Hunter’s chicken is a tasty baked chicken dish that has become a classic in many places around the world. But where did the name “hunter’s chicken” come from? This article will explain where this dish came from and 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 comes from the fact that the dish’s roots are in Italian food from the Renaissance. During this time, Italian nobles and aristocrats liked to go hunting for wild animals. The hunters would come back from the woods with herbs, wild mushrooms, and small animals. The cooks would then have to make a hearty meal with these ingredients.
Connections to Chicken Cacciatore
Most culinary historians agree that hunter’s chicken evolved from an Italian dish called pollo alla cacciatore, which translates to “chicken hunter’s style.” This dish features chicken braised with onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, and white wine.
The first documented evidence of a chicken cacciatore recipe comes from the 1865 cookbook “La Cucina Teorico-Pratica” written by Ippolito Cavalcanti. The dish likely originated somewhere in central Italy during the Renaissance era between 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” came about when this dish became popular in the UK in the 1970s. It set the baked British version apart 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?
If you’re not talking about the French version (see above), Hunter’s Chicken and Chicken New Yorker are pretty much the same. They both have 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. The hunters would bring their freshly-hunted meats, along with mushrooms they’d picked up along the way, and create this meal with them.