Master Recipe 
Chicken with Eggplant, Chickpeas, Pine Nuts, and Garlic-Yogurt Sauce
This is a streamlined adaptation of a favorite Lebanese dish, the chicken fattee. The dish is a complete meal on its own, no sides necessary, and a great recipe to have up your sleeve when feeding large groups, as you can make it in advance and reheat at serving time. The finished product, served assembled on one large platter, is a dramatic work of art.
6 SERVINGS
EQUIPMENT: A 6-quart (6 l) cast-iron pot with a lid; a large serving platter.
6 bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks, free-range, at room temperature
Fine sea salt
Coarse, freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, peeled, trimmed, halved lengthwise, and sliced into thin half-moons
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 cup (250 ml) Chicken Stock
One 28-ounce (794 g) can diced Italian tomatoes in juice
2 cups (250 g) home-cooked or drained and rinsed canned chickpeas
1 cinnamon stick
1/3 cup (60 g) pine nuts, for garnish
Crunchy Jasmine Rice, for serving
1 recipe Roasted Cubed Eggplant
Fresh parsley leaves, for garnish
1. Liberally season the chicken on all sides with salt and pepper.
2. In the pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the chicken pieces in two batches, and sear on all sides until they turn an even golden color, about 10 minutes per batch. Do not crowd the pan, and be patient: Good browning is essential to achieve depth of flavor. Carefully regulate the heat to avoid scorching the skin. Use tongs (to avoid piercing the poultry) to transfer the chicken to a platter.
3. Reduce the heat to low, and to the fat remaining in the pot, add the onions and 1/8 teaspoon salt and sweat—cook, covered, over low heat—until soft but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the fennel seeds and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more. Return the chicken to the pot. Add the stock, tomatoes (with juices), chickpeas, and cinnamon stick. Cover and simmer gently over low heat until you have a unified, glossy sauce and the chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes. Taste for seasoning.
4. While the chicken is cooking, toast the pine nuts in a small skillet over medium heat, shaking to toast the nuts evenly and keep them from burning, until golden, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool.
5. At serving time, assemble the ingredients on the large serving platter, beginning with the cooked rice in a layer at the bottom. Arrange the chicken on top of the rice, spooning the pan sauce over all. Scatter the roasted eggplant on top. Garnish with garlic-yogurt sauce, the toasted pine nuts, and a shower of parsley. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.
WINE MATCH: I love the festive nature of simple whites from the Mâcon region of Burgundy: Try the noble Chardonnay offering from Domaine des Comtes Lafon.