Credit: Gentl and Hyers

Seeing as chef Mario Batali is well-versed in Rome's culinary vocabulary (his N.Y.C. restaurant Lupa specializes in the city's cuisine), it comes as no surprise that his dish of choice is a bit tricky to pronounce. While it doesn't roll off the tongue quite as easily as pizza or pasta (though Batali does enjoy a good cacio e pepe), his favorite Roman dish is a slightly lesser known--but equally delicious--Italian classic: chicken cacciatore.

For the uninitiated, cacciatore (pronounced catch-chee-ah-tor-ay) refers to a "hunter-style" method of cooking in which the meat, vegetables (onions, mushrooms, and celery, in this case), and herbs slowly simmer in a single pot (the Michele Varian one pictured above is the perfect size, $162; michelevarian.com). Batali's recipe stays true to the Northern Italian tradition of using white wine, but adds marinara sauce, because, well, why not? Read on for the full breakdown. Buon appetito!

Chicken Cacciatore

Makes 4 servings

Active Time 1 hour

Total Time 3 hours

Ingredients

1 3-lb whole chicken
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp minced fresh rosemary (from about 2 sprigs)
1/2 cup plus 3-4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 lb portobello mushrooms, stems removed, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 oz pancetta, cut into 1-inch cubes
5 celery stalks, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 large yellow onions, roughly chopped
2 cups marinara sauce
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 tsp granulated sugar
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
Chopped flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

RELATED: This Perfect Roast Chicken Only Requires 5 Minutes of Prep

Directions

1. Using a sharp knife or poultry shears, separate chicken into 8 pieces: 2 breasts, 2 wings, 2 thighs, and 2 drumsticks. Pat chicken pieces dry.

2. In a small bowl, combine garlic, salt, black pepper, rosemary, and 3 tbsp of the oil; stir to make a paste (add 1 more tbsp of oil if the mixture is too dry); rub evenly over chicken pieces. Cover and chill for 2 hours.

3. Heat remaining oil in a Dutch oven over high heat until smoking. Working in batches, cook chicken pieces in a single layer, turning to brown all sides, about 12 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate lined with paper towels.

4. Add mushrooms, pancetta, celery, and onions to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are golden brown and pancetta is rendered, about 8 minutes. Drain oil from the pot.

5. Add marinara sauce and wine; stir to loosen browned bits from the bottom of pot. Add stock, sugar, and crushed red pepper; bring to a boil. Return chicken pieces to pot, reduce heat to medium heat, cover, and cook for 20 minutes. Then uncover pot, reduce heat to medium, and cook 15-20 minutes more. Sprinkle and parsley and serve.

RELATED: The Creamiest Cacio e Pepe Ever, Approved by Mario Batali

For more fall Roman holiday-like recipes, pick up the September issue of InStyle, available on newsstands and for digital download Friday, August 12.