Slow Cooked Chicken Cacciatore Pasta

A family favourite recipe that will become a weekly ritual in your home.

As I try and expand my repertoire of gluten free, dairy free, soy free and toddler friendly recipes this recipe has become a personal fave. Things I love about this recipe:

• It can be mostly made during the afternoon / lunch nap. Pop all the sauce together while bub is down and then all you need to do in the evening is cook the pasta making evenings less hectic.

• It tastes amazing - gluten / dairy / soy free is hard and I refuse to sacrifice flavour

• It is toddler / baby friendly. Because the chicken is slow cooked it falls apart meaning it is perfect for toddler and even babies.

• Kids love pasta. I’m sure it’s not just my little man, all kids love pasta and if you’re like me and trying to get variety into their diet then this is a good mix up from the go-to bolognese.

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Chicken Cacciatore Pasta

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, finely sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 large red capsicum, finely sliced
200g button mushrooms, sliced
600g skinless chicken thighs
400g tin crushed tomatoes
1 cup chicken stock
1 tsp Italian herb mix
1/3 cup pitted Sicilian olives
2 tbsp capers
300g dry spaghetti

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C.

2. Heat a large oven-safe casserole dish or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the olive oil and allow it to heat for about 1 minute.

3. Add the sliced onion and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.

4. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste, cooking for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant and the tomato paste begins to darken.

5. Add the capsicum and mushrooms, stirring to combine.

6. Place the chicken thighs on top of the vegetables.

7. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and chicken stock. Sprinkle with the Italian herb mix and scatter the olives and capers over the top. Gently stir to ensure everything is combined.

8. Cover the dish with a lid or foil and transfer to the preheated oven.

9. Bake for 2-3 hours, until the chicken is tender and the sauce has thickened.

10. While the sauce is finishing in the oven, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.

11. Once the sauce is ready, remove the dish from the oven and carefully stir the cooked spaghetti into the sauce, ensuring it is evenly coated.

Notes / Substitutions:

• Red Onion: Swap for brown onion if that is what you’ve got

• Sicilian Olives: Substitute with kalamata olives, or green olives

• Spaghetti: Use gluten free spaghetti if required or alternatively serve the cacciatore with mashed potatoes.

• Red Capsicum: Swap for any coloured capsicum

• Chicken Thighs: Swap for chicken drumsticks or maryland.

Nutrition Per Serve:

Calories: 580
Carbs: 63g
Fibre: 6g
Protein: 41g
Fats: 16g

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