Chicken has been a staple in many American meat-eating households due to its versatility across cuisines and cooking methods. Post-1950s home cooks embraced global styles, diversifying chicken dinners beyond standard roasts. Classic 20th-century chicken dishes ranged from French cordon bleu to rustic Italian cacciatore. Some recipes, such as chicken Kiev, persisted into modern cuisine while others fell out of favor. Chicken cacciatore originated as a hunter's stew in Renaissance Italy, originally using rabbit or pheasant and foraged vegetables. Twentieth-century cacciatore commonly spotlighted chicken with tomatoes, and often used thighs and drumsticks stewed with tomatoes, garlic, bell peppers, wine, mushrooms, and olives.
Chicken has long been a staple in most meat-eating families in America. This is not surprising as it's a versatile ingredient that lends itself to various cuisines and cooking methods. From the 1950s onwards, as home cooks became more confident in cooking styles coming from elsewhere in the world, chicken dinners became more exciting as they incorporated new ingredients and progressed beyond a standard roasted bird.
From French haute cuisine in the form of cordon bleu, to rustic chicken cacciatore that was first eaten by hunters, there is a huge variety of classic chicken dishes that were big hits during the 20th century. Though some, such as chicken Kiev, have stood the test of time, others have failed to fit into modern cuisine and are rarely talked about anymore.
Chicken cacciatore is the ultimate in Italian comfort food: rustic, simple, and packed with flavor. Translating as hunter's chicken, it is so-named as it was a stew that hunters would often rustle up with whatever meat they had caught that day. It is the ultimate example of taking humble ingredients and turning them into a dish that is satisfying and delicious.
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