Serves 6 hungry people! I especially like it with spaghetti squash. Halve the squash, scoop out the seeds, place cut-side down on plate and microwave for 6-10 min depending on size of squash. Let it cool for a few minutes and then use a fork to shred the pulp into a casserole dish. Cover and keep warm till serving time.
Ingredients
- Olive oil
- 3 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 16 pieces)
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 c yellow onion, chopped roughly (about 1 c)
- 1 leek, sliced thinly (about 1 c)
- 1 orange or yellow bell pepper (about 1 c)
- 4-5 cloves of garlic, smashed
- 1 c brown mushrooms, chopped
- 1 c dry white wine
- 1 cube veggie broth
- 1 lg can italian whole tomatoes with juice
- 1 lg can diced or crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 can tomatoe paste
- 2-3 tsp italian seasoning
- 1/4 c fresh cilantro, finely chopped (optional)
- 1-2 tsp balsamic vinegar
- garnish with fresh chopped basil and shredded parmesan cheese
Directions
- In a large skillet, brown the chicken in batches in olive oil. Chicken doesn’t need to be fully cooked….just add a bit of color. Place in a large shallow casserole dish (11′ x 13″) and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Takes about 45 min to brown all the chicken.
- Add the white wine to deglaze the chicken pan. Set aside.
- In a large soup pot, add a bit of olive oil and heat on medium.
- Saute’ the onion, leek, and bell pepper for a couple of minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook for another couple of minutes.
- Add the white wine / chicken juices to the pot and simmer for 10 minutes to reduce.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine. Cut up the italian tomatoes into pieces. They should be chunky. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Heat oven to 300F.
- Spoon the tomatoe mixture over the chicken making sure all the chicken is covered with sauce.
- Place the casserole in the oven and bake for 1 hour. Dish should be bubbly through the middle.
- Remove from oven and sprinkle basil and parmesan on top before serving.
- Enjoy