Can I Use Chicken Breast For The Pollo Alla Cacciatora?

Our answer

Nigella's Chicken Alla Cacciatora )from NIGELLA EXPRESS is a slightly speedier version of the traditional Italian dish, whose name roughly translates as "chicken cooked the hunter's way". The chicken is cooked in a tomato and herb sauce, with bacon and canellini beans.

The dish uses chicken thigh fillets, which are chicken thighs with the skin and bone removed. Chicken thighs tend to have more moisture and flavour than chicken breast, but as the chicken is simmered in the sauce the risk of the meat drying out is reduced. So you could use chicken breast as an alternative. We suggest using the same weight of chicken breast (500g/1 pound 2 ounces). Chicken breasts vary a lot in size, so we would suggest cutting them into pieces about 2.5cm (1 inch) long and about 1cm (1/2 inch) thick. The cooking time should be about the same for breast, but take care not to let the sauce boil too fiercely once the chicken has been added as this can make the meat a little tough and stringy. Cut into a piece of chicken to make sure that it is cooked through before serving the dish.