Mediterranean Chicken Stew

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Prep Time:
20 mins
Total Time:
35 mins
Servings:
4

This hearty stew uses lean white chicken meat and chopped escarole in a well-spiced tomato sauce for its flavor. But it only takes a little more than half an hour to be ready.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • 3 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (6 to 8 ounces each), cut into 1-inch pieces

  • Coarse salt and ground pepper

  • 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

  • 1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced

  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano

  • 1 can (28 ounces) whole peeled tomatoes, in puree

  • 1 ½ pounds escarole (about 2 medium heads), ends trimmed, coarsely chopped

  • 1 cup whole-wheat couscous, cooked according to package instructions

Directions

  1. In a Dutch oven or a large, heavy pot (at least 5 quarts), heat oil over medium-high. Season chicken with salt and pepper and cook in 2 batches, tossing occasionally, until browned, about 5 minutes per batch; transfer to a plate.

  2. Add garlic, onion, and oregano to pot; season with salt and pepper. Cook until onion begins to brown, 2 to 4 minutes (don't worry if pan darkens). Add tomatoes (crushing with back of a spoon as you add them) and cook until slightly thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Add chicken with any accumulated juices and bring to a simmer; cover and cook until chicken is opaque throughout, 2 to 4 minutes.

  3. Add as much escarole to pot as will fit. Cook, tossing and adding more as space becomes available. Cook until escarole is tender, 2 to 4 minutes. Serve stew over couscous.

Cook's Notes

Browning the chicken adds another layer of flavor to this hearty stew. Cook it in 2 batches to ensure that the chicken browns properly and doesn't steam. The caramelization on the chicken and on the bottom of the pan is what flavors the stew.

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