2022 Giro d’Italia - Stage 7: Diamante to Potenza
Welcome to Basilicata! Today, the riders had a few climbs into foggy mountains, out of Diamante, Calabria, home to the famous chilis, and into Potenza, Basilicata, a lovely-named region reminiscent of the verdant herb. So, how could I possibly resist the urge to combine chilis and basil? This dish is called Lucanian chicken in that this is the historical name of the region. The dish is a simple, light, and delicious casserole that comes together in about 90 minutes, and uses my favorite cut from the chicken: delicious, meaty thighs. Most of the cooking is hands-off, so you can do chores around the house, have a glass of wine (see below), or watch some tv on this rainy weekend. Mangia!
This meal paired nicely with a regional Calabrian white wine: Librandi - Asylia Bianco, and was only $13 at Wegmans - grab a bottle or four.
Lucanian Braised Chicken
2 tbsp evoo
6 chicken thighs
Large onion, diced medium
2-3 small dried Calabrian chilis, chopped (or heavy pinch of chili flakes)
1 cup of dry white wine
28 oz of canned San Marzano whole tomatoes, drained
Few sprigs of basil leaves
Heat the evoo in a casserole or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the thighs with kosher salt and black pepper. Place the chicken, skin-side down, in the pan and brown on both sides, about 4 minutes each side.
Remove the thighs to a platter and sauté the onions, with a pinch of salt, until translucent. Then, add in the chilis (including seeds) and cook until fragrant, about a minute. Add the chicken back to the pan, skin-side up, and pour in the wine. Bring to a boil for a couple of minutes.
Meanwhile, drain the tomatoes from the sauce (reserve the sauce for a future use). Then, place whole tomatoes in the pan between the chicken thighs, followed by some fresh sprigs of basil.
When the pot returns to a boil, cover and reduce the heat to low and continue to cook gently for an hour. Bring the pan to the table and serve directly.
______________________________ Copyright 2022, Brendan McCann, All Rights Reserved.
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