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Hunter's-Style Chicken

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Hunter's-Style Chicken

Photo 1 of 2
by Sarah Shatz

Hunter's-Style Chicken

Photo 2 of 2
by lastnightsdinner

  • A&M's Testing Notes: Lastnightsdinner's variation on chicken cacciatore (which, after brushing up on our culinary Italian, we learned literally means "hunter's-style chicken") is a belly-warming winter staple...

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  • Chef

    lastnightsdinner's Notes: I’ve skewed pretty heavily toward comfort food dinners of late, despite, or perhaps because of, my long workdays and the fact that a stubborn bug I thought I’d conquered has come back with...

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Serves 4-6

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Arrange the chicken pieces on a platter and pat dry. Season well with salt and set aside.

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  2. Cover the porcini with the boiling water and let steep until the mushrooms are soft. Remove the mushrooms, finely chop and set aside. Strain the mushroom soaking liquid through a coffee filter to remove any grit, and set aside.

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  3. Warm a glug of grapeseed oil with a glug of olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot (I used a large enameled Dutch oven), and brown the chicken parts in batches, skin-side down, until all chicken is browned and crisp-skinned. Remove the browned chicken pieces to a plate or platter and set aside. Pour off all but a thin layer of the rendered fat.

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  4. Trim and quarter the crimini mushrooms and add to the pan. Cook until browned on all sides, then add the chopped porcini and the red vermouth, cooking until the liquid has evaporated. Remove to a bowl and set aside.

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  5. Add the chopped onions to the pan with a sprinkle of salt, adding a little more oil if necessary, and cook until soft and opaque. Add the carrot and toss through, then add the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, chile flakes, wine and reserved mushroom liquid, stirring well and bringing to a simmer.

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  6. Toss the chopped herbs with the mushrooms and return to the pot, stirring through. Nestle the chicken pieces on top, being sure to add any of the juices that have accumulated. Cover the pot with a parchment lid, and transfer the pot to the oven. Cook for at least one hour, preferably more, until the chicken is falling-apart tender and the sauce thick and reduced. Serve over creamy polenta with a sprinkle of chopped flat leaf parsley on top.

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58 Comments on Hunter's-Style Chicken

2010_0425finepix0014 Reply

Made this tonight - just wonderful. So easy and with ingredients readily on hand. Also served it over polenta that I added a few handfuls of (frozen) corn to. This one is a keeper!!

188474_10150186487578777_834678776_6439969_2521574_n Reply

I cannot stop making this recipe. It's a bowl-licking hit all around - thanks!

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Wow! Made this last night. Took us 1 hr & 40 min cook time, but the results were amazing. The chicken was tender and the flavors were bursting with attitude and comfort esp in 15 degree Manhattan weather. We paired it with mashed potatoes and kale! This was an incredibly flavorful recipe. Thank you so much for sharing!

Lnd_jen Reply

Tarragon and Brenzo - I'm so sorry this didn't work out for you. I have made this both with fresh plum tomatoes (the San Marzano-style ones available in the States, as well as Canestrino and other similar varieties) from my farmers' market when they're in season, as well as with canned San Marzanos (sans juice) the rest of the year. I'm wondering if you covered your pot with a pot lid, or with the parchment paper lid I mention in step 6? That would make a difference in terms of how the sauce reduces (or doesn't) in the oven.

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Thanks LND. I will try again and will either use fresh roma tomatoes or drain the canned tomatoes better. And maybe even uncover for the last 1/2 hour or so. The flavor of the dish was quite good and I'd like to make this again. (I did use the parchment lid; first time I had ever heard of that and I am eternally grateful to you for that little tidbit!)

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I had the same results as Brenzo (although I am pleased to say that my dish looked exactly like the photo!). I also used canned whole San Marzano tomatoes, after draining most, but not all, of the liquid. Other than that I followed the recipe exactly. Now, reading the recipe again, I am thinking that it wants us to use fresh, vs canned tomatoes, which may have been the issue with my dish. (Although I'm not sure how we can source fresh San Marzano tomatoes in the US).

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Made this a couple weeks ago. Turned out ok. The sauce was quite runny and not flavorful. I use whole tomatoes and the juice, so perhaps the juice was the mistake?

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Just made this tonight and it was amazing! Love the porcini in it.

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Made this with one third the amount of tomatoes, no vermouth, delicious! Thanks for the inspiration.

Sausage2 Reply

Made this a couple of nights ago - except I used bacon for some extra umami instead of the porcini since I had some wonderful, smokey locally raised bacon. It was delicious! Thanks for a great recipe.

Dsc_0034 Reply

delicious! after browning the chicken (i used skinless breasts b/c it's what was in the freezer) and cooking the onions and mushrooms in the same pan, i poured everything into my slow cooker and set on high (3 hrs covered, 3 hours uncovered). love the earthiness of the dried porcini!

Poppy_bone Reply

I made a modified version of this last night using leftovers of Jenny's no cook sauce. I didn't add the mushrooms (didn't have) or the herbs because Jenny's sauce was so full of basil. The chicken was wonderful and the basil was so floral after sitting in the fridge for a few days. I served it over polenta and it was a great freezing cold winter meal! Thanks for the recipe!

