board
- Chopping knife
- Medium size bowl
- Measuring cup
- Measuring spoons
- Stovetop or burner
Chicken Cacciatore with Zucchini Zoodles
Equipment
- Large cast iron pan with lid
- Small saute pan with lid
Ingredients
- 4 Chicken thighs – skin on
- 1 cup All Purpose Flour
- 2 tbsp Butter
- 2 cups Onions, chopped
- 2 cups Tomatoes , chopped
- 3 Garlic cloves, crushed
- 1/2 cup Black Olives , chopped
- 1/2 cup Fresh Herbs, oregano or marjoram
- 1 cup Red wine
- Olive oil, as needed
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 Large Zucchini
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp Lemon zest
Instructions
- Heat a large cast iron pan with a lid.
- Dredge the chicken on both sides in flour, seasoned with salt and pepper.
- Drizzle enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan (about 2 tablespoons), with the butter. Place dredged chicken in the hot pan. Sear both sides until crispy. Remove from pan.
- Add onions and cover to sweat (about 5 minutes). Add tomatoes, 2 crushed garlic cloves, black olives, herbs, salt/pepper, and wine. Give a stir. Replace the chicken, cover, and simmer on medium low until the chicken is cooked (about 30 minutes).
- Zoodle the zucchini (or chop into matchsticks), drizzle a little olive oil in a hot pan, toss in 1 crushed garlic clove and place the zucchini in with a lid. Give a shake. Open and pour in the lemon juice and zest, salt and pepper to taste, lid on again for about a minute and remove zucchini before it becomes soggy.
Video
I believe the table... that place that draws people to gather, is the most powerful symbol of togetherness. All that happens before the table is set, the planning, the gathering, the preparing, are all an intricate part of the dance that create the mood of celebration to share with friends and loved ones.
