Italian Chicken and Sausage in Red Wine Sauce

As you know, I am always looking for something new and different to cook. Because we travel around the world so much, we love trying all different kinds of ethnic foods as well. I am lucky in that Larry is almost as an adventurous eater as I am, so he lets me experiment with all kinds of foods and recipes. Italian foods are so much a part of our culture now, that they rarely seem exotic any more. Don’t be fooled though. There are still tons and tons of new (and old) exciting Italian recipes out there, just waiting to be tried. This recipe for the chicken and sausage stew is one such recipe. But now that we’ve tried it, and love it, it will definitely be added to my ever growing and extensive reservoir of good foods to make. 🙂

I served this delicious chicken and sausage stew over some pan-fried potatoes with cheese bread on the side. I finished it off with a smooth merlot. It was the same merlot I used to make the sauce, which is what you are supposed to do, according to my fabulous mentor, the one and only, Julia Child. If you are vegan or vegetarian, this is most definitely NOT a dish for you. This dish is for the hearty meat-loving carnivores.

Traditionally, this dish is made with guinea fowl, but that is not something I find a lot of here in my neck of the woods, so I substituted chicken instead, which works just fine. In Italian, this dish is known as faraona al vino rosso or fowl in a red wine sauce. The Italian name sounds so much more romantic.

Chicken and Sausage in Red Wine Sauce

2 lbs chicken – I used breasts, but you can use pieces too

flour

salt & pepper to taste

olive oil and butter for cooking

2 oz pancetta or prosciutto, sliced

1 onion, diced fine

4 cups red wine

1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced

1/2-3/4 lb ground Italian sausage

3 tomatoes, cored and diced

1 TBSP garlic

dash nutmeg

1 TBSP each fresh basil, thyme, oregano and sage, chopped fine or 1 tsp each of dried herbs

mozzarella cheese for topping

Mix the flour, salt and pepper and coat the chicken with the flout mixture. Sear the chicken in a hot pan with the oil and butter, making sure it is browned on all sides. Once the chicken is browned, removed it from the pan and set aside.

Cook the sausage until it is completely cooked, then add the onions, garlic and mushrooms. Cook for an additional 5-7 minutes. Then add the tomatoes, wine and herbs. When the chicken is completely browned, add it to the sauce. Save some of the herbs, especially if using fresh herbs for the topping. Cover the pan, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer, and continue to cook for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Once the chicken is completely cooked, it is time to serve it up. You can serve it over rice, pasta or potatoes. I liked it over potatoes, because it made it more like a hearty hunters’ stew. Then top the chicken with mozzarella cheese, immediately after removing it from the heat, so it is still hot and can melt the cheese. Next, add the prosciutto and the remaining fresh herbs on top. You can cook up the prosciutto or you can eat it as is. If you cook it, it will be more like bacon. !Buon Appetito y Mangia!

Happy New Year Everyone. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.