Chicken Cacciatore for the Freezer

• 3 tbspolive oil
• 1.2kgboneless skinless chicken thighs, halved
• 2onions, sliced
• 2celery sticks, finely chopped
• 3red peppers, cut into thick strips
• 250gchestnut mushrooms, halved
• 4garlic cloves, sliced
• 10 grosemary leaves, finely chopped
• 2 tspdried oregano
• 200mldry white wine
• 2 x 400gtins chopped tomatoes
• 2 tbsptomato puree
• 300mlchicken stock
• 120gpitted black olives
• 2bay leaves
• fine salt
• black pepper
• 300gquick-cook polenta
• 40gbutter
• 60gParmesan, finely grated

Method

1. 1Heat the olive oil in your largest casserole over a high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and brown in two batches for 4 minutes each until golden at the edges. Set aside on a plate.
2. 2Turn the heat down to medium. Cook the onions, celery and peppers with a pinch of salt for 10 minutes until soft and starting to colour, then add the mushrooms and cook for 4 minutes more until they have shrunk and browned in places.
3. 3Stir in the garlic, rosemary and oregano for 1 minute until fragrant, then pour in the wine and let it bubble for 2 minutes until it has almost gone. The sharpness cooks off and what is left lifts the whole braise.
4. 4Return the chicken and any juices with the tomatoes, tomato puree, stock, olives and bay leaves. Season with a teaspoon of salt, bring to a simmer and cook with the lid half on for 35 minutes, stirring now and then, until the thickest chicken pieces reach 75°C for 30 seconds and are tender and the sauce has thickened around it.
5. 5Fish out the bay leaves and taste. The olives bring salt of their own, so go carefully, and add pepper and a little salt only if it tastes flat.
6. 6For tonight's polenta (these quantities feed eight, so halve them if half the cacciatore is heading for the freezer), bring 1.5 litres of water to the boil in a saucepan with a teaspoon of salt. Pour in the polenta in a steady stream, whisking, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often, until thick and it pulls away from the sides of the pan. Beat in the butter and Parmesan.
7. 7Spoon the polenta into bowls and ladle the cacciatore over with plenty of the sauce, peppers and olives.
8. 8Cool the rest within 2 hours and freeze in portions for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat on the hob with a splash of water until piping hot, with fresh polenta made the same way on the night.

Per serving

kcal

558

protein

39.9g

fibre

7.3g

carbs

47.3g

fat

21.1g