Non-VegetarianMarchigiana cuisine Main Course

Pollo in Potacchio

Name: Pollo in Potacchio
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Marchigiana
Ingredients: 1000 g Bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks; 45 ml Extra virgin olive oil; 4 cloves Garlic; 3 sprigs Fresh rosemary; 150 ml Dry white wine; 150 g canned plum tomatoes; 1 piece dried red chilli; 5 g Fine sea salt; 2 g Black pepper

A classic Marche braise of chicken pieces cooked gently with abundant garlic, fresh rosemary, dry white wine, and a light touch of tomato.

🇮🇹Italy· Marche

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 45 min
Total: 60 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 480 kcal

Ingredients

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Servings

1000 g Bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks — skin-on, patted dry
45 ml Extra virgin olive oil — three tablespoons
4 cloves Garlic — peeled and lightly crushed
3 sprigs Fresh rosemary — whole
150 ml Dry white wine — ideally Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi
150 g canned plum tomatoes — crushed with a fork
1 piece dried red chilli — crumbled, optional
5 g Fine sea salt — to taste
2 g Black pepper — freshly ground

Equipment

•Heavy-based lidded skillet or casserole
•Tongs
•Chef's knife
•Wooden spoon

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 480 kcal
fat: 30 g
carbs: 4 g
fibre: 1 g
protein: 42 g
calories: 480 kcal

Instructions

1
Pat the chicken pieces thoroughly dry with kitchen paper and season well with salt and black pepper.
2
Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a wide, heavy-based pan over medium heat.
3
Add the chicken skin-side down and brown for eight minutes until deeply golden on all sides.
4
Tuck the crushed garlic cloves, fresh rosemary sprigs, and dried chilli around the browned chicken pieces.
5
Cook for two minutes until the garlic and rosemary turn aromatic without letting them scorch.
6
Pour in the white wine and boil briskly until the liquid reduces by half.
7
Add the crushed tomatoes and stir the bottom of the pan to loosen any savoury browned bits.
8
Cover with a tight-fitting lid, lower the heat, and simmer gently for thirty minutes.
9
Remove the lid and simmer uncovered for ten minutes until the sauce turns glossy and clings to the meat.
10
Discard the woody rosemary stems and serve the chicken hot with the reduced pan sauce spooned over.

Chef's tips

Do not overload the dish with tomatoes; a true potacchio is an herby, wine-forward reduction with just enough tomato for colour and acidity. Use bone-in cuts to keep the meat juicy during braising.

Ingredient substitutions

Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi → any crisp, dry Italian white wine such as Trebbiano or Pinot Grigio
chicken thighs and drumsticks → a whole chicken jointed into eight pieces

Storage

Cool completely and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Reheating

Reheat gently in a covered skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of water or wine until piping hot.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Adding too much tomato sauce, which turns the dish into a heavy stew instead of a fragrant potacchio glaze.
•Burning the garlic and rosemary before adding the wine, which creates an unpleasant bitter taste.

Serving suggestions

Serve with crusty rustic bread to mop up the glossy garlic and rosemary pan sauce.Pair with roasted potatoes tossed in olive oil or braised seasonal greens.