Pollo con Peperoni

Description:
Or Chicken with Peppers. I got the recipe from a vintage Italian cookbook called "Italian Cooking" by Moyra Fraser, that I tweaked based on the ingredients I have on hand. (I got the book at a bargain price at Books for Less). This chicken dish happens to be the picture on the cover of the book, and it was delicious. It took a while to grill the peppers and blanche/peel the tomatoes, but it was all worth it. This dish is light but very comforting. I must say it is now one of the family's favorites.

Ingredients:
3 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. butter
1 large onion, chopped
3 large chicken leg quarters, chopped
2 large bell peppers (I used one green and 1 red for a nice contast in color)
3 large red tomatoes
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup basil, chopped


Directions:
First, roast peppers over the fire on the stove until the skins have turned black. Place peppers in a bowl then cover; leave for about 5 minutes. This will allow steam to make the charred skins easier to remove. Remove skins and seeds, then slice peppers into thick strips, around 1 inch thick. Set aside.

Next, the tomatoes. With a knife, cut a small "X" at the bottom of a tomato and remove the top core. In a pot of boiling water, submerge the tomatoes for about 30 seconds. Remove tomatoes then submerge in cold water. Drain the tomatoes. Remove skins, chop the tomatoes, and remove the seeds. Set aside.

In a medium stock pot, add olive oil and butter. Saute the onions until wilted. Add the chicken pieces and cook until brown, turning the pieces once in a while. Season with salt and pepper.
When the chicken pieces have tuned brown, add the white wine and simmer until the liquid evaporates. Add the peppers and tomatoes, and season again with salt and pepper. Add the broth. Cover and simmer over low heat, stirring once in a while, until chicken is tender. Remove from heat and sprinkle with chopped basil.