Chicken Cacciatore

Preheat oven to 350°F. Wash drumsticks with cold water and pat dry with a paper towel. Dust with flour and shake off the excess.

Heat oil in an oven-safe deeper skillet or a pan and brown drumsticks until all sides are lightly golden. Take out, sprinkle with ½ tsp salt and some black pepper and set aside.

Add onions to the skillet and sauté for a few minutes until they are translucent. Pour in wine and scrape any brown bits from the bottom of pan and stir them back into the sauté. Let simmer for a couple of minutes. Add garlic, carrots, celery, olives, and tomatoes including any tomato juice. Season with salt and black pepper. Combine well and return chicken pieces to the pan. You can leave them on the top of the sauce for a prettier plate or you can submerge them in the sauce.

Rinse dry bay leaves with cold water and add to the pan together with fresh rosemary. Cover the pan with a lid or double-layered aluminum foil and bake for 50 minutes or until the meat starts coming off the bone. Take out of the oven and sprinkle with fresh Italian parsley.

Serve with pasta, mashed potatoes, or my toddler’s favorite, rice.