Culinary Disasters

Olives are in the top 5 for my favorite snacks of all times.  Normally in the fridge are plastic containers of blue cheese stuffed, jalapeno stuffed, kalamata, nicoise, manzanilla, and a bunch more ready for snacking. 

I feel like a bad used car commercial when I say I was overstocked and needed to get rid of some.  However, let me find my Crazy Jeff Hat and get on to the sale’s pitch.  Shit I must have lost my Crazy Jeff Hat oh well screw it if you like olives than well then do I have a dish for you. 

The key to this dish is to use a couple different varieties of olives so that there are layers of complexity.  Anymore this can be done relatively easily by heading to your local megamart and ponying up to the olive bar (p.s. if you are quick you can usually grab a couple for a snack while deciding on which varieties you like the best).

For this recipe you will need:

• Chicken thighs (you could use breasts but I have a deep love of thighs).
• 1 onion finely diced
• 1 stalk of celery finally diced
• 1 carrot diced finely
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 TB of tomato paste
• 1 cup of assorted olives cut medium dice
• 1/2 cup of white wine
• 1 cup of chicken stock
• 2 bay leaves
• Pinch of crushed red pepper
• All-purpose flour
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 2 TB of high temperature cooking oil (I used extra light olive oil)
• TB of unsalted butter

Salt and pepper the chicken and then dredge (fancy word for cover) in the flour and shake off the excess.  In a pot with a lid (hello cast iron dutch oven) over medium-high add in the oil.  Add the chicken in batches so you do not crowd the pot add in the chicken.  Brown all over and remove once browned (about 5 minutes a side).

Drain all but 1 TB of the oil out of the bottom.  Add in the carrot, celery, and garlic with a pinch of salt and pepper.  Cook till softened (about 5 minutes).  Add in the garlic and tomato paste and cook for another minute stirring constantly.

 

Add in the white wine and reduce by 1/2 (about 3 minutes).  Add in the chicken stock, olives, bay leaf, crushed red pepper, and chicken back into the pot.  Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce to a gentle simmer.  Cover and let it cook till the chicken is cooked through (about 25-30 minutes).

Once the chicken is done remove it from the pan and add in the TB of butter and stir till melted.

Serve the chicken with the olive sauce served over top of it (the garnish is chopped parsley). 

Tags: chicken, All //