Accompanied by the "Outstanding in the Field" story in the 9-25 edition
3 pounds chicken thighs or 4 whole chicken legs
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
5 carrots, chopped or sliced
1 stalk of celery, chopped or sliced
1 cup white wine
3 sprigs of thyme or a couple good pinches of dried thyme
2 bay leaves
2 red bell peppers, seeded and sliced
1 pint of stewed tomatoes and 1 pint of tomato sauce or 1 15-ounce can of diced tomatoes
4 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
First, season the chicken generously with salt and pepper on both sides. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and brown on both sides. After chicken is browned, remove it and set aside on a plate. Drain the fat from the pot, leaving about 2 tablespoons of oil. Lower the heat to medium-low.
Add in the onion and garlic and heat until transparent. Then add the carrots and celery. Heat for 2-3 minutes before adding in the wine. Let it cook down until about half of the wine has evaporated. Add in the thyme, bay leaves, peppers, tomatoes and chicken broth. Place the chicken thighs back in the pot. Bring to a boil, then drop it back down to a simmer.
Simmer for about 40 minutes or until the chicken is tender, skimming the fat off the top of the broth every once in a while. At this point, you can take the stew off the stove and throw it in the fridge and reheat it the next day. This makes removing the fat a lot easier. It makes a great make-a-head stew. When ready to serve, heat the stew, stir in the balsamic vinegar, season with salt and pepper and serve.
