Name: Whole Chicken Cacciatore
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 whole chicken, jointed into 8 pieces, or 8 bone-in skin-on chicken pieces; fresh flat-leaf parsley and polenta or crusty bread, to serve; 3 roasted red peppers, from a jar, drained and sliced; 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes; salt and black pepper; Dressed rocket salad with shaved parmesan, to serve; 2 onions, finely sliced; 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced; 4 sprigs fresh rosemary; 150 ml dry white wine; 3 tbsp olive oil; 100 g Kalamata olives, pitted; 3 tbsp capers, rinsed; 2 bay leaves

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Ingredients

1 whole chicken, jointed into 8 pieces, or 8 bone-in skin-on chicken pieces
fresh flat-leaf parsley and polenta or crusty bread, to serve
3 roasted red peppers, from a jar, drained and sliced
2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
salt and black pepper
Dressed rocket salad with shaved parmesan, to serve
2 onions, finely sliced
5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
150 ml dry white wine
3 tbsp olive oil
100 g Kalamata olives, pitted
3 tbsp capers, rinsed
2 bay leaves

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C fan. Pat the chicken pieces completely dry with kitchen paper and season generously with salt and black pepper on all sides.
Heat the olive oil in a large ovenproof casserole or deep roasting dish over a medium-high heat. Working in batches, sear the chicken skin-side down for 5–6 minutes until the skin is deeply golden and crisp. Turn and sear the flesh side for 2 minutes. Remove all the chicken and set aside.
Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat. Reduce the heat to medium and fry the sliced onions for 7 minutes until softened and translucent. Add the garlic and stir for 1 minute, until fragrant.
Pour in the white wine and bubble hard for 2 minutes to reduce and lift the sticky bits from the base. Add the chopped tomatoes, sliced roasted red peppers, rosemary and bay leaves. Stir well and bring to a steady simmer.
Nestle the seared chicken pieces into the tomato and pepper sauce, keeping the skin sitting above the liquid so it stays crisp rather than braising.
Transfer to the oven and cook uncovered for 40–45 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through with no pink at the bone and the sauce has reduced and concentrated around the pieces.
Pull from the oven and stir the Kalamata olives and capers through the sauce around the chicken. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Rest for 5 minutes.
Scatter with chopped parsley and torn basil, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and bring to the table with soft polenta or crusty bread for mopping. Freezes well for up to 3 months.