Chicken Cacciatore for a Crowd

This recipe is similar in backstory to my Turkey Chicken for a Crowd, but based on Chicken Cacciatore instead. I added more ingredients for potluck interest, along the lines of Lidia’s Cacciatore.

Ingredients

• 10-12 lbs chicken pieces
• olive oil
• 2 large onions, sliced thin
• 5 cloves garlic, sliced or smashed
• salt
• black pepper
• 1 ½ c oil-cured black olives
• mushrooms to taste, chopped (optional)
• capers to taste (optional)
• 3–5 bell peppers, chopped (optional)
• 28 oz. can whole tomatoes, coarsely chopped
• 2 tsp. dried oregano
• 2 tsp. dried rosemary
• 1 T chopped dried basil
• 1 c dry red wine

Directions

1. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper.
2. Brown the chicken in olive oil in a large saute pan over high heat, in batches.
3. Transfer each batch of chicken and any extra juice to a baking pan. (Set extra grease aside or discard.) Hold in the oven at 170°.
4. Once all chicken in browned, begin baking at at 375°. Set a timer for 45 minutes.
5. To the saute pan, saute the onions, optional bell pepper, and garlic normally.
6. Add the olives, any remaining optional ingredients, and spices. Saute as needed.
7. Add the tomatoes and wine.
8. Heat through. Adjust the seasonings.
9. Add sauce to the baking pan and continue baking for the remaining time. (If the pieces are small, check for doneness sooner.)

Variants

You don’t need both onions and garlic.

One might use fresh tomatoes, if one were so inclined.