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Thursday, November 15, 2012

Chicken Cacciatore - Nicci & Tori & Stephanie

Ingredients:extra virgin olive oil
1/4 lb. thickly sliced bacon
1/2 c. flour
1 T Dried Italian herb seasoning
1 T. red pepper flakes
6 chicken thighs with skin and bone
1 small green bell pepper, chopped
1 small sweet onion, diced
1 lb. baby portobello mushrooms, sliced
1/2 c. chopped fresh basil
3 T tomato paste
1 28oz. can diced tomatoes with juice
1/2 c. dry red wine or more to taste
1 T cornstarch (optional)
2 T water (optional)
1 16 oz. package rigatoni pasta
freshly shredded Parmesan cheese to taste
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, and cook and stir the bacon until it beings to turn dark brown, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove the bacon pieces from the skillet with a slotted spoon and set aside.
2. Mix the flour, italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes in a shallow bowl.
3. Press the chicken thighs into the flour mixture, tapping off any loose flour.
4. Brown the chicken thighs in the skillet with the oil and bacon drippings, 8 to 10 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken thighs to a platter and keep warm.
5. Cook and stir the green bell pepper, sweet onion and portobello mushrooms in the same skillet until the onion turns translucent about 8 minutes.
6. Stir the basil, garlic, tomato paste, diced tomatoes with their juice, and red wine into the sauce.
7. Bring the sauce to a boil, and return the chicken and bacon to the sauce. If sauce does not almost cover the chicken pieces, mix in more dry red wine.
8. Reduce heat to low, and simmer the chicken and sauce until the chicken thighs are tender and no longer pink inside, 35 to 50 minutes.
9. If you prefer a thicker sauce, whisk cornstarch with water and 1 T. of the sauce and stir the mixture into the skillet until thickened.
10.  About 15 minutes before serving time, bring  a large pot of lightly salted water and bring to a boil.
11. Stir in the rigatoni and return to a boil. Cook uncovered over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through but is still slightly firm, about 1 minutes, drain.
12. To serve, transfer the cooked rigatoni to a large platter and top with the chicken thighs.
13. Generously ladle sauce over the chicken and pasta, and sprinkle the dish with parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Serve any extra sauce on the side.

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