Pondering what to do with some leftover roasted chicken, I decided that I wanted to use some mushrooms and a red bell pepper. What could I make with those anchor ingredients? I decided on cacciatore, an Italian hunter’s stew. It’s one of my favorite simple meals.
I really like the flavor that can be developed by simmering this dish long and slow. But I didn’t have hours and I was using chicken that was already cooked. So what could I add to deepen the flavor? An organic chicken liver that I had in the freezer was just the thing. Don’t worry. No one will know if you don’t tell them. Why? Because once thawed, I put it in the food processor to puree it.
After cooking some chopped onions and garlic in some olive oil, I added the pureed chicken liver to the pot to boost the umami quotient. Then the rest of the ingredients one at a time: mushrooms, red bell pepper, canned tomatoes. Seasoned with rosemary and thyme. A little wine never hurts. Simmer until vegetables are tender and the flavors start to come together. Taste with a clean spoon and adjust seasoning. Add cooked chicken to heat through.
In under 30 minutes you can have a satisfying meal with everyone asking for seconds. You could serve this with all kinds of things from polenta to rice, but pasta is my favorite. What’s yours? Buon appetito!
Ingredients:
- chicken pieces
- chicken liver
- olive oil
- onion
- garlic
- mushrooms
- red bell pepper
- canned tomatoes
- wine
- rosemary
- thyme
Ready for more simple meals using a roasted chicken? Try a Jambalaya.