ic Kathe With an E: My Mother's Chicken Cacciatore - Recipe

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

My Mother's Chicken Cacciatore - Recipe

I know I have been sharing mostly recipes lately.
I seem to be finding myself more creative in the kitchen
than in my craft room.

But, once Mother Nature gets her act together, and we stop having blizzards
and start having warmer temperatures, I'm sure that will all change.

In the meantime, I'd like to share a recipe that my mom used to make and I have tried to recreate.
Chicken Cacciatore Recipe
 If you are regular reader then you know that my mother 
passed away over 30 years ago. 
I was just a young woman then. 
Married 2 years and a new mother myself.

When my father and mother married, she did not know how to cook at all!
She was raised by her grandmother and was not allowed in the kitchen.
She learned to cook by trial and error and was helped along by 
The Galloping Gourmet and Betty Crocker.

Over time, she became a fantastic cook. She became inventive in the kitchen given she had a tiny budget and had to stretch every dollar to feed her family of five. 
She also liked recipes that were quick and easy.  
She could not miss a minute of her soaps or of The Merv Griffin Show!

One of my very favorites of her inexpensive meals was her Chicken Cacciatore.
I fondly remember coming home from school and the house smelling like garlic, fried chicken and tomatoes. 

It never occurred to me to get her recipe from her.  
And then, she passed away very suddenly.

For the most part, I can remember fairly accurately what ingredients she may have used and the process it took to make this wonderfully hearty dish. 
Once it is simmering on the stovetop, and I lift the lid off, I am instantly transported back in time to my mother's kitchen.

Easy Chicken Cacciatore

2-3 lbs chicken wings, remove the tips of the wings and discard or save for making stock. Using kitchen shears, or a knife, separate the wings at the joint. 
Vegetable oil for frying

1 cup all-purpose flour

Salt & pepper to taste
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 medium green pepper, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup red wine
2 15 oz cans Italian Style Diced Tomatoes

Place the flour in a zip lock bag along with the salt and pepper and shake the bag a few times to mix. Add the chicken wing parts and shake well again.  Place in the refrigerator for at least one hour, the longer the better, shaking the bag every now and then.

In a large skillet, heat the oil to about 375 degrees. Place half of the chicken wings into the hot oil and fry until just brown but not cook through, maybe 5-8 minutes. Remove the wings from hot oil to a paper towel to drain and repeat with remaining wings.
Chicken Cacciatore Recipe
Drain most of the oil from the skillet, leaving about 2 tablespoons of the oil and as much of the fried flour in the pan as you can. Toss the onion and green pepper into the skillet and cook until the onion is soft, about 3 minutes, being sure to scrap up all the tasty bits left by the chicken. It should be thick like a roux. Add the garlic and red wine, stirring constantly for one minute. Pour in the tomatoes and bring to a simmer.
Chicken Cacciatore Recipe

Place the chicken wings into the sauce, stir to coat, cover and let simmer for a minimum of 20 minutes but all day is good too, just be sure to give it a stir during commercials...err...every now and then.
/

Serve over hot white rice and dig in.  The meat should be just falling of the bones.
/

Once again, a quick, easy and comforting dish from 
when times seemed simpler. 

Enjoy!


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35 comments:

  1. They were simpler, Kathe, progress doesn't always make things better. So many kids today have no idea what it is like to sit down to a family dinner every night, if they do, I am sure they are texting during it! I love this dish, chicken in the style of a hunter, so yummy. xo

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  2. Yummy!!! Thanks for sharing it at the Pinterest Power Party this week!

    Danielle
    SewMuchCrafting.com

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  3. So sorry you lost your mother at a young age. It's very difficult--I know. My mom passed away at 58, and I was 39. My son was 10. I still miss her all the time, as I'm sure you miss your mom. The recipe looks yummy. Nice memory.

    Hugs,
    Laura

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  4. Hi Kathe, your memories of your mom warmed my heart. And this recipe looks delicious! There are so many that remind me of my mom and my childhood too! I love that food can do that to us : )

    Thanks for sharing! I just found your blog today and I love it!!!

    Danielle xo

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  5. Our time with loved ones is short. Sometimes shorter. But isn't it nice when we have wonderful memories, and a way to keep the memories fresh? I used to sew with my grandma. I loved your post!

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  6. Kathe not only does this recipe sound delicious, I love the memories you have of your Mom. Special for sure. Sending you a hug, Linda

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  7. In my home growing up my dad made a recipe like this one. Isn't it a blessing to have such memories! Thank you for sharing! Please come by and link up at “Pin it Again” Friday (http://wp.me/p2TL9t-16Q). It goes live today at 3:00 PST.

    Please Come on by to link up your SPECIFIC Pinterest Pin for this recipe and others can see it and pin it their pin boards. And, while you are here, stay awhile and pins others great ideas on your boards as well! Blessings!

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  8. 'Pollo alla Cacciatore' is indeed a classic Italian recipe, which we also love. I noted that you are unsure of the ingredients, and by looking at your dish and reading over your recipe, I have a handful of suggestions for you: a) consider adding olive oil both at the beginning and at the end (uncooked). Italians would add a total of 1/2 a cup of oil to this dish for 4 people. Use extra virgin olive oil. b) add 2 carrots, 3 sticks of celery, and 1 sprig of rosemary, c) omit the flour; and d) add parsley at the end. e) Italians also would add a full cup of wine, instead of a 1/4 cup. Try any or all of these changes if you are interested in making your dish more authentically 'cacciatore'. I might taste more like 'moms' when you do. Let me know the result. I'm curious!

