Chicken Cacciatore

Chicken cacciatore is a great summer meal in which to use those fresh tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, garlic, and oregano from the garden or farmer’s market.  Save this recipe to use in the winter as well, by substituting canned, frozen, and dried ingredients instead.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic (about 1 or 2 fresh cloves)
• 2 bell peppers, thinly sliced (1 green and 1 red, orange, or yellow), OR 1 bag frozen onion/pepper blend, thawed
• 1 medium onion, sliced (omit if using bag of onion/pepper blend)
• 3 cups tomatoes, roughly chopped, with their juice*, OR 2 (15 ounce) cans tomato sauce, stewed tomatoes, or diced tomatoes (in any combination)
• ½ tablespoon fresh oregano, finely chopped, OR ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper (or to taste)
• 1 pound cooked chicken, diced or shredded**
• Hot cooked rice or 1 pound cooked pasta (such as penne or farfalle)

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oil in a large skillet; add garlic and sauté one minute. 
2. Add onion and peppers and sauté until vegetables are tender.
3. Stir in the tomatoes and seasonings; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
4. Add cooked chicken; stir to combine and heat through.
5. Serve over rice or pasta.

TIPS

*To easily chop tomatoes, reserving their juice, first remove stem and core.  Then add them whole to a large liquid measuring cup; use kitchen shears held straight up and down to roughly chop them. Bonus: the amount needed can be seen right on the measuring cup as you chop!

**Simmer chicken breasts on the stove in a pot of water for a couple hours (until tender). Use a fork or fingers to shred/break into pieces the chicken, separating from fat as you go (no need to trim chicken before cooking). Refrigerate or freeze prepared chicken until ready to use (thawing first, if necessary).

ALLERGY INFO

This recipe is free of dairy, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, fish, and shellfish. It can be made wheat-free by using rice or gluten-free pasta.  Always double-check ingredients, including cross-contamination risk based on your level of sensitivity and comfort.