Chicken, Tomato and Olive Stew

Meaty chicken pieces braise to falling- off-the-bone perfection in a garlicky- good tomato sauce

4 lbs. chicken pieces, breast pieces halved

3/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper cup all-purpose flour

2 Tbs. olive oil

1 onion, thinly sliced

3 cloves garlic, halved

1 ( 8 oz.) can tomato sauce

2 Tbs. tomato paste

1 tsp. fennel seeds, crushed

1/3 cup drained pitted Kalamata olives

1 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley

Rub chicken with salt and pepper; toss in flour until coated. In 12" nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. In 2 batches, add chicken; cook, flipping, until browned on all sides.

Place onion and garlic in bottom of 6-qt. slow cooker. Stir together tomato sauce, paste and fennel seeds; pour over onion. Top with chicken. Cover; cook on low until chicken is no longer pink near bones, 3–31⁄ hrs., adding olives during last 15 min. of cooking time. Transfer chicken to serving platter. Skim and discard fat from sauce in slow cooker; spoon sauce over chicken. Sprinkle with parsley.

No slow cooker? Season and cook chicken as directed in step 1; transfer to plate. Add onion and garlic to same skillet. Cook over medium heat until starting to soften, 5 min. Stir in tomato sauce, paste and fennel seeds. Return chicken to skillet. Cover; cook until chicken is no longer pink near bones, about 30 min. Stir in olives; cook until heated through.

Servings: 6. Active time: 30 min. Total time: 4 hrs. Calories: 445 Protein: 41g Fat: 26g ( 6g sat.) Chol.: 127mg Carbs.: 10g Sodium: 698mg Fiber: 2g Sugar: 3g