Chicken Cacciatorie, on the Stovetop or in the Slow Cooker

I first made Chicken Cacciatorie in grade eight.  My mother was often out and about, with her many activities, and when she was not home after school, it was my responsibility to make dinner for the family.  Coming home from school, and finding chicken in the fridge, I wanted to make something other than "Shake and Bake", so, I pulled out my cook book, and looked for something that we had ingredients for.  There were frozen carrots and onions in the freezer, and canned tomatoes and spaghetti in the cupboard.  We didn't have any garlic, but we did have garlic salt.  Chicken Cacciatorie looked like it would work.  I thought cacciatorie sounded Italian, so, substituted my Uncle Dave's  Italian Herb mixture for the seasonings called for in the recipe.  Chicken Cacciatorie became and instant family favourite.

Over the years, this recipe has evolved, as have my cooking skills.  It continues to be a staple comfort food for my family, so when Claire, in her last week before crits and exams, was grumbling about the quality of take out food available in her university town, it was Chicken Cacciatorie that I prepared and dropped off as a care package.

Chicken Cacciatorie

6 chicken thighs with bone in
2 medium onions coarsely cut
1 shallot finely cut
3 or 4 cloves of garlic depending on size
olive oil
2 cups chicken stock for stove top, or 1 cup for slow cooker
1/2 cup of red wine
1 28oz can of stewed tomatoes, preferably San Marano tomatoes
2 or 3 large carrots, peeled and coarsely cut
2 parsnips, peeled and coarsly cut
1/2 cup of dried black olives
a couple of sprigs of fresh thyme
1branch of rosemary
2 or 3 bay leaves depending on size
1/2 teaspoon of pepper corns
1/4 teaspoon of dried chile flakes
salt and peper
parmigiano reggiano shavings

Heat olive oil in large cast iron pan.  Cook onions, shallots and garlic until soft. Set a sisde.  Brown chicken, and add onion mixture back into pan.  Add chicken stock, tomatoes and wine. Add herbs, carrots and olives and pepper corns and chile flakes.  Bring to boil, turn down heat, cover and simmer for about an hour.  Spoon off any oil or fat that is on the surface.  Remove chicken and vegetables and reduce liquid by half over medium heat.  Replace chicken and vegetables in liquid.  Taste and salt as required.

I also cook this in my slow cooker, reducing the chicken broth by half.   The night before, I  brown the chicken and sauté the onions.  I put the chicken in the bottom of the slow cooker,  carrots next, and then everything else on top.  I leave the crock from the slow cooker in the fridge overnight, and then the next morning, before leaving for work, take it out of the fridge, place the crock back in the slow cooker and set it at low for the day.  If for cooker has a timer, set it for 6 hours,  however I have found an extra couple of hours still works.  When I get home, I remove the chicken and carrots, turn the slow cooker to high, remove the lid  and reduce the fluid to half.  Adjust seasoning, return chicken and vegetables to crock and serve.

This is good on it's own, or served over pasta. Finish with cheese shavings.