Chicken Cacciatore

Chicken Cacciatore 

This is adapted from "Cooking Under Pressure" .  I used the pressure cooker, but you wouldn't have to.  Just increase the cooking time when you add the chicken.  If I was not using the pressure cooker, I would have left the skin on the chicken and browned it first.

Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in pressure cooker.  Add 2 med chopped onions.  Saute a couple of minutes.  Add 2 chopped celery stalks and 1 chopped green bell pepper.  Saute another couple of minutes. Deglaze with 3/4 cup red wine.  Add 1/2 pound thickly sliced mushrooms.  Stir.  Add 2 bay leaves, 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp fennel seed, 1 tsp salt and fresh ground pepper.  Add skinned chicken thighs and legs (8).  Stir.  Add 1 28oz canned tomatoes, chopping them coarsely.  DO NOT STIR.  Put the lid on and bring to pressure.  Cook 9 minutes.  Bring pressure down using the quick release method.  (I let mine come down naturally since I was doing other things)  Add 1/4 cup chopped parsley and 2 minced garlic cloves.  Simmer until raw garlic flavor is gone.  I simmered mine for about 20 minutes while I finished the rest of dinner.

I served this with orichiette (from March 2011), steamed broccoli and salad.

Jack said the flavors made his "taste buds tingle and dance with joy".