Chicken Cacciatore recipe

Ingredients

• 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thigh cutlets (see note 1 for boneless thighs)
• 1½ tsp sea salt flakes, plus extra to taste
• ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper, plus extra to taste
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 brown onion, finely diced
• 1 carrot, finely diced
• 1 celery stalk, finely diced
• 200 g baby mushrooms
• 1 tbsp freshly minced garlic
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 125 ml dry white or red wine (optional)
• 700 g passata
• 250 ml chicken stock
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 4 fresh thyme sprigs
• 2 bay leaves
• 80 g olives (kalamata or green), pitted
• 1 tbsp capers
• Finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, to serve
• 1 litre chicken stock or water
• 40 g unsalted butter
• 150 g instant polenta
• 75 g finely grated parmesan
• 60 ml thickened (whipping/heavy) cream
• 375 ml warm full-cream (whole) milk (optional)
• Sea salt flakes, to taste
• Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste