Quick Chicken Cacciatore with Cannelini Beans and Polenta
My car broke down on Monday, we had friends coming for dinner and I couldn’t get to the shops to make what I had planned. I was also now restricted by time so I had to find a plan B. I had been reading my latest delicious magazine on Sunday night and remembered seeing a recipe for a quick chicken cacciatore and thought I’d give that a go instead.
Luckily I had all the ingredients I needed, plus a few more which I added and it turned out to be a most delicious meal. Here is the recipe…
Quick Chicken Cacciatore with Cannelini Beans and Polenta
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Author: Healthy Home Cafe
Serves: 4-5
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3-4 chicken thigh fillets (400g max), skinned and well trimmed, cut into thirds
- 1 large brown onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 large red (mild) chilli, deseeded and finely sliced
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves
- 1 red capsicum, cut into strips
- 1 zucchini, cut in half lengthways, then sliced 1cm wide
- 3 medium roma tomatoes, diced
- 12 green Sicilian olives
- 1 cup (250ml) red wine
- 400g can chopped tomatoes
- 400g can cannellini beans (or navy beans), drained and rinsed
- 3 teaspoons Massel chicken stock powder
- 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 3 cups boiling water
- 1 cup polenta
- 1 cup low fat milk
Instructions
- Heat a large deep fry pan over medium heat
- When hot, add the oil and chicken thighs. Cook for 3 minutes until browned, then turn over and cook for a further 1 minute
- Transfer to a plate and return pan to medium heat with onion and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until softened (add a little water if it starts to stick)
- Add the garlic, chilli and rosemary, then cook for a further 1 minute or until fragrant
- Add the capsicum, zucchini, fresh tomatoes, olives and red wine, then cook for 3-4 minutes until the liquid is reduced by half
- Add tinned tomatoes, then return the chicken to the pan along with the cannellini beans and 2 teaspoons of chicken stock powder
- Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through
- Meanwhile, cook the polenta: Place the 3 cups boiling water in a large saucepan, add 1 teaspoon of chicken stock powder, then slowly pour in the polenta while you mix with a wooden spoon to prevent any lumps forming (be careful as the polenta will plop and may splurt onto your hand)
- Cover the saucepan with a lid, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes
- Add the milk, then cook for a further 5 minutes with the lid on
- Divide polenta between 4 warmed plates, then pile chicken cacciatore on top
- Sprinkle with parsley and serve with sautéed kale
Per Serve:
Chicken Cacciatore only: 1496kJ or 356 calories; P 28g Fat 10g SFat 2.5g CHO 22g Fibre 10g
Cacciatore + Polenta: 2072kJ or 493 calories; P 34g Fat 11g SFat 2.8g CHO49g Fibre 11g
The whole family enjoys this one and I have made it for guests as well with great success!
Hi Susan – that’s great to hear. Thanks so much for your feedback 🙂
Hi Caroline, I’m making this this week. Looking forward to it! Alison
Hey Alison – how did you go? Did you like it???
Hi Caroline
Cooked the Chicken Cacciatore last night we loved it.
Have plenty for left overs.
Thank you
Lyn
Hi Lyn – I am so thrilled you loved it and hopefully the leftovers even better 🙂 Thanks for your feedback