Chicken Spezzatino
Chicken Spezzatino
A simple Italian chicken braise — golden chicken simmered gently in white wine, diced tomatoes, garlic and herbs.
Prep: 10 minutes · Cook: about 1 hour
What Is Chicken Spezzatino?
An Italian spezzatino — 'little pieces' stew — of browned chicken simmered slowly in a pan sauce of white wine, diced tomatoes, garlic, parsley and oregano.
Why Make Chicken Spezzatino?
- Five-step Italian comfort
- Deglazing the pan captures every browned bit
- Butter plus olive oil gives the best of both
- Hands-off once the lid goes on
- A forgiving recipe that's hard to overcook
Unico Products Used in This Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp butter
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1.8 kg chicken (cut up (4 lbs))
- 120 mL white wine (4 oz)
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 1 clove garlic (crushed)
- 1 tbsp parsley (chopped)
- 1 pinch oregano
- salt (to taste)
Instructions
- Heat the butter and oil in a large frying pan and cook the chicken 5-7 minutes, until golden brown on all sides; remove and keep warm.
- Pour the wine into the pan and bring to a boil, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom.
- Add the tomatoes, garlic, parsley, oregano and salt and cook for 2 minutes.
- Lower the heat and return the chicken to the pan.
- Cover and simmer gently for 45 minutes; adjust the seasoning and serve.
Cooking Tips
- Brown the chicken properly — that's the flavour base
- Scrape the pan well when the wine goes in
- Keep the simmer at a lazy bubble
- Taste at the end; tomatoes vary in salt
- Serve with bread, rice or polenta for the sauce
Frequently Asked Questions About Chicken Spezzatino
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1. What does spezzatino mean?
'Little pieces' — an Italian stew of cut-up meat simmered gently in a simple sauce.
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2. Why butter and olive oil together?
Butter for flavour, oil to keep it from burning — a classic Italian pairing.
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3. Can I use chicken thighs only?
Yes — bone-in thighs are ideal for the 45-minute simmer.
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4. What can I substitute for the wine?
Chicken stock with a squeeze of lemon.
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5. How do I store leftovers?
Refrigerate up to 3 days; the flavour deepens overnight.
Chicken Spezzatino Made Simple
Chicken Spezzatino is the kind of unfussy braise Italian home cooks make from memory. Unico diced tomatoes are the heart of its pan sauce.