Pollo alla Cacciatora
Pollo alla Cacciatora, or “hunter’s chicken,” is a staple of central Italian home cooking, though its form varies widely from region to region—and even more so across the Atlantic. I grew up eating the Italian American version in New Jersey, where tomato sauce, mushrooms, peas, and more often made their way into the pot. But when I moved to Italy, I discovered that the Roman and southern styles lean more herby and acidic, relying on white wine and white wine vinegar instead of tomatoes to brighten the dish. My version takes inspiration from Stefano Callegari’s at Trapizzino, which, in turn, is influenced by his mother Luana's recipe. I skip the breasts and use only dark meat so everything stays tender and juicy. Plus, the dish only gets better after a night in the fridge. Season the chicken with salt at least a few hours and up to 12 hours before you intend to cook it.
10 ingredients
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 1 hr 20 mins
Pollo alla Cacciatora
Ingredients (10)
Ingredients (10)
Instructions
Season the chicken (3 lb) with salt. Transfer to a covered container and refrigerate for at least a few hours and up to 12 hours.
Remove the chicken from the refrigerator 90 minutes before you intend to cook.
Heat the olive oil (¼ cup) in a large pan over low heat. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the garlic (2 cloves) and cook just until it begins to take on color, about 5 minutes.
Add the chicken, skin-side down, increase the heat to medium, and cook until browned on all sides, 10 to 12 minutes.
Add the rosemary (1 sprig) and sage (1 sprig) and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds.
Add the wine (¾ cup), increase the heat to high, and cook just until the alcohol aroma dissipates, about 1 minute.
Add the broth (2 cups) and bring to a simmer.
Reduce the heat to low and cook, partially covered, for 50 minutes. Check at the 30-minute mark to be sure there is enough broth in the pan. Add more as needed to keep the chicken partially submerged.
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