Cacciatore is an Italian word that refers to the rustic cooking style, where the meat is cooked right along with the vegetables. This is a cheap, easy, and incredibly tasty way to feed a lot of people. The chicken can be made completely ahead of time and heated up just prior to serving. Then all you have to do is cook the spaghetti, heat up a loaf of crusty bread, and you are good to go.

　　

Ingredients

serves 10 to 12

　　2 onions

　　1 pound fresh mushrooms

　　2 red peppers

　　2 cloves garlic

　　2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

　　1 tablespoon canola oil

　　5 (14-ounce) cans diced tomatoes

　　Salt and pepper

　　2 pounds uncooked spaghetti

　　Parmesan cheese

　　

Step 1

Peel the onions, cut in half, and thinly slice. Remove and discard the ends of the mushroom stems and thinly slice. Cut the peppers in half, remove and discard the stem and seeds, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Peel the garlic and finely chop. Cut the chicken into 1-inch pieces.

　　

Step 2

Place the oil, onions, mushrooms, and peppers in a large pot over medium-high heat and cook, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes. Add the chicken and cook, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes, or until the chicken is browned. Add the garlic and stir well. Drain the tomatoes and add to the pan. Season with salt and pepper and cook over low heat for 15 minutes, or until the onions and peppers are soft.

　　

Step 3

Meanwhile, bring a stock pot of salted water to a boil and add the spaghetti. Cook over medium-high heat for 10 minutes, or until al dente. Drain the spaghetti in a colander and keep warm.

　　

Step 4

Place some of the spaghetti in the center of each plate, spoon some of the chicken cacciatore on top, and sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese.

　　

Food for Thought

Step 5

This dish is traditionally made with whole chicken pieces that are braised, or cooked slowly, for several hours. By using cut-up chicken breasts, it not only decreases the cooking time substantially, it also cuts out a lot of the calories.

　　College Cooking