Italian Chicken Stew

Italian Chicken Stew is always a favorite around my house. Tender pieces of chicken breast cooked with an abundance of your favorite vegetables soaking in a flavorful gravy is always a perfect way to spend an evening.
There’s nothing like the aroma of this stew while it’s simmering in the pot. The blend of herbs and spices give this dish a flavor you’ll be craving for a long time.

This Italian Chicken Stew is easy to prepare. Just make sure you use the freshest ingredients and of course have plenty of bread and wine on hand. Enjoy!
INGREDIENTS

4 boneless chicken breasts, trimmed and cut into chunks

All purpose flour for dredging

4 Tbls of extra virgin olive oil

1 Tbls of butter

4 pieces of pancetta, chopped

1 yellow onion, sliced

3 stalks of celery, cut into pieces

3 carrots, cut into circles

1green bell pepper, cut into chunks

1 red bell pepper, cut into chunks

2 small zucchini, diced

5 white potatoes, cubed

3 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 tsp of dried basil

1 tsp of dried oregano

1 tsp of dried thyme

1 tsp of salt

1 tsp of fresh ground black pepper

1/4 cup of Italian flat leaf parsley. Chopped

1/2 cup of white wine

2 Tbls of tomato paste

1 28oz can of diced tomatoes

2 cups of chicken broth

1 15 oz can of peas

2 bay leaves
PREPARATION

Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour.

Shake off excess flour and set aside.

In a large pot, heat 2 Tbls of oil and 1 Tbls of butter.

Add the chicken and brown.

Remove the chicken from the pot with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Add the remaining oil and sauté the pancetta until crisp.

Add the onions, celery, carrots, bell peppers, potatoes and garlic and cook stirring for 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the chicken back into the pot and season everything with the basil, oregano, thyme, salt, pepper and parsley.

Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes.

Add the diced tomatoes, chicken broth, peas, zucchini and bay leaves.

Bring everything to a boil.

Reduce the heat to a simmer then cover and cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the potatoes are soft and the chicken is cooked through.

Remove the bay leaves before serving.
Serves 4 to 6 people