Chicken Cacciatore with Polenta

This warming Italian chicken stew made with no wine is simple to make and the perfect dish to let bubble on the stove. Served over creamy, cheesy polenta, it's very hearty and delicious.

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Servings 4

Prep Time 5

Total Time 55

Ingredients

Chicken Cacciatore

3 chicken leg quarters bone-in, skin-on; thighs split from legs (see note 1)
60 ml (¼ cup) extra virgin olive oil divided
1 yellow onion thinly sliced
1 red pepper thinly sliced
2 anchovy fillets roughly chopped
5 cloves garlic roughly chopped
1 tbsp tomato paste
½ tsp chili flakes
¼ tsp dried oregano
1 can whole peeled tomatoes crushed with hands
500 ml (2 cups) chicken stock
50 g (¼ cup) pitted olives such as kalamata or castelvetrano, roughly chopped
2 sprigs fresh oregano, thyme or rosemary or a combination
2 bay leaves

Polenta

500 ml (2 cups) chicken stock
500 ml (2 cups) milk
3 g (½ tsp) salt
120 g (¾ cup) yellow polenta not quick-cooking
30 g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter
30 g (⅓ cup) parmesan cheese grated

Instructions

Pat the chicken dry and season generously with salt and pepper. Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F. Add 30ml (2 tbsp) of the olive oil to a Dutch oven and set it over medium heat. Once shimmering, add the chicken (you may need to work in batches to avoid overcrowding) and cook on one side until golden and it releases easily, about 5 minutes. Repeat on the other side. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Add the onion, pepper, garlic and anchovies to the pot along with a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown - about 8-10 minutes.
Add the tomato paste, chili flakes and dried oregano. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, just until the tomato paste begins to darken and stick to the bottom of the pan.
Pour over the tomatoes and chicken stock and stir in the olives, herb sprigs and bay leaves. Add the chicken back into the pot along with any accumulated juices, ensuring it's covered by the liquid. Bring to a simmer, then remove from the heat and move to the oven.
Cook the stew, uncovered, until the sauce has reduced and thickened and the chicken is cooked through (registers at least 75°C/165°F on an instant-read thermometer) and tender - about 30 minutes.
While the stew is in the oven, make the polenta. Add the stock, milk and salt to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, sloly pour in the polenta while stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the polenta is thick and tender - about 30 minutes.
Remove the polenta from the heat and stir in the butter and then parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately alongside the chicken.