CHICKEN CACCIATORE

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Chicken|Ciao Bella|Italian|Pasta

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Ingredients

6 large chicken thighs, bone in and skin on (about 3.5 pounds)

2 teaspoons salt, divided

1 teaspoons black pepper

1 teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoons garlic powder

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 large onions, cut into ½” strips or wedges

3 medium bell peppers, cut into ½” strips (I like to use a combo of green, red, and yellow)

8-ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced

10 garlic cloves, rough chopped

½ teaspoon red pepper flake (1 teaspoon if you like very spicy sauce)

1 ½ cups dry white wine

1, 28-ounce can San Marzano tomatoes

1, 14.5 ounce can chopped tomatoes

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 tablespoon Dish off the Block Ciao Bella Italian Spice Blend

1 tablespoon sugar

Parmesan and fresh basil leaves for garnish

Instructions

Trim the chicken thighs of any excess fat.

Combine 1 teaspoon of the salt, the black pepper, paprika and garlic powder in a small bowl to create a rub. Liberally season both sides of the chicken thighs with the rub.

Heat the oil in a large cast iron or oven-proof skillet. When the oil is hot, place chicken thighs in, skin-side down. Sear until golden brown and crispy, about 3-4 minutes. Flip to the other side and cook for 2 minutes more. Remove from pan and set aside. The chicken will not be cooked through.

Add the onions and peppers to the juices in the pot and cook until they start to get soft and fragrant, stirring frequently, about 3-4 minutes. Add mushrooms, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 5-7 minutes until juices release and mushrooms are soft. Add the wine and deglaze, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the canned tomatoes, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, remaining teaspoon of salt, and sugar to the pot. Crush the whole tomato pieces with a spoon or potato masher and bring the whole mixture to a boil.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place the thighs, skin side up on top of the sauce, slightly covering them, but leaving most of the crispy skin exposed. Bake for 20-30 minutes until the juices in the thighs run clean and the internal temperature is 165 degrees.

Serve over pasta or rice with parmesan cheese on the side and garnished with fresh basil.