Recipe: Quick and Easy Chicken Cacciatore

I had been planning to grill some chicken, but suddenly had the urge to do something else.  I had some boneless, skinless chicken breasts already thawed.  I also had a leftover green bell pepper.  I broke out the Le Creuset “French Oven”, seasoned the chicken with salt and pepper, and browned the breasts.  I added tomatoes, garlic, onion, bell pepper, mushrooms, and some seasonings.  15 minutes of simmering and dinner was done.

The flavors weren’t quite as developed as they would have been had I used chicken on the bone and simmered it longer, but this dish was great for a “30 minute meal”.  I served it over some pasta with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.  Delicious.  Here’s the full recipe.

• 4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 bell pepper, coarsely chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
• 1 large pinch of red pepper flakes (more if you prefer)
• 1 14 oz. can of diced tomatoes
• 1 14 oz. can of tomato sauce
• salt and pepper to taste

Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper.  Heat the dutch oven to medium, add a teaspoon of olive oil and brown the chicken for 2 – 4 minutes.  Turn the chicken over, add the bell pepper, onion, garlic and mushrooms.  Continue to brown for another 2 – 4 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and red pepper flakes.  Stir lightly and bring the mixture to a simmer.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for 12 – 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has begun to thicken.  Check the seasoning, adding more salt and pepper if needed.

Serve over pasta with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.