Chicken Cacciatore, Hilltown Style

We love chicken cacc, but it (like many homestyle dishes) has many different variations.  We wanted one that retained the flavor but had less of the fat of the traditional breaded versions.  The crunch of the chicken was nice but not necessary, especially as leftovers got it soggy.  This is our result:


Ingredients

• 1 4lb chicken, cut up into 8 pieces and skinned
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 large bell peppers, sliced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 3/4 cup green olive brine
• 1 ( 28-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 3/4 cup green olives
• 1 1/2 tsp oregano 

Steps 

1. In a large heavy saute pan, heat the oil over a medium-high heat. 
2. Add the chicken pieces to the pan and saute just until brown, about 5 minutes per side. If all the chicken does not fit in the pan, saute it in 2 batches. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside. 
3. Add the bell pepper, onion and garlic to the same pan and saute over medium heat until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. 
4. Add the brine, the tomatoes with their juice, broth, olives and oregano. Simmer 10 minutes.
5. Return the chicken pieces to the pan and turn them to coat in the sauce. Bring the sauce to a simmer. 
6. Continue simmering over medium-low heat until the chicken is just cooked through, about 30 minutes.
7. Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a platter. If necessary, boil the sauce until it thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Spoon off any excess fat from atop the sauce. Spoon the sauce over the chicken
8. Serve over rice or egg noodles.