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  9. Sounds yummy. Come over and visit my blog. I left you anaward. You inspire me!

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  10. Looks yummy. I have to try this version. Returning follower via blog lovin hop. Thanks for hosting and sharing your recipe.

    Handmade at Warratahstree

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  11. Chicken is a favorite in our house. Thank you for sharing such a special recipe. Fond memories are always nice to have.....I was never allowed in the kitchen when my mom and aunts were cooking either. Always loved the smell of the food though. :)

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  12. I've always loved chicken cacciatorre and have memories of when my mom and I visited my aunt in CA and she made a batch in the crock pot. I always think of that time whenever we make it. Your recipe looks yummy, I'll have to try it! Thank you, Kathe! ~ Amy @ StowandTellU

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  13. I love your story. It made me nostalgic for my parents. I am starting remember my early food years with my parents and grandparents.

    Just an FYI - I came over from Common Ground. You might want to resubmit your photo. Your submitted photo did not appear properly (just the frog appeared), but I decided to check you out. So glad I did.

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  14. Looks scrumptious, thanks for sharing.

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  15. Hi I love your blog!! That dish looks so yummy. I lost my mom about 6 years ago after she had a horrible car accident due to her bipolar issues. It's funny how foods can take us back to our childhood and help us remember the great times we had. I am visiting from the blog hop and wanted to say a quick hello!! I'll be visiting regularly now!

    Melissa

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  16. Wow flashback.. The galloping gourmet. I love your memories of this tasty simple meal. thanks so much for sharing it with us on foodie friday.

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  17. I love Chicken Cacciatore ~ one of my favorite recipes. A wonderful thing about recipes is that they have the ability to whisk one back to another time. We never get over the death a parent.

    Big, Big Hugs,
    Susan and Bentley

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  18. My mom used to make a mean Chicken Cacciatore too, actually she probably still does and this is a great reminder to get her recipe! Thanks again for linking up at Sweet Treats & Swanky Stuff!

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  19. YUM! I always thought cacciatore was too difficult but this sounds pretty easy.

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  20. Oh, this looks so good. I will definitely make this one. Thanks for joining Inspire Me. Hugs, Marty

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  21. Sounds delicious and easy! Thanks for sharing the recipe. I can't wait to try it! My mouth is watering. Lovely blog.

    Peace,
    Linda at The French Hens Nest

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  22. I have never tried Chicken Cacciatore, so this will be fun. I tried to pin it, but it won't let me for some reason. It says that I don't have access to pin it. I have ever ran in to that before! Thanks for sharing. Sorry for the loss (even though it was years ago). I always dread the day I will lose my mom. When my grandma passed there were a few recipes I never got of hers, so I am hoping to track them down through other family members. I am sorry you never got your mom's chicken recipe! Even though I am from a younger generation (80's child), I must say that times were even simpler then. Everything seemed to change around the year 2000 and already it seems things move at such a fast pace, cell phones at meals and every where you turn, people make less time for family and friends in the traditional sense (home visits and phone calls). I wish I lived back in simpler times myself!! (kind of an old soul ;))

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  23. Kathe,

    This looks delicious. I love chicken buy my husband won't eat it. I eat it a lot when we go out. Thanks so much for joining us at Transformed Tuesday.

    Hugs,
    Peggy~PJH Designs

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  24. This is fantastic!
    Thanks for sharing.
    Hope to see you on my blog:)

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  25. Thank you for sharing this delicious looking recipe! Also, for your heartfelt thoughts on your mother. Mom's are sure precious. We appreciate you! Thanks for joining our party.
    Have a nice day.
    Joye & Myrna
    The Busy Bee's
    thebusybhive.blogspot.com

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  26. I have never tried this before, but I think I need to now. I love that this recipe comes with fond memories of your mom. I have chosen it as today's Dare to Share Feature of the Day.

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    Replies
    1. http://www.pamspartyandpracticaltips.com/2013/04/chicken-cacciatore-feature-of-day.html

      Delete
  27. I have heard the name but never tried this recipe. It looks delicious. Thanks for sharing at The Gathering Spot this week :)

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  28. This looks so yummy! My Dad was the cook of the family, but Mom did have her favorite recipes too - I miss them both - was just thinking of her today. It is not easy losing your Mother at a young age - we go through so much as we get older, it would be nice to have their council. But, I do turn to friends and sisters now - great support! I do appreciate you sharing with Home and Garden Thursday,
    Kathy

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  29. Kathe, this looks delicious! And how wonderful that every time you make it you get transported back in time to the days of your mother. :)

    Thanks for sharing with us at Much Ado About Monday. We hope to see you back next week! :)

    ~Emily
    www.huckleberrylove.com

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  30. Kathe, your recipe looks really good. I know how precious those old recipes are... my mom passed at age 41 and I was 21, so we didn't get much time together. She was sick a long time and I had to learn to cook at a very early age so her recipes have always been my recipes basically. Thanks for sharing at the Rock N Share! Blessings, D

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  31. Wow - this looks so great!
    Thanks so much for sharing this at Project Inspired! Great memories you've had with your Mom!

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  32. I found you on G+ Nice blog. Are you in Colorado? I live in Highlands Ranch www.highlandsranchfoodie.com

    I'm a new subscriber.

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