Chicken Cacciatore

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 3.5 pounds whole chicken – cut into 8 pieces
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 0.5 tsp black pepper – freshly ground
• 1 cup yellow onion – finely chopped
• 0.5 cup carrot – finely chopped
• 0.5 cup celery – finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic – thinly sliced
• 0.75 cup dry white wine
• 28 ounces canned whole peeled tomatoes – crushed by hand
• 2 leaves bay leaves
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 2 tbsp capers – rinsed
• flat-leaf parsley – chopped (for serving)

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a wide, heavy pot over medium-high heat until shimmering.
2. Pat the chicken dry, season all over with the kosher salt and black pepper, and add to the pot skin side down; brown until deeply golden on both sides, 8–10 minutes per side. Transfer the pieces to a plate and pour off all but about 1 tbsp fat from the pot.
3. Reduce heat to medium; add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook, stirring, until softened and lightly golden, 6–8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
4. Increase heat to medium-high, pour in the dry white wine, and simmer, scraping up browned bits, until reduced by about half, 2–3 minutes.
5. Add the canned whole peeled tomatoes, crushing them by hand as they go in, along with the bay leaves and fresh rosemary. Return the pieces and any accumulated juices to the pot, bring to a lively simmer, then cover and cook until nearly tender, 25–30 minutes, maintaining a gentle simmer.
6. Uncover, stir in the capers, and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly and the thigh meat is fork-tender and pulls from the bone, 10–15 minutes more.
7. Discard the herbs, let rest 5 minutes, then sprinkle with parsley and serve warm.