Mediterranean Chicken with Potatoes, Fennel, and Olives

---

Serves 4

Cooking Time 3 to 4 hours on Low

Slow Cooker Size 5½ to 7 Quarts

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: For a hearty chicken dinner with bright flavor, we chose Mediterranean-inspired ingredients: fennel, rosemary, and olives. Microwaving the fennel and potatoes, along with aromatics, ensured that our vegetables would be fully tender when the chicken finished cooking. Bone-in chicken breasts stayed moist during the long cooking time, thanks to the insulation provided by the bones, plus they worked well in our rustic dish. Dried rosemary and bright, citrusy orange zest infused the braising liquid with flavor, seasoning the chicken as it cooked. We added the olives at the end so their briny flavor wouldn’t become muted, and a healthy dose of fresh parsley rounded out the dish. Click here for more information on how to prep fennel. See the sidebar that follows the recipe.

1	pound Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into ½-inch pieces
1	fennel bulb, cored and sliced thin
1	cup chopped onion
3	tablespoons unsalted butter
1	tablespoon minced garlic
1	teaspoon dried rosemary
½	cup chicken broth
2	teaspoons grated orange zest
	Salt and pepper
4	(12-ounce) bone-in split chicken breasts, trimmed
½	cup pitted salt-cured black olives, rinsed and halved
¼	cup minced fresh parsley

1. Microwave potatoes, fennel, onion, 1 tablespoon butter, garlic, and rosemary in bowl, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes; transfer to slow cooker. Stir in broth, orange zest, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Season chicken with salt and pepper and nestle into slow cooker. Cover and cook until chicken is tender, 3 to 4 hours on low.

2. Transfer chicken to serving dish and remove skin. Stir olives, parsley, and remaining 2 tablespoons butter into vegetables and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.