Chicken Cacciatore (Cheat)

Last week, when I mentioned that I had to come up with a salad in a hurry, I had made Chicken Cacciatore for dinner that night. Since then, I've had a few requests for the recipe. Well... I cheat big time when it comes to this dish. It's part homemade, part store-bought. But it's a great meal to throw together with leftover chicken and vegetables. Here's what I do...

Chicken Cacciatore

4 large chicken breasts (You can use thighs or any part of the chicken you'd like)
2 red bell peppers, cut into chunks or strips
1 large onion, cut into chunks or strips (I use sweet onions like Vidalia)
1/2-3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Jar of your favorite sauce (I use a spicy roasted red pepper sauce)
1 lb. cooked pasta of your choice

Coat chicken in a liberal amount of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Bake the chicken in a 375 degree oven for approximately 20-30 minutes. Don't dry out the chicken. Remove chicken and set aside. You can do this a day or two ahead if you'd like.

Saute peppers and onions in about 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil over a low heat. Add salt if desired and stir occasionally. Let the vegetables soften and start to caramelize, but don't burn them. Set aside. You can do this a day or two ahead as well.

Shred or cut chicken into bite-sized pieces. In a large pan, add sauce, chicken and vegetables, along with the rest of the olive oil. I'm pretty liberal with the olive oil, so add a good 1/4 cup to the pan.

When heated through, serve over pasta.

Serves 4-6 people.

If you want a more authentic, homemade version of this recipe, try this one.

Photo: Peter Sejerson