chicken cacciatore with steamed broccoli and green beans

Chicken casserole dishes: love or hate? On one hand, they are wholesome, usually cost-effective, and homey. On the other hand, they tend to be a bit boring, and if the chicken is not cooked correctly, the meat will be dry and flavourless despite the juices surrounding it.

For these reasons, I have often stayed away from cooking chicken casseroles like coq au vin. They just do not excite me. But when I found Delia’s recipe for a version of the Italian classic chicken cacciatore, I had to try it. The vivid orange-red of the sauce, flecked with deep green rosemary and bay leaf, had an entrancing effect. Look for yourself.

I substituted several chicken drumsticks in place of the whole chicken and found it worked really well. The chicken needs to be browned off first and left to sit while concocting the rest of the casserole. Don’t skip this step!

Of course, all of that chicken skin adds quite a lot of fat to the dish. Although it can be messy, I advise removing the skin before eating with a fork and knife. It could save 300-400 calories, which is quite a lot. Much of the flavour remains, since the chicken and the sauce were still cooked in the skin casing. Besides, the rich liquor of tomatoes, wine, tomato puree, garlic, onion, and rosemary is fantastic all on its own.

This recipe takes about an hour and a half to prepare and cook. I would recommend it for a lazy Sunday afternoon when you can check on the dish intermittently whilst reading a book or watching a film.

Serve the chicken cacciatore with some freshly steamed broccoli and green beans. Delia recommends green tagliatelle, but I think vegetables fit better with the overall dish.

Calories per serving (2 chicken drumsticks with one-third of the sauce, with the skin removed before eating): around 700. Using other, less fatty, cuts of chicken would decrease the calorie count.