Recipe: Chicken with Fennel and Olives (using chicken thighs, white wine, and fennel seeds)

CHICKEN WITH FENNEL AND OLIVES

FOR THE CHICKEN:
1 medium lemon, juice of
1/4 tsp ground white pepper
8 boneless, skinless chicken, broiler/fryer thighs
FOR THE SAUCE:
2 tbsp olive oil
16 pimento stuffed olives
16 large black pitted olives
16 small cherry tomatoes
1 tbsp chopped fennel seeds
5 tbsp chopped shallots
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1 tbsp fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
3/4 cup white wine
3/4 cup chicken broth
3 tbsp chopped parsley
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp anchovy paste

TO PREPARE THE CHICKEN:
In a medium bowl, place lemon juice and white pepper. Add chicken, turning to coat.

In a saute pan, place oil and heat. Add chicken and cook over medium high heat for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, turn chicken, and cook for about 10 minutes or until chicken is brown, fully cooked, and fork tender. Remove chicken to a warm platter. Cover and keep warm.

TO PREPARE THE SAUCE:
To the same saute pan, add the olives and tomatoes; heat for about 2 minutes or until warm. Place olive mixture around the chicken.

To the same pan, add fennel seeds and cook, stirring, 2 minutes or until brown, adding extra oil if necessary.

Add shallots, garlic, thyme, and bay leaf; cook for 2 minutes.

Add wine, scraping bits from the pan. Adjust heat to high and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half.

Add broth, parsley, red pepper flakes, and anchovy paste. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Spoon sauce over chicken.

Servings: 4
From: Linda L. White, District of Columbia
Source: Chicken Cookery - 1994 Delmarva Chicken Cooking Contest