Roman-Style Chicken Cacciatore

Cacciatore, it turns out, is not always a chunky, tomato-heavy braise. At Piatto Romano in Rome, we learned how to make the Roman version—an elegant, minimalist dish bright with the acidity of white wine and vinegar and heady with rosemary, garlic and anchovies, not a tomato in sight. We adapted Piatto Romano’s rabbit cacciatore, opting for chicken and making a few simplifications. With so few ingredients, deeply searing the bone-in, skin-on pieces is necessary for developing rich flavor. A quick sauté of aromatics followed by a deglazing with a full bottle of a light, dry white wine forms the cooking liquid that becomes the sauce. To preserve the chicken’s browning during braising, the pieces are only partially submerged in liquid and cooked, uncovered, to completion in a 450°F oven; the dry heat keeps the skin crisp and caramelized even as the liquid simmers in the bottom of the pan. (You will need an oven-safe 12-inch skillet for this recipe.) A good measure of white wine vinegar and minced rosemary finishes the dish, adding a surge of tartness and herbal notes to keep the flavors vibrant. We like this cacciatore with a starchy side, such as crusty bread, polenta or mashed potatoes.