Hunter’s chicken is a delicious baked chicken dish that has become a classic comfort food in many parts of the world. But where did the name “hunter’s chicken” come from? In this article, we’ll explore the origins of this dish and demystify why it’s called hunter’s chicken.
A Dish With Many Names
That’s what people call Hunter’s chicken. Other names are chicken chasseur, chicken cacciatore, poulet chasseur, and poulet à la chasseur. Each of these names means something different in English: “hunter-style chicken.”
This naming convention refers back to the dish’s origins in Italian cuisine during the Renaissance era. During this time period, hunting wild game was a popular pastime of Italian nobles and aristocrats. The hunters would return from the woods with wild mushrooms, herbs, and small game. The cooks would then be tasked with turning these ingredients into a hearty meal.
Connections to Chicken Cacciatore
A dish from Italy called pollo alla cacciatore, which means “chicken hunter’s style,” is thought to have given rise to hunter’s chicken. “Onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, and white wine are used to braise chicken in this dish.”
“La Cucina Teorico-Pratica,” a cookbook written by Ippolito Cavalcanti in 1865, has the first written record of a chicken cacciatore recipe. The dish most likely came from central Italy during the Renaissance, around 1450–1600.
Back then, chickens were more scarce and expensive, so only nobles who hunted could afford poultry regularly. Peasants relied more on grains, legumes, and vegetables.
Transition to Hunter’s Chicken
Over the centuries, variations of chicken cacciatore spread throughout Europe. The dish adopted different regional influences and ingredients.
By the 20th century, quicker baked and braised versions started appearing in British and American cookbooks. These renditions were convenient for modern home cooks.
The name “hunter’s chicken” first emerged in the 1970s as this dish grew popular in the UK. It differentiated the baked British version from the traditional Italian braise.
Modern Variations
Today, hunter’s chicken embraces all varieties of oven-baked chicken in a tomato or barbecue sauce topped with cheese. The dish usually includes mushrooms, onions, bacon, and red wine.
While not completely authentic to the original Italian chicken cacciatore, these modern adaptations evoke the spirit of the classic “hunter-style” braises.
The baked casserole style also pays homage to the legend of hunters returning with foraged ingredients that needed to be cooked down into a hearty one-pot meal.
Why “Hunter’s Style” Endured
The name connects the dish back to its origins of turning wild ingredients into delicious campfire or hearth-cooked meals. It conjures up images of rugged wilderness and culinary resourcefulness.
While the context changed over time, the “hunter’s style” ethos of humble, hearty ingredients baked or braised together endured. And thus, a classic comfort food was born.
So next time you enjoy a dish of hunter’s chicken, you can reflect on how this seemingly simple recipe has centuries of cultural history embedded within it. Bon appétit!
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Why is it called Hunter’s Chicken? hunters chicken recipe? @AmauryGuichonChef @gordonramsay
FAQ
What’s the difference between chicken New Yorker and Hunter’s Chicken?
Hunter’s Chicken versus Chicken New Yorker Both are pretty similar (so long as you are not talking about the French version – see above) – chicken breasts, barbecue sauce, bacon and cheese. Hunter’s chicken however tends to have more sauce, but sometimes even Chicken New Yorker can come with lots of sauce.
What is Hunter’s chicken made of?
Juicy Chicken breast stuffed with Mozzarella cheese, wrapped in Streaky Bacon covered generously in barbecue sauce.
Why is it called beggar’s chicken?
Traditional Beggar Chicken wrapped in mud & baked in charcoal pit in KL It’s called the ‘Beggar Chicken’ because the dish is cooked by burying the chicken, which is how a beggar cooks out there since they don’t have any cooking tools The Beggar Chicken is wrapped nicely and encased in clay before being buried in a .
Why is Hunter’s chicken so called?
The name “chicken chasseur” comes from the fact that hunters often used game meats to make the dish. That’s where the hunters would bring their freshly caught meat and the mushrooms they found along the way to make this meal.