Chicken Cacciatore with Creamy Parmesan Polenta

Ingredients

1 Recipe Polenta (recipe follows)

1 Chicken (large stewing hen if possible), cut into 8 pieces with skin on

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 large sweet onion, julienned

1 large green pepper, julienned

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 28 oz can crushed or peeled whole tomatoes

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon dried oregano

2 sprigs fresh basil, cut into chiffonade

1 sprig fresh oregano, chopped

1 cup dry red wine (ex: Cabernet Sauvignon)

Directions:

1. Add oil to large dutch oven or sauté pan over high heat until oil starts to smoke. Toss tbsp of kosher salt with chicken pieces and sear in pan in 2 batches until chicken is deeply golden on both sides. Reserve chicken on a plate.

2. Dump out or add oil so there is 1 tsp left in the same pan and add onion and peppers with remaining tsp of salt over med low heat. Sweat until veg reduces and starts to turn brown around the edges.

3. Turn heat to med high and add wine, scraping the bottom of the pan to release brown bits. Reduce to syrup consistency.

4. Add tomatoes, garlic, crushed pepper, and dried herbs. Nestle chicken into the sauce, adding any juices that accumulated on plate. Cover and cook at a low simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until chicken has reached an internal temperature of about 175 degrees.

5. Remove chicken from sauce to a clean plate. Turn heat to med high and reduce sauce by approximately half or until consistency of thick tomato sauce. Add fresh herbs and test for seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste. Add chicken and any juices to sauce for service.

6. To plate, spoon polenta into middle of a clean plate and place on piece of chicken on top. Spoon desired amount of sauce onto chicken and around polenta.

Parmesan Polenta

Ingredients

1 cup stone ground cornmeal (recommended: Bob’s Red Mill)

2 shallots, minced small (about ½ cup)

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 cups low sodium chicken stock

1 tsp kosher salt

Fresh ground pepper to taste

2 ounces grated fresh parmesan

2 tsp olive oil

Directions

1. Add oil to medium sauce pan and sweat shallot and garlic with salt over med low heat until translucent but not browned.

2. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil over med high heat. Whisking constantly, slowly add corn meal a bit at a time. Cover and reduce heat to medium. Cook, whisking frequently for about 25 minutes.

3. Add parmesan a bit at a time and taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste. Serve with chicken.