Chicken cacciatore

Served with creamy polenta.

Chicken, cut into eight serving pieces, trimmed of skin and fat	3 ½--4 pounds
Salt
Pepper, freshly ground
Olive oil	3 tablespoons
Lemon juice, fresh	1 tablespoon
Garlic, minced	1 clove
Thyme, fresh, chopped	1 tablespoon
Butter, unsalted	2 tablespoons
Onion, yellow, thinly sliced	1
Mushrooms, fresh, brushed clean, stems removed, halved or quartered	1 pound
Tomatoes, whole plum Roma	28 ounces
Capers, rinsed, drained, chopped	2 tablespoons
Anchovy paste (optional)	1 teaspoon
Chicken broth	¼ cup

1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
2. In a nonreactive bowl, stir together 2 tablespoons of oil, lemon juice, garlic, and thyme.
3. Add the chicken pieces, and turn to coat.
4. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator, turning the chicken frequently, for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight.
5. Remove the chicken, and pat dry with paper towels; discard the marinade.
6. Preheat oven to 350°F.
7. In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, melt the butter with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil.
8. Working in batches, if necessary, brown the chicken on all sides, turning frequently, about 10 minutes.
9. Transfer the chicken to a Dutch oven.
10. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat in the pan, and return to medium-high heat.
11. Add the onions, and sauté until softened, about 3 to 5 minutes.
12. Add the mushrooms, and continue cooking, stirring often, until they begin to soften, about 6 to 8 minutes.
13. Stir in the tomatoes, capers, anchovy paste (if using), and broth.
14. Raise the heat to high, and deglaze the pan, stirring and scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.
15. Bring to boil.
16. Add tomato mixture to the chicken in the Dutch oven.
17. Cover and cook in the oven until the chicken is tender and opaque throughout, about 45 minutes.
18. Transfer the chicken to a platter, and cover loosely with aluminum foil to keep warm.
19. Bring juices in the pot to a boil over high heat on the stove top.
20. Boil rapidly until reduced and thickened, about 3 to 5 minutes.
21. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Recipe from Williams-Sonoma Essentials of Slow Cooking.