Giada’s chicken cacciatore is served on a kind of panzanella salad with cherry tomatoes, fennel and fresh basil.
ingredients
Chicken Cacciatore
Salad
directions
In the bowl of a small food processor add the olive oil, tomato-vegetable juice, fennel seeds, oregano, salt, onion powder, paprika and garlic. Puree until it forms a rough paste. Place the chicken pieces in a plastic resealable bag. Add the paste to the bag and rub the marinade all over the chicken pieces. Seal the bag and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or up to 8 hours.
Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Place one rack in the middle of the oven and another in the top third of the oven.
Remove the chicken from the bag and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Place in the oven on the middle rack and bake for 30 minutes.
In a large bowl, toss the bread with the olive oil and 1/2 cup of the cheese. Scatter the bread cubes around the chicken pieces. Place the tray back in the oven, this time on the top third, until the bread is toasted and the chicken is golden brown and an internal thermometer placed in the meat reads 160ºF, 15 to 20 minutes.
Rest the chicken for 10 minutes and reserve all of the juices in the tray.
In the same large bowl add the tomatoes, basil, lemon juice, fennel, the toasted bread cubes, the remaining 1 cup cheese and all of the juices from the chicken tray. Add a bit of olive oil if needed, depending on the amount of juice from the chicken. Toss well with a large spoon. Serve the bread salad with the roasted chicken.