Hunter-Style Italian Chicken

Did you know that the common term Cacciatore means hunter in Italian? And the well-known dish, Chicken Cacciatore really just means it's cooked "hunter-style", which is when tomatoes, onions, herbs, and bell peppers are used in the dish. Therefore, it makes a lot of sense that nobody's Chicken Cacciatore recipes are exactly the same. Here is my spin on a hunter-style, Italian inspired, chicken dish.

INGREDIENTS:
- Bone-In Chicken Breasts (about 2.5lbs)
- 1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 medium white onion, cut in half & sliced in half-moons
- 1 medium red bell pepper
- 8oz of white mushrooms, sliced
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 14.5oz can of diced tomatoes
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp of dried parsley
- 2 tsp of crush red pepper flakes (if you don't like too much spice, cut this in half)
- Salt & pepper for seasoning

HOW-TO:

Remove all skin from the chicken breasts & season each side with salt & pepper.

In a large skillet or Dutch Oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook on each side until golden brown - about 5-7 minutes per side - and then transfer the chicken to a plate.

In the same skillet, add the red bell & onion - saute until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms & cook for about 10 minutes stirring frequently. Stir in garlic to evenly spread across the vegetables. Add the chicken broth and cook for about 2-3 minutes. Next, add the tomatoes & herbs. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes on medium-low heat.

Return the chicken to the skillet and simmer on medium-low heat for about 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.

To serve, place the chicken on a platter or in a large bowl & spoon the vegetabls & sauce over top.

TIPS: 

- You could add potatoes to this recipe & put them in from the beginning with the onions or bell peppers.

- Serve with a fresh, crusty bread for dipping!

- Sprinkle some Parmesan cheese on to serve for extra Italian flare. 

Kid-Friendly? Maybe! Even my adorable little tot had to try this one.

Nutritional Facts per Serving (recipe yields 4 servings):

Calories: 375

Fat: 9.5g

Sodium: 365mg

Protein: 56g