Lemon Olive Chicken

This chicken dish is special enough to serve at a dinner party, but easy enough to put together on a weeknight 💫 We served it over @inagarten (👑) Goat Cheese Mashed Potatoes from her Make It Ahead cookbook and it was a dream pairing 💫

6 bonesless, skin-on chicken breasts or thighs, tenderloin removed for even cooking
Canola Oil
1 cup of sliced shallots
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 Tablespoon fennel seeds, crushed (use the flat side of a knife) and chopped
3/4 cup dry white wine
1 cup pitted cerignola olives
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flake
2 dried bay leaves
1 meyer lemon, cut into six wedges
8 thyme sprigs
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup parsley leaves, minced

Allow chicken breast to air dry in the refrigerator for an hour, and up to 24 hours. This step is not necessary, but will give a must crisper crust when browning. All you need to do is place some on a plate or a baking sheet uncovered in the fridge.

Preheat the oven to 375°

Step 1: Season the chicken on both sides with salt. Heat a tablespoon of canola oil in a large sauté pan and place the chicken skin side down. Allowed to sear for four minutes then flip to the other side and sear an additional minute. You may have to do this in batches in order to not overcrowd the pan. Remove the chicken to a tray.

Step 2: Reduce the heat to medium low and add the shallots to the pan, cook for two minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the fennel seeds and 1 teaspoon of salt and cook an additional five minutes.

Step 3: Pour in the wine and simmer for two minutes to burn off the alcohol. Stir in the olives, red pepper flakes, bay leaves, lemon slices, thyme, and chicken broth. Increase the heat and bring the liquid to a simmer and cook for about two minutes. Taste the broth, and season with salt as needed

If making in advance, you can stop here, and store chicken and sauce in two separate containers in the fridge. Thirty minutes before wanting to serve dinner, put the sauce back into pan and bring to a simmer.

Step 4: Return the chicken to the pan skin side up. Once the liquid returns to a simmer transfer the pan to the oven and cook for 18 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and registers 165° on a meat thermometer.

Step 5: 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 garnish with parsley leaves.