Chicken Cacciatore

Pat chicken pieces dry and dust lightly with flour. (Reserve excess flour). Heat oil in large skillet. Brown chicken pieces well. Remove and reserve.

Discard all but 3 tbsp/ 45 ml oil from pan. Return to heat. Add onions, garlic, green and red peppers and mushrooms to pan. Cook 5 min until tender and fragrant.

Sprinkle vegetables with 1/4 cup/ 50 ml reserved flour. (Discard any remaining flour). Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, herbs, salt and pepper. Break tomatoes with a spoon. Bring to a boil. Mixture will be thick. Add chicken pieces. Simmer gently, covered, 40 to 45 min or until chicken is tender.

Remove chicken pieces to serving dish. Keep warm. Add Milk to sauce. Heat thoroughly. Adjust seasoning if necessary. If sauce is thin, cook over medium heat, uncovered, until it reduces to desired thickness. Combine sauce with chicken. Serve over rice or noodles. Sprinkle with parsley.

Microwave Method: Place oil, onions, garlic, green and red pepper and mushrooms in a 4 qt/ 4 L glass casserole dish. Cook on High (100% power), uncovered, 5 to 6 min. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup (50 ml) flour. Cook 1 min on High. Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, herbs, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil by cooking on High 4 to 6 min, stirring twice. Remove skin from chicken pieces, and add to pan with thicker portions toward the outside edge of the dish. Cook on High, covered, 20 to 25 min or until chicken is cooked, moving pieces around 2 to 3 times. Remove chicken to a serving platter. Keep warm. Skim fat off sauce. Stir Milk into sauce. Return to microwave. Cook on High 2 to 3 min until heated through. Continue with step 4 as above.