Pogue Mahone

Here are two of my favorite chicken recipes, suitable for not only the summer months, but year round. The first is a family recipe, the next is a recipe that I found here about four years ago from a member called Minx that I think deserves some love again.

Chicken Cacciatore di Napoli
2-3 cloves of garlic sliced thin
Olive oil
2-3 lbs. chicken
2 lbs. mushrooms
1 tsp. chopped parsley
1 onion sliced thin
3 tbsps. butter
1-2 cups Sauternes wine*
3 cups tomatoes
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. pepper

In a large skillet, heat the garlic slices in olive oil until garlic is lightly browned. Remove garlic and save. Brown chicken on all sides. In another pan, cook onions and mushrooms in butter until onions are transparent and mushrooms are lightly browned. Add mushroom mix, tomatoes, and wine to chicken, along with spices. Cook chicken on low heat for another 30 minutes until the thickest piece of chicken is tender. If mixture is too thick, add more water or wine. Adjust spices to your taste. Serve over spaghetti, fettuccine, or wild rice.

*Sauternes wines can be obnoxiously expensive. I usually use Barton & Guestier's Sauternes or even a cheap Pinot Grigio. There's no point in using a $200 bottle of wine to cook with!

Red Wine Garlic Roasted Chicken
2 lbs. skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tbsp. paprika
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup red wine*

Gently heat garlic in olive oil until tender. Add chicken and brown on each side for about 10 minutes.
Sprinkle paprika and brown sugar over chicken. Pour red wine over top and simmer for 15 - 20 minutes, basting often. Serve with pasta.
* I've found a cheap burgundy works well. But a Beaujolais Villages or even Beaujolais Nouveau if you want to wait until November would work, too.

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