Fennel in Braised Chicken - Dinner on "F" Day

Well it's dinner time on "F" day and I'm using FENNEL

I made Fennel in Braised Chicken with lemon and garlic. If you've never had fennel before you will discover that it has an earthy black licorice flavour to it. In this dish the fennel takes on a more lemony taste while the chicken is so succulent and savoury - it's definitely Yummy!

Servings: 6

Ingredients

1 fennel bulb (about 1 lb)
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp each S & P
12 boneless skinless chicken thighs
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
20 large (about 2 heads) garlic cloves, peeled
3 cups chicken stock
1 lemon, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp chopped fresh dill

Directions

Cut fennel in half lengthwise and core; cut lengthwise into 1/4 inch thick slices. Chop fennel fronds (the fluffy/leafy ends). Set aside.

In shallow dish, combine flour, salt and pepper; dredge chicken in mixture to coat all over. Reserve remaining flour mixture. 

In large shallow Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat; brown chicken, in batches. Transfer to plate. Add garlic; cook over medium heat, stirring, until golden, about 1 minute.

Add chicken stock; bring to boil, stirring and scraping up brown bits. Add lemon and fennel; return chicken and any accumulated juices to pan. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until juices run clear when chicken is pierced, about 30 minutes. Transfer chicken, lemon and fennel to platter; cover and keep warm. 

In bowl, whisk reserved flour mixture with 1/4 cup cold water; whisk into pan and boil over medium-high heat, whisking, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in chopped fennel fronds and dill; pour over chicken. 

FENNEL 

Fennel contains its own unique combination of phytonutrients that give it strong antioxidant activity. In animal studies, the flavonoid, anethole, in fennel has repeatedly been shown to reduce inflammation and to help prevent cancer.

In addition to its unusual phytonutrients, fennel bulb is an excellent source of Vitamin C. This Vitamin found in fennel bulb is directly antimicrobial and is also needed for the proper function of the immune system.


Fennel, sliced, raw
(1 cup)

Vitamin C  13.9 %
Fiber  10.8 %
Potassium  10.2 %
Molybdenum  9.6 %
Manganese  8.5 %
Copper  6.6 %
Phosphorus  6.2 %
Folate  5.8 %
Calcium  4.2 %
Pantothenic Acid  4 %
Magnesium  3.6 %
Iron  3.5 %
Vitamin B3  3.5 %


Have you eaten Fennel lately?