Chicken Cacciatore, My Way

I have made variations of Chicken cacciatore in the past but I believe that this is the best yet. Using skinless chicken breasts on the ribs cuts down on the fat significantly but still gives the cacciatore flavor.

Before the chicken goes back in the pot. I charred the chicken a little but it didn't matter

Chicken Cacciatore, My Way

4 skinless chicken breasts on the ribs

1 cup of skim or 2% milk

1 egg

2 cups of flour

1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil

10-15 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves removed from stems

red pepper flakes, to taste (I used 1/2 a teaspoon)

1 red pepper, sliced

1 large onion, sliced

5-6 cloves of garlic, chopped

2 14oz cans of diced tomatoes

1 cup of dry white wine

1 thinly sliced lemon

3 tbs of capers

1/2 cup fresh flat leaf parsley

parmesan cheese, optional

1 box of spaghetti

Heat large pot with half of the olive oil. In a bowl, whisk one egg with the milk. In another bowl, add flour, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste. Dredge the chicken into the flour, the egg wash, and then back into the flour. Set aside until all four breasts of chicken are coated. Fry chicken for about 7 minutes on each side. Be careful not to char the chicken like I did. Remove and place on a plate. Chicken will not be cooked through until placed back in the pot.

Add remainder of the olive oil in the pot and on low heat,  add onion, red pepper, garlic, thyme, capers, lemon slices, and red pepper flakes. Saute for about 5-7 minutes or until soft. Add the tomatoes and bring to a boil and then to simmer for about 15 minutes. 

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add spaghetti. Follow instructions on the box.

Add chicken back into pot and pour wine over the chicken. Simmer for about 20 more minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Add parsley and and serve with parmesan cheese. Salt and pepper to taste. I usually go easy on the salt considering the canned diced tomatoes contain salt.

*Feel free to use gnocchi, rice, or any other type of pasta other than spaghetti. The wonderful thing about cacciatore is that it's extremely versatile. 

*I like to keep a lid over the pot but slightly cracked while the cacciatore is simmering. 

*Serve with a side salad or an other vegetable of choice. I served it tonight with a side dish of steamed zucchini.