When I walked into the house this evening after work, the house smelled amazing… wait, I mean “ah mazing.” Jon was cooking up some Chicken Cacciatore with Green Bean, Orange and Green Olive Salad. I turned my nose up at the Green Beans, but after one taste, I knew it was a miracle. I don’t think I’ve ever eaten green beans and liked it. In fact, some of my most painful memories involve me, sitting at the dinner table, long after everyone else had been excused, forced to eat the 3 or 4 green beans my dad had dished onto my plate. Horrifying. Traumatic. Life altering. And then today, I ate green beans and loved them. Jon truly is a miracle worker. Additionally, this further proves his theory that I will eat anything if it’s combined with oranges and green olives.
Both recipes receive an “ah mazing” rating and will be added to the vault.
Chicken Cacciatore
- 1 1/2 pounds plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped (scant 4 cups)
- 8 ounces crimini (baby bella) mushrooms
- 1 very large red onion, thinly sliced (about 3 cups)
- 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 tablespoons Sherry wine vinegar
- 1 4 1/2- to 4 3/4-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces, excess fat trimmed
- 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary, divided
- 1/2 cup dry red wine
- 1 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
- 1 cup low-salt chicken broth
- 1/3 cup thinly sliced basil, divided
- 2 tablespoons drained capers, divided
**The original recipe called for pasta to accompany this dish, but it is not needed. The chicken and veggies are filling enough. Instead of plum tomatoes, we used a pint of grape tomatoes. We replaced the baby bellas with small button mushrooms. Jon added 4 whole cloves of garlic, peeled and one red bell pepper, sliced into strips. We used 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts instead of a whole chicken. Of course, we went overboard on the rosemary, because we really like it, and Jon says “fresh is really important.” For a little extra kick, we used the canned diced tomatoes with the Italian spice.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Combine plum tomatoes, mushrooms, and onion in large bowl. Add 3 tablespoons oil and vinegar; toss to blend. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Spread vegetable mixture in single layer on large rimmed baking sheet. Roast until onion slices are golden brown and all vegetables are tender, stirring frequently, about 50 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.
Sprinkle chicken with salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon rosemary. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large deep ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and sauté until golden brown, about 6 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to bowl. Add wine to skillet and boil until wine is reduced by half, scraping up browned bits, about 1 minute. Stir in canned tomatoes with juice, then broth and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer 10 minutes to blend flavors. Return chicken to sauce in skillet. Place skillet in oven and roast uncovered until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear when pierced with knife, about 25 minutes. Remove skillet from oven. Stir in roasted vegetables, remaining 1/2 tablespoon rosemary, half of basil, and half of capers. Simmer over medium heat until vegetables are heated through. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with remaining capers and basil.
Green Bean, Orange and Green Olive Salad
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
12 ounces haricots verts or small slender green beans, trimmed
2 oranges, all peel and white pith cut away
1/2 cup small green olives (such as picholine)
1/2 cup fresh Italian parsley leaves
** We cut everything in half except the vinegar, and oil. Jon suggests adding a little bit of red onion to this recipe.
Whisk first 3 ingredients in small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Cook beans in large saucepan of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain, rinse, and pat dry. DO AHEAD: Dressing and beans can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.
Cut oranges in half, then crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick slices; place in large bowl. Mix in olives, parsley, beans, and dressing. Transfer to shallow dish.
Paired together… Ta Da!
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