Chicken cacciatore

This dish is such an oldie and so delicious.  The best part about it is that people will think it involves a modicum of effort.  But there’s a cheat at the heart of this recipe (which you needn’t reveal to your diners) which makes it one of the easiest recipes in the Retrokitchen.

It’s been a while since I posted and, looking at these photographs, old Dad and I are a bit out of practice.  One or two of the photos aren’t as slick as normal.  The main problem is that old Dad, old Mum and I are sober.

That’s right we’re doing dry July.  No hope of a cask of wine in this post.  We’re consuming a non-alcoholic staple of the 1970s – cordial:

This looks a bit posh for the 1970s.  But somehow I couldn’t persuade old Mum to drink bright red Cottee’s!

Ah well at least the food will be tasty.  The ingredients are easy.

1 clove garlic- $1.20 per bunch:

As you can see, this is a recycled photo with a different table cloth and 3 cloves of garlic, but you get the idea.

1 small brown onion- around $1.00:

This is another recycled photo showing a medium brown onion.  I have an over-active imagination today!

500 g breast stir fry chicken – $10.50 per packet:

A dozen cup mushrooms – say $3.00:

and, in addition:

Apologies for the two photographs – there was a bit of tension in the Retrokitchen today. It was politic not to ask for a restaged photograph of  the mushrooms.

Now for the slightly embarrassing secret ingredient – Continental Chicken Tonight Cacciatore sauce – $2.50 per jar:

No-one will ever guess – your meal will be too tasty to have come from a jar!

Fresh basil – no price for this as I pinched it from old Mum’s herb garden:

A dozen pitted kalamata olives – say $2.00:

Your preferred pasta – this one set me back $1.95:

Parmesan cheese – this load cost $3.25:

Now let’s get cooking!

Step 1 – chop garlic:

Step 2 – chop onion:

Step 3 – remove chicken strips from packet and slice each strip in half:

Step 4 – slice mushrooms:

Step 5 – slice olives:

Step 6 – pour 3 tablespoons of olive oil into pan and heat:

Step 7 – once oil is heated, place garlic in pan and cook until light brown:

Step 8 – place onion in pan, stir and cook until golden:

Step 9 – place chicken in pan, stir and cook until light brown:

Step 10 – place mushrooms in pan, stir and cook until softened:

Step 11 – reduce heat, place secret sauce in pan and stir:

Step 12 – place basil in pan and stir:

Step 13 – place olives in pan:

Step 14 – cook pasta (you might actually start this before the chicken):

Step 15 – serve with parmesan in easy reach:

Step 16 – top with parmesan and wash down with cordial!

I’ll be back next week.  Old Dad, old Mum and I are going to have a celebration of the mid point of dry July – with cask wine and beef casserole.  It is truly delectable so be sure to check in to the Retrokitchen!