Chicken Cacciatore

 Who can resist the sweet smell of garlic, peppers and onions cooking together in this classic italian dish. They are the smells that bring family to the table before you have to call them in. This is a favorite in our house, but something that seems to get made more when the temperature drops and summer moves to fall. It's hearty richness warms the soul. For my vegan/vegetarian friends, this is absolutely wonderful without the chicken, just add 2 additional cups of mushrooms.

Serves 4 - 6
2 Large Chicken Breasts
2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
2 Cloves of Garlic, Sliced
2 Large Carrots, Diced
1 Cup of Quartered Baby Portobello Mushrooms
1/2 of a Large Sweet Onion, Sliced
2 Large Red Peppers, Sliced
1 Cup of Dry Red Wine.
**Pick a wine you like, I find the flavor is really picked up in the final dish.
2 Teaspoons of Italian Seasoning
1/2 Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper
1 Jar of Pasta Sauce
Salt & Pepper to taste

1/2 Box Linguini Pasta cooked per directions on the box.

In a large pot or dutch oven, heat your olive oil to medium high heat and add your chicken, brown on each side, then remove. We will add it back to cook it through later.

Sauté your sliced garlic until lightly browned, keep a close eye on it as garlic burns fast. I drop my temperature here just to be on the safe side.

When your garlic is lightly browned add in the carrots, mushrooms, onions & peppers. You might need to add another tablespoon of olive oil here. Sauté a minute to 2 more, just enough to add some extra flavors. When everything is fragrant, add in your wine to deglaze your pot, scraping all of the brown bits off the bottom so they really get into your sauce. I find the flavor of the wine is really picked up in this dish, so pick one you really like. I love oaky cabernets, the oaky flavor add so much to this dish for me. If you like lighter flavored reds or are cooking for a diverse group, I've also used merlot's and pinto noir & this dish is still a winner.

At this point you can stir in your pasta sauce (I'm using a organic marinara), italian seasoning & crushed red pepper. Once everything is mixed together, add your chicken back to the pot & & cover it with sauce. Place a tight fitting lid on your pot and drop your temperature to a simmer.

Simmer covered for 25 minutes.

If your house wasn't smelling amazing before, it will be after 25 minutes. :) Before I serve this, I remove the chicken one more time to shred it & stir it back in. You could always cut the chicken into 4 servings before cooking to omit this step.

Toss with cooked linguini, serve & enjoy! :-P