Family Chicken Cacacciatore -

A request from our son, because "mine does not turn out as good as yours does!  Here is the family favorite Chicken dish.  The vegetables change depending upon what is in my fridge!  The ingredients are not exact, you can add more garlic, or leave it out, and increase the carrots or mushrooms, depending upon your taste.  If you dont have chicken thighs, use any chicken cut.

Chicken Cacacciatore

Easy

Ingredients:

4 chicken thighs, chopped into about 4 pieces.  (or not!)
olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 large carrots
1 stick celery
125g mushrooms
800 can diced tinned tomatoes (or whole, or a bottle of passata)
1 teaspoon dried Italian herbshandful of basil
peel from 1 lemon
handful of parsley
black olives (optional)
Salt, pepper and sugar to taste.

Method:
In a large frypan with a lid, put olive oil and onions, heat up slowly and cook until translucent.  Add garlic, carrots and celery and cook until they soften. Push vegetables to one side and brown chicken.
Add mushrooms and tomatoes.  Fill tomatoe tin with water, add herbs and about a teaspoon of sugar, salt and pepper and add to mix. 
Chop some of the basil and add.
Cook about 20 minutes until sauce is thick and chicken is cooked through.
Check and season with salt and pepper if needed.
Chop up lemon peel and parsley until fairly fine, chop basil.  Sprinkle on top of dish.  Add olives if you like them.
Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed.

Serve with rice or pasta.