Chicken stew with zacusca sauce
I had a larger free-range chicken, so it seemed suitable for a hearty stew. I didn’t have many vegetables on hand, but I remembered the idea of zacusca, which works very well when you want a rich-tasting sauce. Free-range chicken is not as tender as store-bought, but it adds a special flavor to slow-cooked dishes.
Quick Info
Total time: about 2 hours and 20 minutes
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 2 hours in the oven
Servings: 4-6
Difficulty: easy
Recipe type: main course, oven dish
Ingredients
thighs and breast of one chicken (I used free-range chicken)
1 jar of zacusca (approx. 300-400 g, any zacusca you have)
1 onion
1 can of tomatoes in tomato juice (400 g)
1 large carrot or 2 smaller ones
2-3 stalks of celery
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 cup of water (approx. 100 ml, adjust for desired sauce consistency)
salt and pepper to taste
1 bunch of parsley
hot sauce to taste (I used hot pepper jam)
Preparation method
1. Portion the meat. I cut the thighs in half, as well as the breast. Sprinkle salt and pepper on all chicken pieces and place them in a heat-resistant dish (pyrex) with a lid.
2. Finely chop the onion. In a frying pan, heat the olive oil and sauté the onion until it softens slightly.
3. Slice the celery thinly and the carrot into rounds. Add them to the onion and let them sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring.
4. Pour the canned tomatoes with their juice over the vegetables. Add the canned tomatoes, cut into larger pieces if they are whole, and hot sauce or hot pepper jam to taste.
5. Let everything simmer for another 2-3 minutes, just to thicken the sauce.
6. Add the zacusca over the vegetables in the pan. Mix everything well.
7. Chop the parsley and add it to the sauce in the pan.
8. If the sauce is too thick, gradually add a cup of water or a little more, to your preference. Stir to achieve the desired consistency.
9. Pour the entire sauce over the chicken in the pyrex dish. Put on the lid.
10. Place the dish in the preheated oven at 160°C and let it cook for about 2 hours. Check at the end if the chicken is tender. If using store-bought chicken, check after about 1 hour, it cooks faster.
11. Serve the stew plain or alongside your favorite side dish and pickles.
Why I make this recipe often
It’s one of the most convenient options when I want a rich sauce without spending too much time chopping vegetables. Free-range chicken requires time in the oven, but the result is worth it. Zacusca saves a lot of the final flavor when you don’t have all sorts of fresh ingredients on hand.
Tips and variations
Tips
- Adjust the sauce consistency with water, to your preference. Start with a cup and add more if it seems too thick.
- If the chicken doesn’t fit in a single layer, that’s not a problem; the sauce will soak in anyway.
- For store-bought chicken, reduce the cooking time to about 1 hour or until the meat is tender.
Substitutions
- Zacusca can be of any kind: eggplant, bean, or mixed, it doesn’t matter much.
- Onion can be replaced with leeks if you have them.
- Hot sauce is not mandatory, but it adds a kick if you like it slightly spicy.
Variations
- It goes well with diced bell peppers, if you have them, added while sautéing the other vegetables.
- You can use only thighs or only breasts if you prefer.
- Instead of water, you can use clear chicken broth if you have it already cooked.
Serving ideas
- Alongside plain mashed potatoes, rice, or polenta.
- With fresh bread and assorted pickles.
Frequently asked questions
What kind of zacusca is suitable for the sauce?
Any zacusca you have in a jar: eggplant, bean, or mixed vegetable. All work for this recipe.
Can I use another type of meat?
You can use only thighs, only breasts, or even turkey, but you will need to adjust the baking time depending on how thick the pieces are.
If I don’t have a pyrex dish, can I use something else?
Yes, any heat-resistant dish with a lid works. It’s important to keep the moisture while cooking.
If I don’t want hot sauce, can I omit it?
Yes, you can leave out the hot sauce or hot pepper jam. It will still be just as tasty without it.
Can the chicken stew with zacusca be frozen?
I do not recommend freezing, as the zacusca sauce changes texture and flavor upon thawing.
Nutritional values
Approximately, for a medium serving (out of 6 servings):
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Protein: 25 g
- Fat: 18 g
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
The values depend on how fatty the chicken is and the type of zacusca used. The sauce adds carbohydrates and a little sugar, depending on the ingredients in the zacusca.
Storage and reheating
The stew keeps well in the fridge for 2-3 days, in a covered dish. Reheat on low heat, on the stovetop or in the oven, with a little water if you find the sauce too thick. I do not recommend keeping it for more than 3 days, especially if made with free-range chicken.
