Chicken-Catch-a-Tory

This is Chicken-Kauia. We were told they are very tough. It's the only reason we don't move there.

So I used to use a recipe for chicken cacciatore that would probably no longer be recognized by the author but you, my children, recognize it by the "gunk" at the bottom of the pan that Dad keeps stealing.

 And personally I think it would make even this guy tender:

The essential ingredients are chicken pieces (I like thighs best),  fresh garlic cloves, olive oil, celery and some form of mushroom (dried gives a richer flavor), calamata (or close) pitted olives, and some leftover red wine. Optional: cooked salty bacon, fresh herbs, esp. rosemary and parsley, sundried tomatoes. Quantities vary.

 Sautee garlic and finely chopped celery (the leafier the better) in olive oil. I'm guessing a couple cloves garlic to 1/2 cup of celery. When it's getting translucent add some red wine -say 1/2 a cup and let it cook off. Then add the mushrooms, olives  and more olive oil and more wine depending on your mood. Dried mushrooms will take more liquid (even if soaked first). Add whatever else you've got,  chopped herbs, and the chicken. -browning it on both sides. Now be sure the chicken has stuff all around it and almost (but not quite) covering it. The "stuff" should itself be surrounded with juices (from the grape, the vegetables themselves, chicken et al) but not swimmingly. Is that clear?

Turn the heat down (oh it was medium high to sautee stuff and then brown the chicken).Cover the pan and let simmer for at least 30 minutes.

Serve over rice or bulgur (cooked by adding boiling water  in a 2:1 ratio to coarse bulgur + some olive oil and salt).

A good bread to mop up the pan is a plus and any vegetable but peas (I'm just kidding Carolyn).

Note: if using thigh you can leave on the some skin but you really have to remove all that extra and especially fattybits on the sides. Unless it's Kauia chickens because they don't have any extra fat...