Yum, Yum! October 15th is Chicken Day!

Caregivers in Oak Park, IL – Enjoy this Easy Chicken Cacciatore Recipe with your Senior Loved One

The word cacciatore means hunter in Italian. Chicken prepared hunter style often includes bell pepper, tomatoes, onions and herbs, sometimes with wine as well. You and your senior parent can enjoy this traditional meal on October 15th this year. It’s pretty easy to make; keep reading for a great recipe at the end of this article. Getting people together in the fall for a good meal is always a great way to have fun. Your senior mother or father will appreciate the social stimulation, laughter and delicious chicken.

Planning a Family Meal

It’s always good to be prepared, and your senior’s needs taken care of for this day. Getting additional help is a good idea, not just for this day but for general care of your senior parent. You can call a home care provider to help with daily tasks, personal hygiene, housekeeping and cooking. If you aren’t used to being host or hostess and involving your elderly loved one, here are some tips below.

1. Decide where you’re going to have the meal: your senior’s house, your, or at one of your sibling’s houses?
2. Make a list of everything your senior parent will need. This includes, medications taken at mealtimes, a walker or wheelchair, transportation, a sweater or coat in case of the weather, a water bottle, etc.
3. Who is buying or preparing the food? See if you can get help from other family members and what their plans or assumptions are.
4. Think about activities such as card games or puzzles to go along with the food.

Easy Chicken Cacciatore Recipe

• 4 chicken thighs
• 2 chicken breasts, halved with skin and bone
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• ½ cup flour
• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 large red bell pepper, diced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• ¾ cup dry white wine
• 1 can diced tomatoes with juice (28 oz.)
• ¾ cup chicken broth
• 3 tbsp. capers, draine
• 1½ tsp. dried oregano
• ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped

Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper, and coat lightly with flour. In a large sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the chicken and sauté about five minutes on each side, until just browning. You can sauté in two batches if not all the chicken fits into the pan at once. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Put the pepper, onion and garlic into the pan and sauté until tender, about five minutes. Add the wine and simmer until half liquid is reduced, for about three minutes. Then add the tomatoes, their juice, chicken broth, oregano and capers. Put the chicken back in and mix to coat them with the sauce. Simmer on medium heat until chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes. Take out the chicken onto a serving plate, and if desired, boil sauce three more minutes until it thickens. Spoon over chicken, top with basil and serve.