Chicken Cacciatora (Hunters Chicken)

Image courtesy of bbc good food

This dish comprises a combination of latin flavours, but in supposition its an ideal dish for hunters to cook in the field, or would have been back in the day. The flavours aren't complex, and complement each other perfectly. Also if you shop around for ingredients you can produce this dish extremely cheaply. Substitutions such as using thigh meat instead of breast, and using generic cream cheese help alot to cut costs, as do using standard red onions instead of shallots. Granted the authenticity may wane, but i suppose not everybody's pockets are deep, and the economic situation at the moment lends favour to saving money wherever possible.

That said the substitutions element will not detract from the enjoyment of this recipe. Its hearty, rustic and suitable year round. Feel free to add mushrooms also if you have them available.

Ingredients
(serves 1)

1 breast of chicken, skin on with wing bone trimmed. (Or thigh).

2 slices of chorizo sausage (You can use salami or pepperoni if you wish).
2 shallots finely diced (or 1 small red onion)
1 clove of garlic crushed
Olive oil
100g cherry tomatoes
75ml of mascarpone cheese (or other full fat cream cheese)
Basil shredded
Seasoning

Tuck under the chicken skin the two slices of sausage, season and seal in a hot pan with a little oil, finish in the oven for 12 minutes

In a sauce pan sweat off the garlic and shallots, do not brown

Add the tomatoes with a little water and cook for 10 minutes

Stir in the mascarpone cheese and the basil leaves, season

Once chicken is cooked pour over the sauce

Serve with new potatoes roasted in olive oil and rosemary. You can quite legitimately serve with other things such as rice, or pasta. I hoever prefer the potato approach.