Chicken Provencal

Do you know how sometimes you remember some food you had when you were a kid and you can’t stop thinking about it. That’s what happened to me, I was with this chicken dish in my head for maybe 2 weeks. It was one of my grandmother’s favorites. She used to cook that and served it with creamy polenta. The only difference here is that she would cook the whole chicken. I had a lot in common with my Bina (that’s how I use to call her) we shared the same name and we were from the same astrological sign (scorpion) and by coincidence or not, we both have a very hot temper. She was a funny Italian lady, who spoke a lot with her hands. Her food was always really colorful and yummy. She used to come really close to my ear and whisper: – ‘…You are my favorite’. But I have a feeling she did that to all my cousins too, just to make us feel special. Do you have a dish that reminds you of your grandma?

4 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 cups sliced fennel bulb (about 2 bulbs)
3 ½ cups thinly sliced onion (about 2 large)
8 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 pounds skinless chicken thighs
½ teaspoon salt, divided
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 cup dry white wine
1-cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon herbs de Provence
6-diced tomatoes
½ cup niçoise olives
Fresh Thyme to sprinkle (optional)

Preparation:

Heat 2 tablespoon olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add fennel and onion sauté 8 minutes or until tender. Add garlic sauté 2 minutes. Spoon fennel mixture into a large bowl and reserve. Place flour in a shallow bowl or pie plate, sprinkle chicken with 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper Dredge chicken in flour, shaking off excess. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add half of chicken. Cook 6 minutes, browning on all sides. Add browned chicken to fennel mixture. Repeat procedure with remaining chicken, Add wine to pan, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Stir in broth, fennel, chicken, herbs de Provence, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 45 minutes or until chicken is cooked. Taste for seasonings add olives. Simmer 10 minutes or until sauce is thick. Sprinkle with Thyme.