Make Fennel Chicken For Dinner

With spring finally here, our local vegetable market is chock full of young vegetables, and when I spotted a big bunch of baby fennel I couldn't resist. With its sweet, tender stalk and robust anise flavor, fennel makes for a great salad when shaved, or a beautiful side dish when braised.

Given what a rare find it was where I live, I decided something special was in order. What I came up with is this stew where the fennel is braised with red onions, chicken and wine. It's inspired by classic European stews like Poulet à la Moutarde and Chicken Paprikash, but it doesn't really have a provenience of its own. Still, it wouldn't surprise me if someone's grandma somewhere has been making this for years. Because if comfort had a taste, this would be it. The chicken is tender and moist, the fennel is sweet and fragrant. The sauce is savory and complex but the acidity from the wine and creme fraiche keep the richness in check.

I recommend using chicken thighs for braised dishes like this because chicken breast meat will end up like wet cardboard if you overcook it. If you can't find baby fennel, thick slices of regular fennel will work as well. Although I prefer creme fraiche; sour cream, or even greek yogurt should work as well.