Poppy_bone Reply

Jenny's "cold sauce." I couldn't remember the name only that you don't have to cook it.

Lnd_jen Reply

Sounds great - so glad you liked it!

Lnd_jen Reply

You guys are the best - thank you so much for all the kind words and warm wishes :)

Reply

Perfect birthday dinner for a snowy Friday :) Can't wait!!!

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(in the oven now- smells AMAZING!) Thanks for sharing, and congrats on the wild card win- well deserved!

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This looks delicious! Congrats, LND! And Happy Anniversary, too!

Ozoz_profile Reply

Congrats!!!!!!!!!

Monkeys Reply

Congrats LND! Can't wait to try this.

Lnd_jen Reply

Everyone, thank you so, so much! I'm still just over the moon about this :)

Ab_sum Reply

So glad this got the wildcard! Well deserved, Jen.

Eda_takoyaki_cooking Reply

yum! congrats to you--looks delicious and oh so comforting...

Kay_at_lake Reply

It's cold and ugly here in the not-sunny South, and it's supposed to snow tomorrow, and I don't care if it does because I'm going to stay inside and make this! Great recipe, great wildcard!

Chocolate_peppermint_truffle_cookies_032 Reply

This looks just wonderful!! Congrats, lnd!!

Green_apple_card Reply

Congratulations, Jen! This sounds like a fabulous stew right up my alley.

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This looks yum. I'm going to try this soon. Q: You add vermouth in step 3 & 4. Do we half it or is it wine that you meant? Thank you for this lovely recipe.

F52_avatar Reply

Apologies -- this is our fault, not lastnightsdinner's. Step 5 should be wine (fixing now!).

Lnd_jen Reply

Yes, the vermouth goes in with the mushrooms - sorry about that!

Winnie100 Reply

Looks SO delectable. Will definitely make this one soon. Congrats on the wildcard win!

Img_1045_2 Reply

Congratulations, Jen! I've been loving this recipe. (made it at least three times already!)

467656_3063519581919_1081358196_2884073_1059107948_o Reply

Yayyy! Congrats! :)

Ashtaco Reply

congrats! this looks great!

Img_9896 Reply

Many congrats! This is a beautiful dish as are all of your dishes! :)

Lnd_jen Reply

Thank you!

Cheese_for_twitter0001 Reply

Oh this looks like a wonderful end to a cold and wet New England day. THanks for sharing it!

Lnd_jen Reply

I like to think it's a good antidote to this crummy weather we've been having :) Thanks!

Summer_2010_1048 Reply

Just looking at this photo warms me up. Yum! A well-deserved wildcard!

Lnd_jen Reply

Thanks so much, Midge!

Lnd_jen Reply

Thanks so much, everyone! This was such a wonderful surprise - and can you believe I had actually planned to make this for dinner tonight? :D

Wedding_pictures_162 Reply

Why do you use a parchment lid rather than the lid of your Dutch oven?

Lnd_jen Reply

Ah, yes - that's a tip I picked up from Thomas Keller and Michael Ruhlman (i.e. from Ad Hoc at Home and The Elements of Cooking). You make a parchment lid with a circle cut out in the center to cover your braise rather than using the pot lid. I haven't tried it with a stovetop braise, but it works like a dream in the oven, allowing the liquid to reduce nicely without steaming the chicken skin and losing all that nice browning you worked so hard for! It's also really easy to peek in and see how much your liquid is reducing, and add more water or whatever if needed. It's a pretty neat trick, and I've been really happy with the results. Ruhlman's got a nifty how-to video here: http://ruhlman.com/2010/08/how-to-make-a-parchment-paper-circle.html

Wedding_pictures_162 Reply

Thanks, Jen! And congratulations again!

Dsc_0382 Reply

will have to try the parchment lid when I make this! It sounds great!

Hib_kitchen Reply

My kind of dish. Fabulous. I make this for dinner this week.

Sausage2 Reply

Ooh. I'm definitely sorry I didn't see this until now! But, better late than never. I've been on a comfort food kick too, and this is definitely going to make it's way onto the table. Yum! And congrats on the wild card!

Newliztoqueicon-2 Reply

I, too, had missed this first time around - congratulations!

Wedding_pictures_162 Reply

Wow, I missed this the first time, but, omg, so good. congratulations on the wildcard win!

186003_1004761561_1198459_n Reply

This sound like the ultimate comfort food ... we feel connected to you by the food and recipes that you share with us. Take comfort.

Lnd_jen Reply

Thanks so much, my friend.

Ry_400 Reply

Think I just stumbled upon this Sunday's supper. Thanks!

Lnd_jen Reply

Thanks - please let me know how you like it!

Ab_sum Reply

Love! Your photo makes me want this for a second breakfast, first lunch, or dinner anytime.

Lnd_jen Reply

Thank you!

Lnd_jen Reply

Thank you! I am very much looking forward to leftovers for lunch :)

Img_1045_2 Reply

This looks fantastic and perfect for cold winter nights. My grandmother used to make something similar (missing the brilliance of vermouth and dry mushrooms) that she called Tavern Chicken.

Mrs Reply

I just drooled on the keyboard. :)

2-11_016 Reply

This looks great!

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