Braised Chicken Cacciatore Recipe

Prepare chicken

Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Season both sides with 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Lightly dredge in flour, shaking off excess.

Brown chicken

Heat a large heavy-bottomed braising pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add 2 tbsp olive oil. When shimmering, brown chicken thighs skin-side down, 4–5 minutes until deep golden. Flip and brown 2–3 minutes. Work in batches if needed. Transfer browned thighs to a plate.

Sauté aromatics

Reduce heat to medium and add remaining 1 tbsp olive oil. Add sliced onion, diced carrot and diced celery; cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and beginning to caramelize, about 6–8 minutes. Add anchovies (if using) and minced garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant.

Deglaze

Pour in white wine to deglaze, scraping up browned bits on bottom. Simmer until reduced by half, about 3–4 minutes.

Build braising liquid

Stir in tomato paste, then add crushed tomatoes, chicken stock, Calabrian chili paste, dried oregano, chopped rosemary and bay leaf. Season with remaining 1/2 tsp kosher salt and remaining 1/2 tsp black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer.

Braise

Return browned chicken thighs to the pot, nestling into the sauce skin-side up. Spoon some sauce over the thighs. Cover partially and braise in the oven at 350°F (175°C) or simmer gently on the stovetop for 35–40 minutes, until chicken is cooked through (internal temp 165°F/74°C) and sauce has thickened slightly.

Finish

Five minutes before serving, stir olives into the sauce and return to the oven or stove to heat through. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Remove bay leaf and sprinkle chopped parsley over the braise before serving.

Bring 3 cups water and 1 cup whole milk to a gentle boil in a medium saucepan. Add 1 tsp salt.

Slowly whisk in 1 cup coarse polenta in a steady stream to avoid lumps. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until tender and thickened, 20–25 minutes (for quick-cooking polenta reduce time per package).

Stir in 2 tbsp butter, 1 cup grated Parmesan, and 1 tsp Calabrian chili paste. Season with 1/2 tsp black pepper and additional salt to taste. If polenta becomes too thick, whisk in up to 1/4 cup hot water or milk to loosen to a creamy consistency. Keep warm, covered, until ready to plate.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch broccoli rabe for 1–2 minutes until bright green and slightly tender, then immediately transfer to an ice bath to stop cooking. Drain and squeeze out excess water, then roughly chop into 2–3 inch pieces.

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sliced garlic and crushed red pepper flakes; cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant but not browned.

Add the blanched and chopped broccoli rabe and sauté 2–3 minutes until heated through and tender. Season with a pinch of salt and squeeze lemon juice over top. Remove from heat and keep warm.

To serve: Spoon a generous portion of creamy Calabrian polenta onto each plate. Top with 1–2 braised chicken thighs and spoon braising sauce and olives over the chicken. Arrange a portion of sautéed broccoli rabe to the side. Garnish with extra grated Parmesan or parsley if desired.