Zesty Italian Chicken

I love using salad dressings as marinades, as sauces and even as dressings on salad! Italian dressing has a zip and bite to it that goes so well with chicken, and then there is that side dish of crusty bread, always good.

Cooking in a Dutch oven, a heavy cast iron pot that can sit for hours on the stove top without burning heats up the kitchen, sends aromas throughout the house and calls everyone to the table at the proper time, and all I do is stir!

Italian Chicken
serves 5
3 to 4 pound chicken, cut up
1 (8 oz) bottle Italian salad dressing
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup flour
1 T parsley
1 t basil
1/2 t salt
1/4 t onion salt
1/4 t celery salt
1/3 c olive oil
2 T olive oil

Place meat and salad dressing into a zip lock bag. Allow meat to marinade at least 5 hours in the refrigerator, turning the bag occasionally. Drain meat, discard marinade.

Mix Parmesan, flour, parsley, basil, salt, onion salt and celery salt. Coat chicken with this cheese mixture. Reserve remaining mixture. Add 1/3 c olive oil to dutch oven, heat to medium. Add chicken and allow to brown and sizzle! Turning occasionally. Do not crowd, remove pieces as they brown so as not to crowd.

Reduce heat; add all chicken to pot; sprinkle with remaining cheese mixture. Drizzle 2 T Olive oil over chicken pieces. Cover tightly. Simmer 1 hour. Serve with additional Parmesan cheese, crusty bread and fresh vegetables. It is going to be really warm before you know it. So, enjoy the taste of a cool weather dish now.