Ingredients
1tbspolive oil
2lbschicken thighs,skinless, boneless
salt and ground black pepper,to taste
1bulb fennel,cut into ¼-inch thick slivers
1yellow onion,cut into ¼-inch thick slivers
½tspfennel seeds
4clovesgarlic,sliced
1tbspfresh thyme,chopped
1chile de arbol pepper,dried
½cupwhite wine
28ozwhole tomatoes in puree,(1 can), peeled
½cupCastelvetrano olives,pitted and halved
2tbspfennel greens,chopped
2tbspfresh flat leaf parsley,chopped
1tsplemon zest
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Heat olive oil in a large, heavy cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season chicken thighs with salt and black pepper.
Brown chicken in the hot oil, about 5 minutes per side. The meat will still be pink inside. Transfer chicken into a bowl, leaving drippings in skillet.
Turn heat down to medium. Cook fennel, onion, and fennel seeds in the hot oil for about 10 minutes stirring occasionally until onion and fennel begin to caramelize.
Stir garlic, thyme, and chile de Arbol pepper into fennel mixture. Cook for about 1 more minute until garlic is fragrant.
Stir white wine into fennel mixture, scraping up and dissolving any browned bits of food on the bottom of the skillet.
Pour tomatoes with puree into skillet and bring to a boil. Break tomatoes into large chunks with a wooden spoon. Adjust salt and pepper.
Add chicken thighs, any accumulated drippings from the chicken, and olives to the skillet. Stir to combine.
Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes until the chicken thighs are no longer pink inside.
Let cool 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with fennel greens, flat-leaf parsley, and lemon zest.
