Chicken Thighs, Crispy Braised, With olives, lemon and fennel

By Shash

Ingredients

• 3 large fennel (also called anise) bulbs – enough to make 3 c
• 12 chicken thighs - bone-in, skin on.
• kosher salt
• olive oil
• 1 c coarsely chopped onion
• 1 T finely chopped garlic
• 1/4 c or more dry white wine
• 1 c Ascolane or other large green olives, such as Cerignola (I used whatever I had on hand)
• 1/4 t red pepper flakes (optional)
• 4 fresh or 2 dried bay leaves
• 4 strips lemon zest – removed with a vegetable peeler,chopped fine
• 8 thyme sprigs
• 1 c or more chicken stock
• 1/4 about 1/4 c flat leaf parsley leaves

Preparation

Step 1

Cut off the fennel stalks. Trim the bottom of the bulbs and peel back the layers until you reach the core; reserve the core for another use. Discard any bruised layers, and cut the fennel into 2-by-½- inch batons.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Season the chicken thighs on both sides with salt. Place the thighs, skin side up, in one layer in a jelly roll pan lined with foil. Broil until the skin is crispy. Set aside on cooling rack and let grease drain. Heat a large skillet on medium-low, add a little olive oil. Add the onion to the pan, and cook for 1 ½ minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the fennel, turn the heat up to medium, and cook, stirring often, until the fennel is crisp-tender, about 10 minutes.
Pour in the wine and simmer for about 2 minutes to burn off the alcohol. Stir in the olives, red pepper flakes, bay leaves, lemon zest and thyme, then pour in the chicken stock. Increase the heat, bring the liquid to a simmer, and cook until the fennel is tender, about 1 minute. Salt as needed, but remember that commercial stock is highly salted and the liquid will reduce as it bakes. Place the chicken, skin side down, in a roasting pan in a single layer; top with the vegetable/stock/wine mixture. Turn the chicken over, skin side up, half way through the cooking time. Bake for at least 25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and tender. I usually leave in for about an hour. If the skin is not brown and crispy when ready to serve, turn on the broiler, and put the pan under the broiler for a minute or two to crisp and brown the chicken skin. Remove from the oven and transfer to a serving platter. Garnish with parsley leaves.