Rustic chicken alla cacciatora doesn’t need tomatoes
Tomatoes are non-negotiable in Americanized versions of chicken alla cacciatora. But it’s a different story in Umbria, a region in central Italy. Instead of tomatoes, the rustic chicken braise gets its flavor from lemon, olives, garlic and herbs. Capers also are customary. But the cooks at Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street opted instead to use pancetta to build rich, savory depth. They simmer strips of lemon zest into the sauce to infuse the dish with subtle citrusy notes. Use a sharp vegetable peeler to plane off wide strips of zest from the fruit; each piece should be roughly 2 to 3 inches long.