Saffron Chicken Soup

• 5 cups chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon saffron threads
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts sprinkled with salt, pepp
• 1 red onion chopped
• 1 cup chopped celery about 4 stalks
• 1/2 cup fennel chopped, root
• 2 cups tomatoes coarsley chopped ripe, about 2 medium tomatoes
• 5 cloves garlic chopped
• 1 cup white wine
• 3/4 cup pernod or Pastis
• 10 sprigs fresh thyme
• 6 inches baby red potatoes cut 1/2 and thickly sliced, optional
• 4 cloves garlic
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 1/2 cups olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt

1. Place saffron threads in medium sauce pan over medium high heat, stir around until you smell the fragrance, then pour in chicken stock (this allows the saffron flavor to infuse the broth).
2. Allow the seasoned chicken to sit at room temperature for up to an hour.
3. Drizzle olive oil into the pan and heat over medium high heat.
4. Cut the chicken into 1 inch chunks.
5. Put chicken chunks in heated oil. Cook until lightly browned.
6. Remove chicken from pan and cover to keep warm.
7. Toss potatoes into remaining oil/fat, allow to become golden brown and remove from heat (store in oven if possible).
8. Reduce heat to medium, add chopped onion, celery, and fennel root, cook until onions are translucent.
9. Add tomatoes and garlic to vegetables. Cook until the tomatoes are just soft.
10. Add saffron infused stock, Pernod, wine and the thyme sprigs.
11. Bring to a simmer and allow to cook for 1/2 hour. After about 25 minutes, add the chicken and allow it to warm.
12. Set the table with soup bowls and spoons. The potatoes can be put in the soup bowl with the soup ladled over them.
13. Serve with a large bowl of aioli to dollop on top.
14. Into a food processor bowl, outfitted with a metal blade, drop garlic cloves, pulse blade until the garlic is pulverized, then stop. Drop egg yolks into bowl, add salt. Start the blade again and VERY slowly dribble in the olive oil until a thick paste is formed. In a matter of minutes you'll have a bowl full of delight!

chicken stock, saffron threads, olive oil, chicken breasts, red onion, celery, fennel, tomatoes coarsley, garlic, white wine, pernod, thyme, baby red potatoes, garlic, egg yolks, olive oil, salt

Taken from www.yummly.com/recipe/Saffron-Chicken-Soup-1669236 (may not work)