Chicken Cacciatore with Baked Potatoes

Created by Elena Rovera, Cascina del Cornale, Cornale, Italy

Hot, hearty and full of robust Italian flavor, this chicken dish will have you shouting, "Grazie!"

Servings: Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 chicken (about 3 3/4 pounds)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 red onion , cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 carrot , peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
2 stalks celery , cut into 1/4-inch dice
2 cloves garlic , minced
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary , coarsely chopped
1 cup cabernet sauvignon or any dry red wine
1 cup tomato sauce
2 1/4 pounds Yukon Gold or new potatoes , peeled and cut into thick wedges
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic , minced
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions:

Clean chicken and pat dry. Cut into 8 pieces and season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper. Heat a large sauté pan or skillet over medium-high heat and add olive oil. Add chicken; cook until golden brown on both sides, about 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a platter and set aside.

Add onion, carrot, celery, garlic, rosemary and 1/2 teaspoon salt to pan. Cook over medium-high heat until onion is translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add wine and stir to scrape up browned bits from bottom of pan. Cook 4 to 6 minutes to burn off alcohol and reduce wine by about half. Return chicken to pan, along with any juices on platter. Add tomato sauce and 1 cup water. Turn chicken once or twice to mix ingredients and coat chicken. Cover pan, reduce heat to low, and cook until tender, about 25 to 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°. On stovetop, cook potatoes in salted simmering water until they can be easily pierced with a knife but still hold their shape, 11 to 13 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a 13" x 9" baking dish.

In a small bowl, combine olive oil, garlic and rosemary. Drizzle oil mixture over potatoes and gently toss to coat them evenly. Sprinkle with salt and ground pepper. Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake until potatoes are fragrant and heated through, about 15 minutes. Serve with chicken.

From Oprah.Com