Ingredients

• 1 (3 1/2- to 4-lb) chicken, cut into 8 serving pieces
• 1 3/4 teaspoons table salt
• 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 1 (28-oz) can whole tomatoes in juice
• 1/2 cup chicken stock or reduced-sodium chicken broth
• Accompaniment: cooked white rice or buttered noodles

Instructions

1. Pat chicken dry and sprinkle on all sides with 1 1/4 teaspoons salt and pepper. Heat oil in a deep 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown chicken in 2 batches, turning over once, about 10 minutes per batch. Transfer chicken to a plate.
2. Reduce heat to moderate and add onion, bell pepper, and garlic to skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally and scraping up any brown bits, until onion and garlic are golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add wine and simmer, scraping up brown bits, until liquid is reduced by half, 1 to 2 minutes. Add tomatoes with their juice and simmer, breaking up tomatoes with a wooden spoon, 5 minutes. Add chicken stock and nestle chicken pieces in sauce.
3. Simmer, loosely covered with foil, until chicken is cooked through, 35 to 45 minutes. Season with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. For a thicker sauce, transfer cooked chicken to a platter and keep warm, covered, then boil sauce until it reaches desired consistency.