Chicken Cacciatore

From 30 Minute Meals with Rachael Ray.

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄4 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts (3 pieces) or 1 1⁄4 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, if you prefer dark meat
•  salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 2  tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (2 turns around the pan)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2  portabella mushroom caps, halved crosswise and thinly sliced
• 4  garlic cloves, crushed and minced
• 1⁄2 cup beef broth or 1⁄2 cup  stock
• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1⁄4 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
• 1  lb  egg noodles or 1  lb  egg fettuccine pasta, cooked to al dente
•  crusty bread
•  grated parmigiano or  romano cheese, for passing

Directions

1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat.
2. Add half of the extra-virgin olive oil and brown chicken breasts or thighs for 3 or 4 minutes on each side.
3. Remove chicken from pan and season with salt and pepper.
4. Return pan to stove, reduce heat to medium and add the remaining.
5. Add crushed pepper, sliced mushrooms, and garlic.
6. Season with salt (salt is a magnet for drawing out liquid).
7. Cover and cook mushrooms 5 minutes or until mushrooms are dark, tender and have given off their juices.
8. Add about 1/2 cup of beef broth to intensify the wild mushroom flavor, then stir in the tomatoes and parsley.
9. Cut the chicken into bite-size chunks or slices and add to sauce.
10. Simmer sauce 5 minutes to finish cooking chicken pieces and to allow the flavors to combine.
11. Toss pasta with cacciatore and serve with crusty bread and grated cheese.