Artichoke Chicken From "The Chew," Who Knew?

I made a very tasty chicken dish for dinner the other night, and I have to give credit where credit is due. So, thank you Donna Giblin! Donna and I have never met--she won a contest on the daytime TV program, “The Chew,” and I just happened to catch that segment. (I know what you’re thinking...someone who prides herself on the fact that she watches NO daytime TV was watching “The Chew?!?”) Well, if you must know, I leave the TV on for my dog, Dashiell when I run over to the gym. The show that runs around that time here in Cambridge is “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire.” By the time I get home, the game show is over, Dashiell has acquired lot of useless trivia, and “The Chew “ has begun. When last week, Mario Batali mentioned Donna’s Chicken with Artichokes, rather than shut the TV, I stopped to watch. And I must say I am glad I did. In fact, I liked this dish so much, I may even put “The Chew” on my DVR schedule. It wouldn’t be considered daytime TV if I watch it at night, right?

I always keep my ear out for simple, one-pot dishes, since it’s usually just the hubby and myself for dinner, and there really is no reason to fuss.This dish reminds me a little of this one, but it is even simpler. There are a few absolute ingredients in the recipe (like chicken and onions) but if you don’t have some of the others, and can improvise, you will still end up with a terrific dinner. I have to admit that I did adjust the recipe just a smidge (my changes are in parentheses), but Donna seemed like a really nice lady (three cheers for Loooong Island!), and I’m sure she won’t mind. 

Artichoke Chicken

(adapted from Donna Giblin’s original recipe on “The Chew”)

3 1/2-4 pounds chicken legs and thighs (I used bone-in chicken breasts, halved)

1 cup artichoke hearts, halved (I used an entire 12-ounce can)

1 medium onion (cut into chunks - to match the artichokes)

1 pound white button mushrooms (halved or quartered)

2 tablespoons brown mustard (I used Dijon)

1 clove garlic, minced (I used 2 large cloves)

(1 head fennel, coarsely chopped)

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar (I used balsamic vinegar)

1/4 cup red wine (I used white wine)

1/4 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon

1 bay leaf

salt and pepper, to taste (I used 1 tsp. of each)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk together the mustard, wine vinegar, wine, dried herbs, bay leaf, and salt and pepper. Place the chicken pieces, skin side up, in one layer, on the bottom of a 9 x 11” Pyrex pan. Scatter the chopped vegetables over the chicken pieces and pour the oil mixture evenly over the vegetables. Bake for approximately one hour and thirty minutes, basting every 20 minutes. (I baked the breast for about one hour.)

NOTE: If I were to make this dish again (and I will), I would add the artichoke hearts halfway through the baking process. I would have preferred it if they were a little firmer. I might substitute julienned red bell peppers or halved sun-dried tomatoes for the fennel. Or I might add them all--you can never have enough veggies!