Mediterranean Chicken Stew

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small eggplant (about 1 pound), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 3 1/2-pound chickens, each cut into 8 pieces
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 fennel bulb, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 bouquet garni: 6 parsley stems, 3 sprigs fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried, and 1 bay leaf
• 3/4 cup dry white wine
• 3 1/2 cups canned tomatoes with their juice (28-ounce can), chopped
• 1 cup chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 cup black olives, such as Nicoise or Kalamata, pitted
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large nonstick frying pan over moderately high heat until very hot.
2. Saute the eggplant until brown on all sides, about 5 minutes.
3. Remove.
4. In a large pot, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons over moderately high heat.
5. Add about a third of the chicken and brown well on both sides, about 8 minutes in all.
6. Remove.
7. Brown the remaining chicken in 2 more batches and remove.
8. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the fat and reduce the heat to moderate.
9. Add the onion and fennel.
10. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
11. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
12. Add the bouquet garni, wine, the tomatoes with their juice, the stock and salt and bring to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pan to dislodge any brown bits.
13. Add the eggplant, the chicken with any juice that has accumulated and the olives.
14. Bring to a simmer over moderate heat, reduce the heat and cook at a bare simmer, partially covered, until the chicken is tender, 25 to 30 minutes.
15. Remove the bouquet garni and stir in the pepper, lemon juice and parsley.

olive oil, eggplant, chickens, onion, fennel bulb, garlic, bouquet garni, white wine, tomatoes, chicken stock, salt, black olives, freshground black pepper, lemon juice, flatleaf

Taken from www.foodandwine.com/recipes/mediterranean-chicken-stew (may not work)