This was literally a simple dinner that I whipped together after I butchered a chicken and had to figure out how I was going to cook the thighs. I love chicken cacciatore, the latter word in the term being the Italian word for “hunter”, because it is this super hearty dish. Think of chicken stewed in this rich, tomato-y sauce and that’s essentially what it is. I’m adding maitake mushrooms to mine, just as a play on words, as they are also called “hen-of-the-woods”, and because cacciatore traditionally does use mushrooms in it as well! I’m finishing the dish off with some kale and some egg noodles, just because it’s not a well-rounded meal without carbs, at least in my opinion!

For the chicken:
2 chicken thighs, skin-on, bone-in
salt
pepper
paprika
oil
1 bundle of maitake mushrooms

Season the chicken thighs aggressively. Sear on low heat skin-side down for 4 minutes to render out any fat. Flip over and sear on the other side for 2 minutes. Transfer into a roasting rack with the maitake mushrooms and roast at 400 degrees F for at least 8-10 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken thighs register to at least 155 degrees F. For the maitake mushrooms, sear them again the pan that the chicken thighs were rendered in, until golden brown.

For the egg noodles:
2 egg yolks
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp water
a pinch of salt
1 cup all-purpose flour

Mix to form your dough. Roll out to the third-thinnest setting on a pasta roller before cutting into noodles. Boil in salted water until they begin to float and then finish in the sauce for another 30 seconds, just before serving.

For the sauce:
1/4 cup diced onion
1 carrot, finely diced
1 celery stalk, finely diced
1 bay leaf
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 tspn oregano
1/2 tspn thyme
a pinch of salt
oil
2 dried porcini mushrooms
1/2 cup crushed tomatoes
1 tspn calabrian chilies
1/4 cup raisins
1 cup chicken stock
3 stalks of kale, stems removed

In a pan, sweat out the onion, carrot, celery, bay leaf, garlic, oregano, thyme, and salt in oil. Once the onions are translucent, add in the remaining ingredients, sans the kale, cover the pan, and bring to a simmer on low heat. As you finish cooking the noodles, add those into the pan, and finish with finely julienned kale.

To finish:
Edible flower petals