Active Time

　　45 min

　　Total Time

　　1 1D2 hr

　　It's been decades since this dish was considered ethnic. Now we just think of it as down-home American food of the best kind. The moist, tender meat takes on a deep tomatoey flavor that suggests it's been slowly cooking for days rather than for less than 2 hours.

　　

Ingredients

Makes 6 servings

　　1 (3 1/2- to 4-lb) chicken, cut into 8 serving pieces

　　1 3/4 teaspoons table salt

　　3/4 teaspoon black pepper

　　2 tablespoons olive oil

　　1 large onion, chopped

　　1 green bell pepper, chopped

　　4 garlic cloves, chopped

　　1/2 cup dry red wine

　　1 (28-oz) can whole tomatoes in juice

　　1/2 cup chicken stock or reduced-sodium chicken broth

　　Accompaniment: cooked white rice or buttered noodles

　　

Step 1

Pat chicken dry and sprinkle on all sides with 1 1/4 teaspoons salt and pepper. Heat oil in a deep 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown chicken in 2 batches, turning over once, about 10 minutes per batch. Transfer chicken to a plate.

　　

Step 2

Reduce heat to moderate and add onion, bell pepper, and garlic to skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally and scraping up any brown bits, until onion and garlic are golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add wine and simmer, scraping up brown bits, until liquid is reduced by half, 1 to 2 minutes. Add tomatoes with their juice and simmer, breaking up tomatoes with a wooden spoon, 5 minutes. Add chicken stock and nestle chicken pieces in sauce.

　　

Step 3

Simmer, loosely covered with foil, until chicken is cooked through, 35 to 45 minutes. Season with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. For a thicker sauce, transfer cooked chicken to a platter and keep warm, covered, then boil sauce until it reaches desired consistency.