chicken cacciatore...sort of.

Okay..I admit....I have only had real chicken cacciatore once in my life, but that was in Florence Italy.  I have never even seen a recipe for it, so this is PURELY interpretation. 

chicken cacciatore
4 boneless Chicken Thighs (bone in is fine)
1/2 cup celery rough chopped
1/2 cup carrot rough chopped
1 small onion quartered
3 med-lg. tomatos quartered
10-12 basil leaves
1/2 cup parsley chopped
3 cloves garlic
1 cup red wine
1/2 cup chopped black olives
salt and pepper

I like to get some olive oil REALLY hot in my pan and add my chicken thighs to brown.  While that is happening, I put everything else except the wine, into my food processor and give it a whirl.  This never really gets smooth so don't worry if it is a bit chunky.  It will good down fine.  Quite honestly, I prefer it a little "Rustic". 
After my chicken is brown I remove it from the pan and return the pan to the heat.  Once it is REALLY hot again, I add my puree to the pan and let it go for a few minutes.  This would also be a good time to add some tomato paste if you have some. (I didn't have any on hand so I left it out.)  I then add my wine and return my chicken to the pan. 
I like to cook it on the stovetop without a lid for about an hour at just above a simmer.  A very slow boil.  If it starts to get too dry, I add a bit more wine or some water. 
After a while the vegetables will begin to break down and make a nice thick sauce.  This is when I add the olives.  I let it go about another 1/2 hour until the chicken is almost falling apart. 
Serve over some pasta, garnish with some fresh basil and enjoy. 
( I sometimes like to add about 1/4 cup of grated parmesan cheese near the end of the cooking, but that can also be left up to the individual diner to add however much they like.)