Quick Easy Chicken Recipes

Homemade Pollo del Borgo

This is really one of my favorite Italian style quick easy chicken recipes. 

The recipe is not one of mine; a site visitor by the name of Carla sent it to me and shared a lovely story of how this recipe helps unite them as a family. According to Carla, this recipe has been a firm favorite of her Italian-American family for years.

Carla's family was originally from the Veneto, and although it has been many years since they have been back, all they need to do is bring the family around the table for a traditional dinner, and hey presto, they are right back in Italy. This dish gets everyone talking, laughing, and sharing memories of Italy, the "old country" they love so much, a country that will always be a huge part of their lives.

It may not be a 100% authentic Veneto dish; some say the dish originates in Lazio, but this dish and the countless variations of it are popular today in all of the Veneto region and all throughout Italy. 

Pollo del Borgo embodies the principles of Italian cuisine, where fresh, locally sourced ingredients take center stage. It's a dish that celebrates the marriage of simplicity and sophistication, a hallmark of Italian cooking.

Ingredients

1 chicken,

2 onions,

1 small carrot

1 zucchini

10 baby tomatoes

100 g. passata di pomodoro (tomato puree),

Chicken broth,

1 large bay leaf,

1 teaspoon of cinnamon,

a sprig of rosemary,

3 cloves,

1 glass of a dry white wine,

Salt and pepper to taste,

50 g. butter,

4 tablespoons of olive oil.

Preparation Instructions

1) Cut the chicken into pieces and slice the onion finely.

2) Heat the butter and oil in a pan that is big enough to fit all the ingredients comfortably.

3) Add the onions, rosemary, and chicken.

4) Cook the chicken on high heat and add the salt, pepper, and carrots.

5) Add the white wine and cook until it has all evaporated.

6) Add the tomato and tomato sauce, the bay leaf, the cinnamon, zucchini, cloves, and one ladle of chicken broth.

7) Cook for another 40 minutes on low heat, turning the chicken occasionally and adding broth when needed. Basically, add the broth whenever the dish seems to be drying out a little. One of the defining characteristics of Pollo al Borgo is the slow cooking process. The chicken is traditionally roasted or simmered until it becomes tender and succulent, allowing the flavors to meld and develop. This slow-cooking method, rooted in time-honored Italian culinary traditions, is key to achieving the dish's distinct taste and texture.

Our tip: Serve with a good, hearty polenta and enjoy the rest of the wine with the meal. Perhaps even open another bottle – Pinot Grigio is a good choice.

I hope you enjoy the result as much as I always do.

Maria

For another of our quick easy chicken recipes click here.