Chicken Cacciatore

A classic Italian dish, chicken cacciatore is, like most great recipes, very simple, quick and easy to prepare and cook. It's also very economical.

While it may not be suitable for anyone who is a vegetarian, you can make it so by substituting tofu for the chicken and following the instructions below.

To serve 4 people, you need:

• 8 chicken thigh fillets
• 2tbs olive oil
• 4 peeled and seeded tomatoes, chopped
• 2 crushed cloves of garlic
• 2tbs raw (brown) sugar
• 1tbs good quality balsamic vinegar
• 35g sliced black olives
• about 2tbs shredded basil leaves

In a large skillet, cook the chicken in the oil until it is nicely brown and cooked through. Remove it from the pan, put it in a serving dish, cover and keep warm.

Add the garlic to the pan over a medium heat and allow it to soften before stirring in the rest of the ingredients except for the basil.

Simmer for 5-10 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken, then pour it over the chicken and sprinkle the basil over the top.

Serve this with a light pasta such as farfalle (the little butterfly shapes) and a crisp green salad.

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