Photo by Eileen Goldfinger. Re-posted from 2013 on Blogfinger.net
3-4 pounds chicken, cut in 4 inch pieces, wings cut at the joint
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup vegetable oil
5 tablespoons searing flour
2 bell peppers, any color, cut in ½ inch strips
1 large onion, diced
12 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
½ cup red wine
½ cup chicken broth
1 28 ounce can whole San Marzano tomatoes, crush by hand
½ cup marinara sauce
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (this is spicy)
½ teaspoon dried oregano
3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
freshly ground black pepper to taste
Sprinkle flour on both sides of chicken pieces. In a large fry pan, heat vegetable oil and brown chicken on both sides. Remove chicken from pan and set aside and discard the oil.
In a 5 quart Dutch oven, heat the olive oil. Add onion and peppers. Sauté on medium heat for 10 minutes. Lower the heat and add the garlic. Sauté for 5 minutes. Add the tomato sauce, San Marzano tomatoes, wine and broth; stir and simmer at a low heat for 30 minutes. Add oregano, red pepper flakes and black pepper, cook for 5 minutes.
Add chicken pieces to the sauce. Make sure the chicken is covered with the sauce. Cook at a simmer for 1 hour with pot cover ajar. If the sauce becomes too thick, add a small amount of broth. Stir occasionally to make sure the chicken does not stick to the bottom of the pot. Taste sauce to adjust seasoning. If you want it spicier, add more red pepper flakes. Remember you can always add more but if you put too much in you can’t remove it.
Add mushrooms, stir and cook on low-medium heat for 30 minutes.
Serve over pasta.
Serves 4
SOUNDTRACK: Luciano Pavarotti, from the film “Quartet.”
I’m making this recipe tonight. Sounds delicious
Disney: Thank you for your suggestions.
Since I cook with “heart healthy” in mind, I always take the skin off the chicken.
The reasons that I prefer to brown the meat before adding it to the sauce is that I think it improves the look, texture and flavor of the chicken.
Instead of bell peppers, I substitute sweet peppers and also throw in a couple of cherry pepper slices for extra kick. Sometimes crushed red just doesn’t provide enough zip given the other ingredients. Also, if you skin the chicken , you don’t need to go through the extra step of sauté and can just drop it into pot and cook it. When I do this, I do simmer for slightly longer than an hour….still healthy and the chicken is incredibly tender. Just a comparison for those who want to take a walk on the wild side!
See if they have the Cento brand of peeled tomatoes. If not, Eileen says to buy any canned peeled plum tomatoes. Are you sure your husband wasn’t in the Mallomar’s aisle? Where is Wegmans when you need them? PG
Two Publix’s and 1 WinDixie and still NO San Marzano tomatoes! Guess I’ll have to send my husband on a road trip to Ft. Myers!
We have a sneaky suspicion as to who this gourmet OG Italian fresser is. Eileen says that Publix has it, but if you can’t find the San Marzano, get the Cento canned peeled Italian style tomatoes (with or without the basil leaf.) Buon appetito. Eileen
ps…We learned that we have no idea who this fresser is. However, despite that, enjoy the CC.
So, I’m on the west coast near Punta Gorda and can’t find san marzano tomatoes….so where does Eileen get them or did she bring them from home? I know I should have brought them with me!!