Published September 1, 2000.
Using chicken thighs and removing the skin after a quick rendering solved the problems of soggy skin and greasy sauce in our chicken cacciatore recipe. Cooking the chicken in a combination of white wine and chicken broth, adding earthy mushrooms and a Parmesan cheese rind, and finishing with fresh tarragon gave us the lavish, substantial cacciatore recipe we desired.
If your Dutch oven is large enough to hold all the chicken pieces in a single layer without crowding, brown all the pieces at once instead of in batches. The Parmesan cheese rind is optional, but we highly recommend it for the robust, savory flavor it adds to the dish. This variation is based on chicken chasseur, the French version of Italian cacciatore.
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