Chicken Cacciatore

This is my version of chicken cacciatore. Normally, I'll take all of the ingredients below and throw them in the crockpot for a few hours. But, on this particular night, I decided to make a deconstructed version. You know, just to shake things up hehe.

I make chicken cacciatore with chicken thighs or leg quarters. Dark meat gets a really bad rap because it is high in fat and calories. However, here is why I love dark meat:

1. It has a lot more vitamins and nutrients than white meat.
2. It has more flavor and is more moist and juicy.
3. Last but not least, it's cheaper!

I'm a firm believer that there is no such thing as a food that's bad for you. It just depends on how much of it you eat. So, keep your portion size small and only go for the dark meat chicken once in a while.

Chicken Cacciatore
4 Chicken thighs or 2 leg quarters
Garlic powder
Italian herbs
Salt
Pepper
1 Jar of Pasta sauce
1/4 Tsp crushed red pepper flakes

• Place chicken thighs or legs into a glass baking dish. Lightly spray the chicken with cooking spray oil. This will make the skin nice and crispy.
• Lightly sprinkle each piece with garlic, Italian herbs, salt, and pepper. Use your judgement as far as how much or little you want to use.
• Bake at 375° F for 45 minutes for chicken thighs and 75 minutes for leg quarters.

  

• When the chicken has about 15 minutes left, mix together the sauce and red pepper flakes.
• Heat over medium low, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is finished. Remove from heat.
• You can serve this over top of rice, pasta, or even a bed of roasted vegetables.