Chicken Cacciatore

Total Time: 55 min
Prep: 15 min
Cook: 40 min

Ingredients ♥ ♥ ♥

* 4 chicken thighs
* 2 chicken breasts with skin and backbone, halved crosswise
* 2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
* 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
* 1/2 cup all purpose flour, for dredging
* 3 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 large red bell pepper, chopped
* 1 onion, chopped
* 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
* 1/2 cup 7-Up
* 1 ( 28-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
* 3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
* 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
* 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves

Directions ♥ ♥ ♥

Sprinkle the chicken pieces with 1 teaspoon of each salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour to coat lightly.

In a large heavy saute pan, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. Add the chicken pieces to the pan and saute just until brown, about 5 minutes per side. If all the chicken does not fit in the pan, saute it in 2 batches. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside. Add the bell pepper, onion and garlic to the same pan and saute over medium heat until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the 7-Up and simmer until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juice, broth, and oregano. Return the chicken pieces to the pan and turn them to coat in the sauce. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Continue simmering over medium-low heat until the chicken is just cooked through, about 30 minutes for the breast pieces, and 20 minutes for the thighs.

Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a platter. If necessary, boil the sauce until it thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Spoon off any excess fat from atop the sauce. Spoon the sauce over the chicken, then sprinkle with the basil and serve.

Bon Appeti ♥ ♥ ♥