Chicken Athena

Tish's Note:

Found this recipe in Bon Appetit Too Busy to Cook. I don't always have aniseed and ouzo around but the combination is intoxicating! Great accompanied by orzo.

• Total Time: 1 hrs
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 1/2 lbs chicken, cut into 8 pieces
• 6 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons anise seed, crushed
• 1 (28 ounce) can Italian plum tomatoes
• 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 cup ouzo or 1/4 cup Pernod or 1/4 cup ricard liqueur
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano, crumbled
• 12 black oil-cured olives, pitted
• 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Season chicken with salt and pepper.
3. Sauté chicken in batches if necessary until brown, about 5 minutes per side.
4. Transfer to plate.
5. Pour off all but 2 Tbs drippings from skillet.
6. Add garlic and aniseed and stir 30 seconds.
7. Add tomatoes, broth Ouzo and oregano.
8. Bring mixture to simmer, breaking up tomatoes with back of spoon.
9. Return chicken to skillet.
10. Bring to simmer and cook uncovered 15 minutes.
11. Transfer chicken breasts to plate.
12. Turn chicken pieces in skillet over and simmer 5 minutes longer.
13. Transfer chicken in skillet to same plate.
14. Increase heat to high, add olives and cook until liquid is reduced to sauce consistency, stirring occasionally, about 6 to 8 minutes.
15. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
16. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Reheat gently before continuing.) Sprinkle feta cheese over and serve.

Reviews

[Tanager]

Good recipe - suggestion - add quartered fennel bulb to this recipe and there'll be no need to add ouzo - the bulb will supply the additional anise flavour as well as extra nutrition.

[rosslare]

Very good! Suggestions of adding fennel or sambuca are interesting and I just might have to try them.

[Melanie D]

This was incredible! I only made it to use some of the Pernod we have - otherwise we'll never finish it. The flavors were all perfectly balanced. I don't like licorice and was afraid that the anise and Pernod would be too strong for me. It wasn't - it was just awesome! We will make this until the bottle of Pernod is gone (which will be a sad day, but I'm not buying more).