This week at New Zealand Woman’s Weekly, we’re celebrating Weekly columnist and author Nicky Pellegrino ahead of the launch of her new novel A Dream of Italy. I adore Nicky’s books and while her stories are fictitious, the recipes are the real deal. I’ve selected some favourites and tweaked them just a little to suit our Kiwi kitchens. Delizioso!
– Nici Wickes, Food Editor
Ingredients
Method
1.Heat the oil. [Peel and crush the garlic cloves](https://www.foodtolove.co.nz/how-to-peel-slice-and-crush-garlic-with-nici-wickes-1925|target=”_blank”) and add them to the pan. Add in the chicken and brown over a high heat. When golden, remove and keep warm.
2.Chop the onion, carrots and celery, then [sautè them in the pan](https://www.foodtolove.co.nz/how-to-saute-the-right-way-1549|target=”_blank”). After a few minutes, when lightly golden, add the chicken thighs. Dissolve the sugar in the vinegar and sprinkle all over the chicken. Add the bay leaves, capers, olives, salt and pepper, stirring well. Pour over the white wine. Cook on a low heat for 15-20 minutes.
3.Spoon into shallow bowls and, if you like, add some chilli before serving.
To season, start with a pinch of both salt and pepper and, just before serving, taste the dish, adding more of each until you’re happy. If you season to taste prior to simmering, it may end up tasting overly salty once some of the liquid has evaporated.
Note