chicken cacciatore

Let me say this right now: I hate the awful show known as The Next Food Network Star. There's a particular contestant on there named Katie that tries to come up with these "healthy" dishes that, from what the judges say, taste awful. As my frequent readers know, I'm all about a healthy appetite and this girl gives healthy eating a bad rep.

Healthy food doesn't have to be boring or taste like cardboard. Katie tries to sell the judges on antioxidants and all the other crap but in reality, it's her food that tastes like crap. Aside from this, I won't go into further detail about how the show is just trying to find a person who can sell, etc. (or the fact that I still watch the show when it comes on).

This whole week, I'll share with you ways to lose the fat, eat with a healthy appetite and ways to shed some pounds for the summer. Here's tip #1:

A healthy appetite doesn't mean giving up all of your favorite foods. Rather, it's the portion size and eating in moderation that really counts.

If you forbid yourself from all of your favorite foods (i.e. pizza, cookies, hamburgers) you'll find yourself over indulging at some point from abstaining too much. It's about finding a balance between your meals and keeping foods under moderation.

This Chicken Cacciatore is a great example of a delicious dish that's still packed with nutrients and when eaten in correct portions, you can still lose weight or gain muscle. Chicken is a great source of protein and the thighs can be substituted for all breasts. (However, chicken thighs just have 1 extra gram of saturated fat vs. chicken breasts per weight so you're not giving up too much) Tomatoes are filled with lycopene and help reduce the risk of cancer. Red bell peppers are high in beta carotene and vitamin C. Great for vision and the vitamin C provides delicious antioxidants for your body.

Chicken Cacciatore
Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis' Everyday Italian, Serves 4

Ingredients:
- 1 whole chicken, jointed (you can use all chicken breasts, thighs or mixtures)
- Enough AP flour for dredging
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 0.666 cup white wine
- 0.666 cup chicken stock
- 400g (1 large tin) of diced tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons capers, drained
- handful of parsley, chopped

1) Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour making sure to shake off the excess.
2) Add olive oil to a hot, large pot or dutch oven. Sauté the chicken over medium-high heat for 3 - 5 minutes per side until nicely browned. Do so in batches if needed.
3) Remove the chicken to a dish and let rest. Add in more olive oil if needed and sauté the onions and dried oregano for about 2 minutes over medium heat. Add in the bell peppers and garlic. Sauté for about 3 more minutes or until the onions are translucent and tender. Season with more salt and pepper.
4) Deglaze the pot with white wine and reduce for about 2 minutes. Add in the chicken stock after the wine reduces by about half.
5) Add the canned, diced tomatoes and the capers.
6) Add the chicken and the juices from the chicken back to the pot and bring up to a boil.
7) Simmer the chicken for 25 minutes for breasts and 20 minutes for thighs/wings.
8) When the scum (bubbly impurities) come up to the top, skim with a ladle. Reduce the sauce to your desired consistency and taste to adjust seasonings.
9) Roughly chop parsley over the chicken cacciatore before serving. Grated Parmesan can also be added if desired.