Chicken with Olives by frick

[BakerAunt]

Chicken with Olives
Submitted by frick on May 25, 2008 at 6:36 pm

This is my current version since I lost the original. It depends on a lot of herbs, and I use fresh extensively. Hope you are in a part of the country where they are easy to grow or not too expensive. I also use very inexpensive wine because I use a lot. I wish I could afford to cook with better quality wine but we go so much. Currently, I just buy Trader Joe's "two buck chuck", sauvignon blanc preferred to chardonnay. The other expensive item, and it is key to the flavor, is a lot of imported olives. So here goes.

Large, heavy covered porcelain coated cast iron or non-reactive roasting pot or pan. The lid should be tight fitting. It does not have to be stove top compatible. 350 degree oven; 2 hours.

1/4 cup olive oil, extra virgin not necessary, for bottom of pan
*optional, an additional ¼ cup olive oil, for drizzling over chicken just prior to baking
1 chicken, up to 5 lbs. but I don't bother with a roasting chicken
2 cups white wine
1/2 bunch parsley, tops chopped, include stems, remove before serving
8 - 10 sprigs fresh thyme, don't bother to remove leaves, they will fall off into the broth; remove stems before serving (you may substitute dried, but fresh is best)
1 bay leaf
3 - 4 inch rosemary twig, needles chopped or crushed (stem NOT included)
1 - 4 fresh sage leaves, depending on your taste (I use only 2)
1 entire head of garlic, cloves peeled but left whole
1 medium onion, cut in 1" pieces
3 – 4 carrots, cut in 1” chunks, whatever you can fit in the pot
1 – 2 stalks celery, cut in 1” chunks
3 - 4 medium russet potatoes, cut in large chunks.
1/2 - 1 cup (I use up to 1 cup, whatever I have available) * olives.
1/2 - 1 tsp. kosher or sea salt. If using table salt, start with ½ tsp.
1/2 - 1 tsp. coarsely ground fresh black pepper

Please note: if you have more herbs available, by all means use them. If you have lemon thyme, that sounds like a natural.

Don't be concerned if all the potatoes will not push down into the liquid; they will be great anyway. You can shift them around midway through cooking if you like. The carrots probably should be covered.

Clean chicken well, removing liver but neck, heart and gizzard can be cooked in the pot for flavor even if they are not eaten. I am always a stickler for removing all the dark, organ thingies on the inside of the chicken.

Coat bottom of pot with olive oil.

Place whole chicken in center of pan; pour wine over chicken and place carrots, potatoes and onion around chicken, pushing down into wine as well as possible. Add olives, making sure most of them are in the liquid; distribute herbs evenly, drizzle on more olive oil if desired, and sprinkle salt and pepper on all ingredients. Cover pan and bake at 350 Fahrenheit for 2 hours.

Adjust seasoning to taste before serving. I always find it needs more salt but never trust adding too much in the beginning, due to the olives.

I never thicken the juices with anything; just soak up with the potatoes and good rustic bread, or even crostini. The juice acquires a lemony quality from the wine and olives. Wide, shallow soup bowls would be perfect, but I don't have any. True ambrosia!

*This is a mixture of green French picholine and dark French Nicoise (these two are my personal favorites), US style green and some US black olives. I do not use Kalamata because I don't care for them, but feel free to add these if you please. Sometimes, you can buy jars or deli containers of mixed olives. Just stay away from the odd stuffed ones, such as garlic or hot peppers. Do not use the brine.
Bon Appetit

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