Chicken Cacciatore

For 2 servings

• 2 chicken thighs, bone-in or boneless
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 onion, sliced
• 1/2 red pepper, sliced
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• Fresh basil, to serve

1. 1

   Pat the chicken thighs dry and season generously with salt and pepper on both sides.

2. 2

   Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium high heat until hot. Add the chicken, skin side down first if it has skin, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes on each side without moving it too much, until deeply golden brown, it does not need to be fully cooked through yet, it will finish braising in the sauce. Remove and set aside on a plate.

3. 3

   Add the onion and red pepper to the same pan, there should be good browned bits left on the base from the chicken, these will dissolve into the sauce and add flavour, so don't wash the pan. Cook for 6 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.

4. 4

   Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant, keeping it moving so it doesn't catch.

5. 5

   Add the chopped tomatoes, oregano and bay leaf. Stir well, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any remaining browned bits from the base of the pan, then bring to a simmer.

6. 6

   Return the chicken to the pan, nestling it into the sauce and spooning some over the top so it's partially submerged. Cover with a lid, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, checking once partway through to give it a gentle stir around the chicken.

7. 7

   The dish is ready when the chicken is very tender, if using bone-in thighs, the meat should pull away easily from the bone, and it's fully cooked through with no pink in the middle, and the sauce has thickened to a rich, clingy consistency rather than looking thin and watery.

8. 8

   Remove the bay leaf, scatter with fresh basil, and serve with pasta, rice or crusty bread.