Pollo all Cacciatore - A Delicious Tuscan Chicken Stew

A couple of days ago, I prepared a Tuscan dinner for friends. The main course I chose was Pollo alla Cacciatore, which means hunter-style chicken. Variants of this dish are popular throughout Italy. I found two Tuscan versions and chose elements of both to create the one I cooked. It was easy to make and I love it.

The recipes I used as a starting point are at:
1. https://www.santacristina.wine/en/cookbook/ricette/chicken-cacciatore/

2. http://lifeisabowlofpasta.com/recipe-items/pollo-alla-cacciatora/

The version below serves two. I scaled it up to serve eight the other night. (I scaled it up enough that I probably could have served 12.)

The other dishes I served with the chicken were:
- Crostini with goat cheese, fig preserves, and prosciutto di Parma
- Crostini with olive paté (crushed black olives, lemon juice, olive oil, breadcrumbs)
- Carabaccia - Florentine onion soup
- Carote in Stufato - Tuscan braised carrots with pancetta
- Schiaciatta alla Fiorentina - Florentine sweet bread/cake

The wine I served with the main course was a superb 2010 Máté Brunello di Montalcino.

(I did not consider serving Chicken Florentine for this dinner because, despite the name, it's an American dish.)

Ingredients

- 1 lb boneless chicken thighs, cut up
- Half of a 28 oz can of peeled San Marzano tomatoes
- 3 oz of pitted olives, halved. I used Sicilian Castelvetrano olives.
- 2 oz red wine. I used a Tuscan Chianti.
- 1 garlic clove chopped
- 1/4 Spanish onion, diced
- 1 carrot, chopped
- 1 celery stalk, chopped
- 1 rosemary sprig
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt 
- pepper

Preparation

1. Coat the base of a large sauce pan with extra virgin olive oil Heat to medium high and add chicken. Brown the chicken on all sides, and then remove it.

2. Add onions, carrots, celery, garlic, bay leaves, fennel, and a pinch of salt. Cook until vegetables are softened - about 8 minutes.

3. Add chicken to the vegetable base and stir for two minutes to coat.

4. Add wine; stir gently again, and let wine evaporate.

5. Once the wine is almost reduced, add the tomatoes and rosemary, and adjust salt and pepper. When I added the tomatoes, I included the juice from the can. Cover and let cook on low heat for 20 minutes.

6. Stir in olives and cook for another 10 minutes.