Pollo alla Cacciatora

Pollo alla Cacciatora
Hunter's Style Chicken

Any dish named "Hunter's Style" usually means that
it is braised with tomatoes, usually onion and garlic,
and a variety of other vegetables if desired.

The choice of vegetables depends on the interpretation of the cook
as well as what is available in the market.

Canned tomatoes and tomato paste are always available,
and can be used when fresh Tomatoes cannot be found.

3 - 4 lb Chicken (cut into 8 - 12 pieces)
1/4 cup Olive Oil OR other Vegetable Oil
flour for dredging

1/3 cup Onion (sliced paper thin)
1 stalk of Celery (sliced crosswise, paper thin)
1 - 2 medium cloves of Garlic (sliced thin)
2 medium Carrots (julienned OR sliced crosswise into 1/4" disks)
1/4 cup Red Bell Pepper (julienned OR cut into 1/2" pieces)

1/4 cup Red Wine OR Red Vermouth OR Red Wine Vinegar
2 cups Tomato (peeled, seeded and chopped) [Canned is acceptable]
          OR 3 Tbls Tomato Paste diluted in 1 1/2 cup water

1/2 tsp dried Oregano
1/2 tsp Salt
1/8 tsp ground Black Pepper

1. Heat a large fry pan on high, add Oil. When Oil is very hot,
          dredge chicken pieces in flour to lightly dust,
          placing into pan, skin side down, to lightly brown them.
          As the chicken pieces turn golden, turn them once.
2. As all of the Chicken pieces become browned,
          transfer them to a dish with paper towels to drain.
                    [If you began with very hot oil, the chicken will not stick
                    [and you should have no burnt chicken on the pan

3. Drain all but 1 Tbl of Oil from the pan.
          Add Onion and saute rapidly 2 - 3 minutes until golden.
4. Add Celery, Garlic, Carrots & Red Bell Pepper,
          Saute 1 - 2 minutes more.
5. With the flame very high, pour in Wine, Vermouth OR Vinegar.
          Deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom of any residue,
          and evaporating about half of the liquid.

6. Add the Tomatoes OR Tomato Paste & Water.
7. Add Oregano, Salt and Black Pepper, stir.
8. Place the browned Chicken into the sauce, skin side down,
          bring sauce to boil, lower heat, cover, simmer on low 30 minutes.

9. After 30 minutes, turn Chicken pieces over,
          re-cover, simmer on low 15 minutes more.

10. After Chicken has cooked a total of 45 minutes,
          remove from heat, leave cover on, let sit about 15 minutes.
          The Chicken re-absorb some of the sauce.

11.  Serve