Chicken Cacciatore Delight

1 (3 pound) whole chicken, cut into pieces

½ cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup peanut oil

2 cups onions, cut into thin rings

½ cup chopped green bell pepper

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 (8 ounce) package sliced fresh mushrooms

1 (14.5 ounce) can crushed tomatoes, drained

1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon dried oregano

¼ cup sherry

Rinse and pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels, then coat with flour in a bowl or a resealable plastic zipper bag. Heat the peanut oil in a large skillet over medium heat, and brown the chicken on all sides until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Remove the chicken, and set aside in a bowl.

Cook the onions, green bell pepper, and garlic in the oil left in the hot skillet until the onion slices are translucent, about 5 minutes; stir in mushrooms, and cook and stir until the mushrooms have given up their liquid and are almost tender, about 10 more minutes. Pour in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, salt, oregano, and sherry, and mix well; stir in the chicken pieces and any juices that have collected.

Simmer until the chicken meat is tender and no longer pink in the thickest part of a thigh, and the juices run clear, 30 to 40 minutes.