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    Home » Recipes » Dinner Recipes

    Olive Oil Braised Chicken with Citrus, Fennel and Turmeric

    Published: Apr 3, 2015 · Modified: Oct 7, 2022 by Samantha Ferraro · This post may contain affiliate links · 10 Comments

    Jump to Recipe

    A gorgeous and flavorful dinner, this one pot olive oil braised chicken is packed with bright citrus flavor, fennel and eye-catching turmeric.

    Olive Oil Braised Chicken with Citrus, Fennel and Turmeric via LittleFerraroKitchen.com

    This recipe has been in my head for years but have been nervous about trying fennel for the first time. I've heard gorgeous stories of recipes using raw and cooked fennel, how it caramelizes when cooked and stays bright and crisp when left raw. But I couldn't shake the horrid thoughts of forcing down black licorice as a kid and now 20 years later, haven't tasted licorice since.  I have crazy thoughts, don't I?

    Olive Oil Braised Chicken with Citrus, Fennel and Turmeric via LittleFerraroKitchen.com

    This gorgeous Olive Oil braised chicken exemplifies everything I love about the Mediterranean Diet. I start by marinating free range chicken in bright flavors of lemon zest, mustard and herbs and then braise it in a good amount of fruity Olive Oils. As the chicken browns, fennel and citrus slices are layered and an extra helping of fresh thyme from my garden.

    Olive Oil Braised Chicken with Citrus, Fennel and Turmeric via LittleFerraroKitchen.com

    I can't even express how beautiful this olive oil braised chicken is. The full flavor of Olive Oil paired with a bit of the chickens fat created a luxurious liquid that kept the protein incredibly moist and full of intense flavors.

    This is truly a gorgeous golden feast and is superb with softened fennel and caramelized lemon slices.

    The thinner you cut the citrus, the easier the skin will soften and you can't help but beg to chew on the sweet zest. Serve this Olive Oil braised chicken with your favorite rice dish and a side of thick yogurt.

    Olive Oil Braised Chicken with Citrus, Fennel and Turmeric

    Samantha Ferraro

    LittleFerraroKitchen.com

    Recipe slightly inspired by Jerusalem cookbook
    4.64 from 11 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories 398 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 2 chicken breasts
    • 3-4 chicken drumsticks
    • 2 Tb stone ground mustard
    • 2 garlic cloves chopped
    • ½ lemon zested and juiced
    • ½ orange zested and juiced
    • 1 teaspoon turmeric
    • Few sprigs of fresh thyme leaves removed + more for garnish
    • Salt and pepper to taste
    • 1 cup Olive Oil from Spain
    • 1 fennel bulb stems removed and cut into eighths
    • ½ lemon sliced thin
    • ½ orange sliced thin
    • 1 ½ cup chicken stock may need more if liquid reduces

    Instructions
     

    • First, pat dry chicken pieces with a paper towel and add to a large bowl. Then add mustard, garlic, turmeric, orange and lemon zest and juice and thyme leaves and salt and pepper. Massage marinade all over the chicken and place in refrigerator for at least 20 minutes.
    • Pre-heat oven to 425 F
    • Next, heat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat and add Olive Oils from Spain. Carefully add chicken to the hot cast iron and sear on each side so the outside is a deep yellow brown color, about 3 minutes on each side.
    • Once seared, add the sliced fennel, orange and lemon slices and more thyme sprigs. Season with salt and pepper if necessary and add chicken stock. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a gentle simmer and then carefully place skillet in the oven and cook for about 25 minutes, or until chicken is fully cooked inside. As chicken cooks, use a ladle to spoon braising liquid over the chicken.
    • Once chicken is done, the sauce should have thickened and fennel and citrus tender. Allow to rest for 5 minute before cutting into chicken. Serve with Greek yogurt on the side, if desired.

    Notes

    This is a sponsored post, however all delicious opinions are my own.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 398kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 44gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 140mgSodium: 434mgPotassium: 1045mgFiber: 4gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 321IUVitamin C: 42mgCalcium: 75mgIron: 2mg
    Did you make this recipe?Let us know by leaving a comment and 5 star rating!
    Olive Oil Braised Chicken with Citrus, Fennel and Turmeric via LittleFerraroKitchen.com

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    Comments

    1. mila furman says

      April 03, 2015 at 11:15 am

      5 stars
      Your pictures are beautiful...and this dish just screams spring to me. I love a simple roasted chicken dish...could have it any day or any night 🙂

      Reply
      • Samantha says

        April 03, 2015 at 12:58 pm

        Thank you so much Mila...I agree..nothing better than a good roast chicken dish!

        Reply
    2. Allie @ Sweet Potato Bites says

      April 03, 2015 at 6:44 pm

      5 stars
      oooh I love this! I have the same aversion to black licorice so I hear you on the fennel thing...but I do love cooking with it.

      Reply
    3. Liz @ Floating Kitchen says

      April 19, 2015 at 12:17 pm

      5 stars
      Oh I am so in love with everything about this dish! Especially the whole oranges. I love cooking and baking with whole citrus and I think it's something that totally under used. Beautiful photos!

      Reply
      • Samantha says

        April 19, 2015 at 11:03 pm

        Thank you so much Liz!! I LOVE cooking with citrus and citrus zest too...brings out such a gorgeous brightness! :))

        Reply
    4. Kaye says

      February 28, 2016 at 9:07 am

      5 stars
      I made your recipe last night. I only used 1/4 olive from Italy. Since it was a mild day in Upper Michigan, we cooked it on our grill which kept the mess outside. It was a beautiful looking dish and quite delicious! We will definitely make this recipe again. Thanks! I served it with a wild rice mix by Lundberg and a nice spinach and strawberry salad. I just bought some strawberries and the salad went well with this dish. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Samantha says

        March 01, 2016 at 9:36 am

        Hi Kaye! So glad you enjoyed it 🙂 I will have to try it on the grill next time! And I also love adding fruit to my salads...what a lovely meal you had!

        Reply
    5. Kaye says

      February 28, 2016 at 9:16 am

      5 stars
      P.S. I love Spain too but just went to Italy last spring and shipped home Italian olive oil. : )

      Reply
    6. artchee @ pangbenta.com says

      July 26, 2019 at 6:38 am

      5 stars
      I like chicken and I try to look for recipes that I haven't tried yet. It's a good thing I came across your post while I was searching because I'm a fan of turmeric as well.

      I like adding turmeric to my meals but I don't like it tastes too much so I try to add it with other ingredients to hide its taste.

      I'll go ahead and try your recipe and check. If it doesn't taste too "turmericy," I'll definitely add it to my recipes list. Thanks for sharing this.

      Reply
    7. Tracey says

      January 06, 2021 at 10:08 am

      5 stars
      I'm trying this recipe tonight but don't have stone ground mustard.. Could I subtitute Dijon mustard or dry mustard, and if so, how much? Thank you.

      Reply

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