Really, Really, Fast Chicken Cacciatore

by Nanny Bubby

One day I had planned to make Chicken Cacciatore for dinner, which is a dish that can take a lot of time to make because you have to brown each piece of chicken. That afternoon I went to see a friend I hadn’t seen in 20 years and only expected to stay for an hour. What was I thinking? After three hours with my friend, I was in a panic about how I was going to make this dish for dinner in time. Well, necessity is the Mother of Invention. I ran to Whole Foods, bought two cooked chickens and had them quarter the chickens to save time. I was home in 20 minutes and threw everything into the pot hoping no one would notice a flavor difference. And guess what? No one did! It was remarkable. A complicated dinner made easy, and no one will ever know. Of course, if you want to start with browning the chicken first, you can. But this is a simple and tasty shortcut.

Total Time:

45 minutes

Serves:

5

Ingredients

  • 2 cooked organic chickens from your favorite store like Whole Foods or Costco
  • 3, 28 oz. cans chopped fire roasted tomatoes
  • 1 chopped red bell pepper
  • 1 chopped orange bell pepper
  • 1 chopped onion
  • 1 jar capers
  • 1 package white mushrooms caps quartered
  • 2 Tbsp. fresh oregano
  • 3 Tbsp. fresh basil
  • Red pepper flakes to taste
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

  • Quarter the cooked chickens and place them in a non-metallic casserole pot.
  • Add all of the other ingredients and bring to a simmer covered for about 30-45 minutes. DONE!
  • Tip: If you are short cans of tomatoes, you can always substitute a jarred marinara sauce which makes the sauce a bit thicker. There are so many good ones out there.

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