Pollo in Potacchio, Italian Braised Chicken

Pollo in Potacchio is a simple, rustic dish from Le Marche region in Italy. The chicken is braised in white wine, tomato, garlic and rosemary. You won't believe how simple it is yet full of good flavour. Serve with creamy polenta or roast potatoes.

And we spent a few months volunteering on farms in Le Marche many years ago and we have so many good food memories from that time. We spent summer and autumn there and travelled from the sea to the mountains.

Since we were staying on farms in rural towns the food was mostly rustic, hearty and simple dishes that felt so homely and comforting.

Zucchini potato soup from a small trattoria, that has become a staple in our house served with lots of crusty bread is still one of our favourite things to eat.

Another dish you'll find in Le Marche is Pollo in Potacchio the chicken is braised in white wine and tomato with garlic and fresh rosemary (the rosemary adds wonderful flavour so try not to skip it) and the chicken is beautifully soft and tender.

This recipe is simple to make with minimal prep time involved yet has so much good flavour.

It's one of those dishes that you don't expect much from looking at the ingredients yet will soon become a dish you want to make again and again.

See the photo below that shows you all the ingredients you need to make this Italian braised chicken plus some notes and substitutions.

• Chicken thighs and drumsticks – you can opt for a mix like we have or use one cut (thighs or drumsticks). Pat it dry before seasoning with salt and pepper.
• Garlic – 2 large cloves, peeled but kept whole.
• Rosemary – 1 sprig and it must be fresh and not dried.
• White wine – use an Italian white wine if possible.
• Passata (tomato puree) – we use Mutti the majority of the time, high-quality tomatoes make a big difference to the overall flavour of the dish.

Step by step photos and instructions

1. Fry the garlic – Add the olive oil to a pan with the garlic (whole and peeled). Saute the garlic for a minute or so until fragrant and starting to turn golden. Remove the garlic and set aside for later (photo 1).
2. Brown the chicken – Sprinkle the chicken with salt on both sides then add it skin side down in the pan/skillet. Brown the chicken for about 6 minutes on both sides until golden brown (photos 2 and 3).

1. Add the wine and tomato – Next, add the wine and let it reduce for a few minutes. Add the passata (tomato puree) and stir it in. Add the garlic back with a sprig of rosemary and cover with a lid. Cook the chicken on a low heat for 50 minutes (photos 4-7).

1. Uncover – After 50 minutes, remove the lid and simmer the sauce for 5 minutes more until thickened slightly then serve (photo 8).

Recipe Tips

• Braise the chicken on low – once you cover the chicken with a lid make sure it simmers gently on a low heat. The sauce shouldn't reduce too much but if it does you can add in a splash of water.
• leftovers and reheating – if you have leftovers you can add a splash of water to the sauce, cover it with a lid and reheat it on a medium-low heat until piping hot throughout. Take the lid off for a minute or two if the sauce needs to reduce again.

Our recipe Vs tradition

We thought we should note the changes we've made in our recipe versus how it's traditionally made (the changes are slight).

1. Chicken – traditionally a whole chicken is used and cut up into pieces. We found, that even with the bone still attachedthe chicken breast can dry out slightly by the time the thighs and legs are perfectly cooked so we use a mix of chicken thighs and drumsticks instead.
2. Thickening the sauce – 5 minutes before the end we like to uncover the pan and let the sauce reduce and thicken slightly. This is a personal preference and we love it this way although traditionally the sauce is served thinner.
3. Soffritto – you'll see versions of this Italian braised chicken with and without soffritto (carrot, celery and onion). We like to keep it simple but you can choose to add it if your prefer.

Serving suggestions

Here are some good sides to serve with Pollo in Potacchio, we like to go for a carb such as potatoes, polenta or beans and some green veg. A light and simple salad works too.

Sides

Creamy Polenta (Italian Cornmeal)

Sides

Italian Roast Potatoes – Rosemary And Garlic

Sides

Peas and Pancetta – 20 Minute Side Dish

Salads

Arugula Salad with lemon and Parmesan

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

• 4 chicken thighs (bone in and skin on)
• 4 chicken drumsticks (bone in and skin on)
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 1/2 cup (125ml) white wine
• 1/2 cup (130g) passata (tomato puree US)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt

Method

1. Season the chicken on both sides with salt then set aside.

2. Add the olive oil to a large pan and add the 2 whole, peeled garlic cloves. Saute the garlic for 1 minute or so until fragrant and starting to turn golden.

3. Remove the garlic and set aside for later. Brown the chicken skin side down for 4-5 minutes then turn around and brown the other side for another 4-5 minutes.

4. Add the white wine and let it reduce for about 2-3 minutes. Add the passata and stir it in then add the garlic back in with a sprig of rosemary.

5. Cover with a lid and simmer the chicken gently on a low heat for 50 minutes.

6. After 50 minutes, remove the lid and let the sauce reduce and thicken slightly for 5 minutes.

7. Serve the chicken with roasted potatoes or veggies of your choice, enjoy!

Kitchen notes

• Braise the chicken on low once you cover the chicken with a lid make sure it simmers gently on a low heat. The sauce shouldn't reduce too much but if it does you can add in a splash of water.
• leftovers and reheating if you have leftovers you can add a splash of water to the sauce, cover it with a lid and reheat it on a medium-low heat until piping hot throughout. Take the lid off for a minute or two if the sauce needs to reduce again.