Rustic Italian Chicken Food

RUSTIC ITALIAN CHICKEN

Steps:

• Spray slow cooker with cooking spray. Place chicken in slow cooker and top with remaining ingredients, except pasta and garnish.
• Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours. Serve chicken over pasta and garnish with cheese and parsley.
• Garnish Options: Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh Italian parsley.

CHICKEN CACCIATORE

Steps:

• Sprinkle the chicken pieces with 1 teaspoon of each salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour to coat lightly.
• In a large heavy saute pan, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. Add the chicken pieces to the pan and saute just until brown, about 5 minutes per side. If all the chicken does not fit in the pan, saute it in 2 batches. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside. Add the bell pepper, onion and garlic to the same pan and saute over medium heat until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the wine and simmer until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juice, broth, capers and oregano. Return the chicken pieces to the pan and turn them to coat in the sauce. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Continue simmering over medium-low heat until the chicken is just cooked through, about 30 minutes for the breast pieces, and 20 minutes for the thighs.
• Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a platter. If necessary, boil the sauce until it thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Spoon off any excess fat from atop the sauce. Spoon the sauce over the chicken, then sprinkle with the basil and serve.

ITALIAN CHICKEN MINESTRONE

Steps:

• In a large pot, heat oil over medium-high. Add onion and cook until softened, 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add tomatoes with juice and cook until liquid is evaporated, 4 minutes. Add broth and bring to a boil. Add pasta, carrots, and Parmesan rind, if using, and cook 5 minutes. Add kale, zucchini, and chickpeas and cook until zucchini is crisp-tender, 5 minutes. Stir in chicken and cook until warmed through, 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and remove rind before serving. Sprinkle with Parmesan, if desired.

RUSTIC PARMESAN CHICKEN AND RICE

Steps:

• Heat 2 Tbsp. dressing in large skillet on medium heat. Add chicken; cook 5 to 7 min. on each side or until done (165ºF). Remove chicken from skillet; cover to keep warm.
• Add remaining dressing and vegetables to skillet; cook 3 to 5 min. or until vegetables are crisp-tender, stirring frequently. Stir in pasta sauce; cook 1 min. or until heated through, stirring frequently.
• Spoon rice onto platter; top with chicken, sauce and cheeses.

RUSTIC ROASTED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425*F.
• Toss the potatoes, carrots, parsnips, shallots, mushrooms, and garlic with the oil and a generous pinch of salt and pepper in a large roasting pan.
• Cut the lemon inhalf, and rub the chickens with the lemon flesh and then the butter; season the birds generously with salt and pepper.
• Place half a lemon and two sprigs each of tarragon, rosemary and thyme in the cavity of each chicken.
• Arrange the chickens on top of the vegetables, and roast in the lower half of the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the chickens are cooked and the skin is crisp, basting the chickens every 20 minutes.
• If the birds are not crisp, increase the oven temperature to 475*F for the last 10 to 15 minutes of cooking.
• Remove from the oven, cover the chickens loosely with aluminum foil, and allow the chickens and vegetables to rest in the pan for 20 minutes.
• Remove the chickens and vegetables to a platter, pour off the fat in the pan, deglaze with the wine or broth and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Sprinkle the carved chicken and vegetables with the sea salt and serve with the pan juices.