Chicken Cacciatore a la Mosca Style

Resurrected from an old Mosca?s restaurant recipe this version is an adaptation from one written in the Cooking up a Storm cookbook and found on page 150 in the poultry chapter.  Prepared this recipe yesterday and just about doubled every other ingredient with the exception of the chicken. The original recipe calls for 10 cloves of garlic, and the version posted below has doubled that amount because we love lots of garlic, also replaced the original 1 teaspoon of dried rosemary and oregano leaves with ¼ cup each of fresh chopped rosemary, basil and oregano. I also doubled the amount of tomato product to 2 cans of crushed tomatoes and a can of tomato sauce and a can of diced tomatoes, the original called for only 1 ½ cups of tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes. Moreover, now know why the doubling of the rest of the other ingredients was necessary, this morning found on the Mosca?s web site, they have their Chicken Cacciatore recipe and all the ingredients are the same as the Cooking up a Storm except that only 1 whole 3-pound chicken makes the ingredient list. Makes sense now, I doubled all the other ingredients; the cookbook recipe doubled the chicken but failed to double the remaining ingredients. Served this recipe with a side of ratatouille and steamed jasmine rice.

Mosca?s Restaurant still operating on Highway 90 near Avondale and Waggaman, Louisiana is an Old Italian family run icon since 1946. The restaurant still in operation today provides family-style service fare where the Chicken Cacciatore sells the whole chicken for $28.50, Chicken a la Grande (Fresh chicken sautéed with rosemary and special seasoning, whole garlic cloves and white wine) for $17.25 for a half or $28.50 for the whole chicken. Other Mosca?s specialties include their Shrimp Mosca, (Fresh local shrimp in the shell sautéed with Italian seasonings and white wine) sells for $29.00 per platter; this is their version of barbecue shrimp. Typically, each platter serves enough for 4 to 6 people. Always a family favorite since I can remember making the 30 to 40 minute drive down Highway 90, the little road side restaurant, Mosca?s is still the outpost image of enduring generations.

Serves 10 to 12 portions.

Ingredients


¾
Cup
Olive oil


2
Each
Whole chickens, each cut into serving pieces


2
Tsp
Salt


2
Tsp
Black pepper


20
Cloves
Garlic, mashed


¼
Cup
Rosemary, fresh chopped


¼
Cup
Basil, fresh chopped


¼
Cup
Oregano, fresh chopped


1
Cup
Dry white wine


1
Can
Tomato sauce (15-ounces each)


2
Cans
Crushed tomatoes (24-ounces each)


1
Can
Diced tomatoes (14-ounces)






Procedure Steps


1.
Coat the chicken evenly with the salt and black pepper. Heat olive oil in large sauté pan or skillet over medium high heat and brown the chicken pieces in batches, turning them often for about 10 or 15 minutes.


2.
Return all the chicken to the pan, add the garlic, rosemary, basil and oregano, and stir well to incorporate with the chicken.


3.
Pour in the white wine, stirring well then add the tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes and diced tomatoes and stir well.


4.
Continue to simmer over low heat for 30 to 40 minutes or until chicken juices run clear.


5.
Serve warm with rice or pasta.