Jan’s Chicken Cacciatore

1 chicken cut up (I like to use boneless, skinless chicken pieces)
1/4 cup olive or vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 large green pepper sliced into strips
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
Fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
2 cups hot water
1/4 cup dry red wine
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp. allspice
Salt and pepper

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper and brown on all sides in the oil. Remove from the pan and drain on paper towels. Add the onion, garlic mushrooms and green peppers-cook, stirring for a few minutes until the onion begins to wilt. Place the browned chicken pieces into a large ovenproof casserole (I use a roasting pan with a lid) pour the onion-pepper mixture over the chicken. In the same frying pan or a saucepan, mix the tomato paste, water, wine, bay leaf and allspice-mix well. Pour over the chicken, cover and bake in a 350: oven about 1 hour or until the chicken is done then uncover the chicken and bake an additional 30 minutes for the sauce to thicken. This can also be cooked stovetop, just cook slowly until the chicken is done and the sauce thickens.