Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 large, plump chicken (4 – 5 pounds), cut up, completely rinsed and patted dry with paper towels
- 2 cups flour
- freshly cracked salt and pepper
- 2 large garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 Tbsp. minced rosemary leaves
- 6 – 10 fresh sage leaves, minced
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 3 carrots, sliced on the diagonal
- 1 stalk celery, chopped
- 2 red peppers, cut into 1” pieces
- 5 cups homemade marinara sauce or high-quality jar of marinara sauce
- 1/2 cup white wine
Optional
- mushrooms
- artichokes
- black olives
Garnish
- Sprigs of rosemary or Italian parsley
Instructions
- Cut the whole chicken up (separate breasts, thighs and drumsticks) and thoroughly rinse and dry.
- Remove skin if desired (I remove the skin from the breasts that I prefer and leave the skin on the thighs and drumsticks that my husband prefers).
- Sprinkle the chicken pieces with salt and pepper and lightly coat with flour.
- Heat olive oil in a large frying pan on medium heat.
- On medium heat, saute’ garlic until golden brown.
- Add the coated chicken pieces on one layer in the pan, skin side down.
- Add the rosemary and sage; sprinkling evenly all over the chicken.
- Fry until golden brown, turning only once or twice, about 15 minutes.
- Transfer chicken to a large plate/platter and set aside.
- On medium-low heat, using the same pan with olive oil and sautéed garlic, add the onions, carrots, celery and red peppers.
- Cook until barely soft, about 5 minutes.
- Add the marinara/tomato sauce.
- Add the wine.
- Cook for another 5 minutes.
- Salt to taste (it needs it).
- Return the chicken to the pan of vegetables and reduce the heat to low, partially covering the pan with a lid, stirring a few times.
- Place in a large casserole baking dish and bake for 35 – 45 minutes on 350 degrees F.
- Baste the chicken throughout the baking period with the sauce.
- Add water if the sauce becomes to thick for your preference.
- Garnish with rosemary and/or Italian parsley.
- Serve immediately with crusty Italian bread or with soft or fried polenta.