Hunter's Chicken

Ingredients

• 1.2 kg Chicken
• 30 g All-purpose flour
• 50 ml Extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves Garlic
• 1 sprig Rosemary
• 2 leaves Bay leaves
• 150 ml Red wine
• 400 g Tomatoes
• 100 ml Chicken broth
• 1 tsp Salt
• 0.5 tsp Black pepper

Steps

1. Cut a whole chicken into 8 pieces, removing excess skin and fat.
2. Pat the pieces thoroughly dry, season with salt and pepper, and lightly dust with flour, shaking off the excess.
3. Heat the olive oil in a wide heavy pan over medium-high heat with the whole garlic cloves and the rosemary sprig.
4. When the garlic is fragrant and golden, add the chicken pieces skin-side down.
5. Brown the chicken well on all sides, about 10 minutes total, until a deep golden crust forms.
6. Do not crowd the pan; work in batches if needed.
7. Pour in the red wine and let it bubble vigorously, scraping the browned bits from the bottom, until the alcohol has evaporated and the liquid is reduced by half.
8. Add the peeled tomatoes, crushing them with a spoon, along with the bay leaves.
9. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a gentle simmer.
10. Cover partially and cook over low heat for about 45 minutes, turning the pieces occasionally and adding a splash of warm broth if the sauce becomes too dry.
11. Uncover, raise the heat slightly and let the sauce thicken for a final 5 minutes.
12. Discard the bay leaves and rosemary stalk, rest for a few minutes, and serve hot.

Tips

• A free-range farm chicken gives the most authentic flavour and holds up to long braising better than a battery bird.
• Mop up the rich sauce with crusty Tuscan bread, or serve the chicken over soft polenta for a heartier meal.
• The dish tastes even better the next day, once the flavours have melded; reheat gently with a little water.