The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Chicken cacciatore uses tomatoes, onions, herbs
Crispina’s version is served over roasted potatoes.
Crispina Ristorante & Pizzeria, 3300 Cobb Parkway SE, Atlanta. 678-426-7149, crispinaatlanta.com.
Our favorite local restaurant is Crispina in Vinings. We’ve never had a bad dish and especially love their nightly specials. A few weeks ago, we ordered carryout and tried the chicken cacciatore. It was absolutely amazing and I’d love to have the recipe to make at home. — Stacy Daxe, Smyrna
Crispina’s chef and co-owner Raffaele Crispino was happy to share the recipe for this Italian classic. It’s based on his mother’s recipe which starts with marinated chicken. The poultry is then braised with tomatoes, onions, Cinque Terre black olives and Sicilian capers.
Cacciatore means “hunter” in Italian and this traditional dish always incorporates tomatoes, onions and herbs. Depending on where you’re enjoying it, you will find chicken cacciatore served over mashed potatoes, polenta, or as Crispino prepares it, crisp roasted potatoes.
Marinate your chicken in the morning, and then dinner can be prepared in about an hour.
CRISPINA’S CHICKEN CACCIATORE
4 (4-ounce) boneless skinless
chicken breasts
1 cup white wine
1 cup plus ⅓ cup plus 2
tablespoons olive oil, divided 1 (14.5-ounce) can crushed
tomatoes
1 cup sliced onion
1/2 cup diced celery
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon
chopped garlic, divided 1 pound Russet potatoes, peel
on, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/4 cup chopped parsley 1 teaspoon salt, divided 1 teaspoon pepper, divided
1 cup chicken broth, more if
needed
3 tablespoons whole black
olives
2 tablespoon capers 2 teaspoons oregano
1/4 cup crushed red pepper
flakes
1/2 cup all-purpose flour Sprig of basil and grated Parmesan, for garnish
Place chicken breasts in a bowl or sealable plastic bag. Add wine and 1 cup olive oil. Cover chicken and marinate 4 to 6 hours, refrigerated.
When ready to begin cooking, make marinara: In a large skillet over medium heat, combine crushed tomatoes with onion, celery and 1 tablespoon garlic.
Bring to a simmer and cook 20 minutes.
While marinara sauce is cooking, prepared potatoes: Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine potato cubes with 1/3 cup olive oil, parsley, remaining teaspoon garlic, ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper.
Arrange on a small rimmed baking sheet and roast until potatoes are cooked through and browned, about 35 minutes. Toss occasionally so potatoes brown evenly. When done, remove from oven and keep warm.
While potatoes are roasting, start Cacciatore mixture: In a small skillet over medium heat, combine chicken broth, black olives and capers. Bring to a simmer and cook 5 minutes. Stir in oregano, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, remaining ½ teaspoon pepper and red pepper flakes.
When marinara is ready, add Cacciatore mixture to the marinara and simmer 10 minutes. If you wish, add more chicken broth.
While sauce is simmering, remove chicken from marinade and discard marinade. Arrange flour in a pie plate. In a large skillet, heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Dry chicken breasts and dredge in flour, coating all sides. Arrange chicken breasts in skillet and saute until golden on both sides, about 4 minutes per side. Do not crowd skillet. Cook chicken in batches if needed.
When chicken has browned, add to the skillet with sauce. Continue cooking until chicken reaches a temperature of 165 degrees, about 10 minutes. Serve with potatoes. Garnish with a sprig of basil and grated Parmesan.
Serves 4.
Per serving: 645 calories (percent of calories from fat, 50), 33 grams protein, 48 grams carbohydrates, 6 grams fiber, 36 grams total fat (5 grams saturated), 84 milligrams cholesterol, 911 milligrams sodium.