Spare Spoons Kitchen
Chicken Cacciatore
Chicken braised down in a tomato sauce warm with allspice and a whisper of cayenne — browned first, then simmered until fork-tender. Spooned over buttered spaghetti, the way Betty served it.
Ingredients
Easier, if you like
- Bone-in thighs (skip carving a whole bird) brown beautifully and stay juicy through the simmer.
- Jarred minced garlic and a bag of frozen diced peppers and onions cut the prep to almost nothing.
Method
Cook's notes
Brown well, then defat — Betty's hint. A deep sear is the flavor base; pouring off the grease after keeps the sauce clean, not oily.
Allspice and a dash of cayenne are what set this version apart — warm and a little spicy under the tomato.
The wine is optional but adds depth; a dry red or white both work. A splash of pasta water loosens the sauce if it gets too thick.
Betty's 3¾ tsp salt is high with salted canned tomatoes — start with 2 tsp and salt to taste at the end.
It's already gluten-free
Gluten-free: the cacciatore itself is gluten-free — serve it over gluten-free pasta, polenta, or rice instead of regular spaghetti.
See Betty’s original page
