Caramelized fennel & stewed tomatoes create for a deceptively complex flavor
This chicken dish embodies the simplicity of French country cuisine, where incredible flavor is achieved with only a few fresh ingredients. Caramelized fennel and onions produce a delicately sweet flavor, while the tomatoes create just enough of a saucey base to spoon over grains or potatoes.
If you enjoy delicate tasting food, without overpowering spices, you will love the subtle complexity of this chicken stew.
Cooking Tips
Chicken
Although my process photos show a whole chicken, I prefer the clean taste of chicken breasts for this recipe. The sauce is so delicate, the gamey flavor is too overpowering in this instance. Plus, breasts are much easier to chop and cube!
Veggies
Don’t be afraid to use butter to caramelize the fennel and onions! You just can’t beat the flavor of browned butter. What’s better, butter from pasture-raised cows is full of nutrients essential to assimilating all the other incredible nutrients in the meal.
If you intend to use an oil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil would be a good option here because you’re not cooking at super high temperatures. Avocado oil is another good option for a nuetral tasting and healthy choice.
Serve
Serve over millet or potatoes, and garnish with parsley and fresh diced cherry tomatoes.
Get the recipe for millet here>>
Caramelized Fennel & Tomato Chicken
This is a lovely chicken dish to enjoy as we transition from summer into fall. It's hearty and warming, yet the taste of fennel and tomato reminds us of the last days of summer and keeps the dish feeling light.
- Prep Time: 30m
- Cook Time: 30m
- Total Time: 1h
- Serves: 4
Ingredients
- 2 Organic Pasture Raised Chicken Breasts, cubed
- 1 pound Organic Roma or Beef Steak Tomatoes, cubed
- 2 medium Organic Fennel Bulbs, thinly sliced
- 1 large Organic Red Onion, chopped
- 3 tablespoons Grassfed Butter (or sub with Avocado Oil or Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Celtic Sea Salt
- 1 teaspoon Organic Black Peppercorns, crushed
Instructions
- Heat butter or oil on medium high heat. Add onions, fennel and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Sauté covered with lid on medium heat for about 10-12 minutes until translucent and slightly browned. Stir every couple minutes.
- Chop tomatoes and cube chicken.
- Remove fennel mixture from the pan and set aside. Add tomatoes to the pan. Cook about 10 minutes on medium heat, covered, stirring every few minutes.
- Turn heat up to medium-high. Bring tomato liquid to a quick boil. Add chicken, 1 teaspoon salt and fresh cracked pepper. Stir and sear chicken for about a minute. Turn down to medium-low and continue to cook uncovered for about 5 minutes.
- Add the fennel mixture back to the pan. Stir and cook another 3-5 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.
Serve
- Serve over any of rice, millet, potatoes or if you prefer a lighter meal, just a side of greens.
- Garnish with minced parsley, chopped cherry tomatoes and fresh cracked black pepper.
