Chicken & Noodle Cacciatore

This is old-school chicken cacciatore done the slow way. A whole stewing hen simmers for 3 to 4 hours until the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender and the broth is deeply flavored. That broth then cooks the noodles, so every strand soaks up all that chicken flavor.

The sauce builds separately in a skillet: onion and garlic sauteed until soft, then tomatoes, stuffed olives, sliced mushrooms, green pepper, and basil simmered low for 20 minutes. Olives add a briny pop that cuts through the tomato richness, and the mushrooms bring an earthy depth.

Everything comes together in a baking dish: noodles on the bottom, chicken pieces on top, sauce poured over all, then a final 20 minutes in the oven to meld the flavors together.

Kitchen Tips

• A stewing hen is tougher than a fryer but develops much more flavor over the long simmer. Don’t rush it. The meat should practically fall apart.
• Skim the fat from the broth after cooling. A fat separator or a spoon and some patience both work.
• Cook the noodles in the defatted chicken broth, not plain water. This is where the noodles pick up their incredible flavor.
• The sauce only needs 20 minutes. Don’t overcook it or the vegetables lose their texture.

Variations

• Use bone-in chicken thighs instead of a whole hen to cut the cooking time to about 90 minutes.
• Add a splash of dry red wine to the tomato sauce for extra depth.
• Swap wide noodles for penne or rigatoni to catch more sauce in every bite.