Description
What to do with an old laying hen? Turn it into this delicious paleo-friendly mediterranean chicken stew.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 stewing hen (or regular whole chicken)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon peppercorns
- 1 small onion, peeled and cut into quarters
- 3 tablespoons grassfed butter, ghee, or other cooking fat
- 1 fennel bulb, sliced thinly (reserve fronds for garnish)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 8 ounces button mushrooms
- 2 medium carrots
- 1/3 cup kalamata or black olives
- zest from 1 orange
- OPTIONAL – 1/2 cup heavy cream
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place hen/chicken in large stock pot and cover with water. Add bay leaves, peppercorns, and onion.
- Bring to boil, then reduce to medium-low and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until meat is beginning to pull away from bone.
- Remove hen/chicken. When it is cool enough to handle, remove meat from bones and shred (be sure to save bones and skin for future bone broth making). Set aside.
- Reserve 7 cups of the broth to return to the stew later. Save the remainder for another use.
- In now empty stock pot, melt cooking fat and saute fennel, carrots, and mushrooms with salt to taste for 3-5 minutes or until slightly softened and aromatic. Add garlic and cook until fragrant.
- Add chicken and 7 cups of broth. Bring to simmer and cook for 20-30 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add olives, orange zest, and optional cream just prior to serving. Adjust seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.
- Serve with chopped fennel frond for garnish.
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Category: Main
- Cuisine: Mediterranean