I had a larger free-range chicken, so it seemed suitable for a hearty stew. I didn’t have many vegetables on hand, but I remembered the idea of zacusca, which works very well when you want a rich-tasting sauce. Free-range chicken is not as tender as store-bought, but it adds a special flavor to slow-cooked dishes.
Quick Info
Total time: about 2 hours and 20 minutes
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 2 hours in the oven
Servings: 4-6
Difficulty: easy
Recipe type: main course, oven dish
Ingredients
thighs and breast of one chicken (I used free-range chicken)
1 jar of zacusca (approx. 300-400 g, any zacusca you have)
1 onion
1 can of tomatoes in tomato juice (400 g)
1 large carrot or 2 smaller ones
2-3 stalks of celery
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 cup of water (approx. 100 ml, adjust for desired sauce consistency)
salt and pepper to taste
1 bunch of parsley
hot sauce to taste (I used hot pepper jam)
Preparation method
1. Portion the meat. I cut the thighs in half, as well as the breast. Sprinkle salt and pepper on all chicken pieces and place them in a heat-resistant dish (pyrex) with a lid.
2. Finely chop the onion. In a frying pan, heat the olive oil and sauté the onion until it softens slightly.
3. Slice the celery thinly and the carrot into rounds. Add them to the onion and let them sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring.
4. Pour the canned tomatoes with their juice over the vegetables. Add the canned tomatoes, cut into larger pieces if they are whole, and hot sauce or hot pepper jam to taste.
5. Let everything simmer for another 2-3 minutes, just to thicken the sauce.
6. Add the zacusca over the vegetables in the pan. Mix everything well.
7. Chop the parsley and add it to the sauce in the pan.
8. If the sauce is too thick, gradually add a cup of water or a little more, to your preference. Stir to achieve the desired consistency.
9. Pour the entire sauce over the chicken in the pyrex dish. Put on the lid.
10. Place the dish in the preheated oven at 160°C and let it cook for about 2 hours. Check at the end if the chicken is tender. If using store-bought chicken, check after about 1 hour, it cooks faster.
11. Serve the stew plain or alongside your favorite side dish and pickles.
Why I make this recipe often
It’s one of the most convenient options when I want a rich sauce without spending too much time chopping vegetables. Free-range chicken requires time in the oven, but the result is worth it. Zacusca saves a lot of the final flavor when you don’t have all sorts of fresh ingredients on hand.
Tips and variations
Tips
- Adjust the sauce consistency with water, to your preference. Start with a cup and add more if it seems too thick.
- If the chicken doesn’t fit in a single layer, that’s not a problem; the sauce will soak in anyway.
- For store-bought chicken, reduce the cooking time to about 1 hour or until the meat is tender.
Substitutions
- Zacusca can be of any kind: eggplant, bean, or mixed, it doesn’t matter much.
- Onion can be replaced with leeks if you have them.
- Hot sauce is not mandatory, but it adds a kick if you like it slightly spicy.
Variations
- It goes well with diced bell peppers, if you have them, added while sautéing the other vegetables.
- You can use only thighs or only breasts if you prefer.
- Instead of water, you can use clear chicken broth if you have it already cooked.
Serving ideas
- Alongside plain mashed potatoes, rice, or polenta.
- With fresh bread and assorted pickles.
Frequently asked questions
What kind of zacusca is suitable for the sauce?
Any zacusca you have in a jar: eggplant, bean, or mixed vegetable. All work for this recipe.
Can I use another type of meat?
You can use only thighs, only breasts, or even turkey, but you will need to adjust the baking time depending on how thick the pieces are.
If I don’t have a pyrex dish, can I use something else?
Yes, any heat-resistant dish with a lid works. It’s important to keep the moisture while cooking.
If I don’t want hot sauce, can I omit it?
Yes, you can leave out the hot sauce or hot pepper jam. It will still be just as tasty without it.
Can the chicken stew with zacusca be frozen?
I do not recommend freezing, as the zacusca sauce changes texture and flavor upon thawing.
Nutritional values
Approximately, for a medium serving (out of 6 servings):
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Protein: 25 g
- Fat: 18 g
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
The values depend on how fatty the chicken is and the type of zacusca used. The sauce adds carbohydrates and a little sugar, depending on the ingredients in the zacusca.
Storage and reheating
The stew keeps well in the fridge for 2-3 days, in a covered dish. Reheat on low heat, on the stovetop or in the oven, with a little water if you find the sauce too thick. I do not recommend keeping it for more than 3 days, especially if made with free-range chicken.