Lemony Chicken Stew with Potatoes and Artichokes

Winter weather has me pining for bright flavors.  If we have a warm dinner that tastes like a bit of sunshine, the brisk North wind and cold temperatures are easier to bear. This lemony chicken stew is based upon sunny flavors similar to chicken piccata, letting citrus and garlic and capers season its sauce. Instead of chicken breast that’s typical of piccata, the stew uses more forgiving chicken thighs. Accented with verdant parsley and briny olives, it’s a great antidote to the lack of green in winter. And it’s pretty simple to prepare.

I adapted the recipe from one I found in Sunset magazine several years ago. The writers at Sunset point out that the stew captures the flavors of an Italian salsa verde—usually made with fresh herbs, lemon juice, garlic, and capers.

Building the flavor layers

The first step is to dredge pieces of boneless chicken thighs in a seasoned flour mixture. Then they are ready to quickly brown until golden in  color.

After the chicken pieces are brown and transferred to a plate, garlic, capers, and lemon zest infuse the olive oil with vibrant flavors. A quick addition of dry white wine helps to loosen all the browned bits in the bottom of the pan.

Adding the vegetables

Next the chicken pieces return to the pan along with bite-size Yukon gold potato wedges and chicken broth. After the potatoes and chicken have simmered for a while, artichoke hearts go in to the mix. This braising method allows the coating on the chicken to thicken the broth as the vegetables soften.

Once the potatoes and artichokes are tender, the stew is almost ready to eat. It needs the final addition of chopped parsley, green olives, and fresh lemon juice to brighten the stew in both appearance and taste.

I have successfully made the base of the stew ahead of serving, stopping at the point that the artichokes and potatoes are cooked. Covered and refrigerated, the stew can easily keep for two days.

When you’re ready to serve, just reheat the stew to the stage of a bubbling simmer, add the olives, parsley, and lemon juice and heat 5 more minutes.

A bowl of sunshiny flavor will be waiting for you and everyone gathered at your table.

Lemony Chicken Stew with Potatoes and Artichokes

Dawn Dobie

The bright flavors of chicken piccata transformed into an easy-to-make stew.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Servings 4

Ingredients

  

• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, patted dry
• 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons olive oil divided (see below)
• 3 large garlic cloves minced
• 1 tablespoon capers drained and minced
• Grated zest and juice of one lemon, separated
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 3/4 cup or 14.5-ounce can low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 pound of Yukon gold potatoes scrubbed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 12- ounce package thawed frozen artichoke hearts, quartered if large
• 1 cup finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 1 cup pitted medium green olives roughly chopped
• additional salt and freshly ground pepper
• lemon wedges for serving

Instructions

 

• Trim excess fat from chicken thighs. Cut each thigh into 2-inch pieces.
• Place flour, salt, and pepper in a sealable bowl and mix well. Add half of the chicken pieces, cover the bowl, and shake to coat the pieces with the flour mixture. (As they cook, you can coat the remaining chicken pieces.)
• Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium high heat in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven.
• When oil is shimmering, shake extra flour from chicken and place chicken pieces in a single layer in Dutch oven, being careful not to crowd them too much. Cook for about 3 minutes on one side, then flip and cook another 2-3 minutes, until a golden brown Transfer to a plate. Add remaining tablespoon of oil to pot. Once it has heated up, add remaining flour-coated chicken pieces and cook in same way as first batch. Transfer all chicken pieces to plate.
• Reduce heat to medium and add garlic, capers, and lemon zest to pan. Stir constantly for 30 seconds, until they are fragrant, then add white wine. Simmer the mixture, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook about 2 minutes, until the wine mixture is reduced by half.
• Add the potatoes, chicken pieces, and broth to the pot. Raise the heat and bring to a boil. Then lower the heat to simmer, cover the pot, and cook for 10 minutes.
• Add the artichokes to the pot and stir to incorporate into the stewing mixture. Cover again and cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring gently from time to time, until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.
• Stir in the olives, parsley, and lemon juice. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot, with lemon wedges on the side, if desired.

Notes

Stew can be made 2 days ahead. Remove from heat after artichokes and potatoes have cooked through. Cool and cover. Refrigerate. When ready to serve, reheat stew mixture to a simmer and add parsley, olives, and lemon juice. Check for seasonings and adjust to taste.

Adapted from a recipe in Sunset magazine.