Nancy’s Olive & Fennel Roast Chicken
My dear friend Nancy (@nanceeatsplants on IG) shared this recipe with me, and the very first time I made it, I knew it would become one of our forever favorites. It’s a one-pan wonder filled with fennel, citrus, olives, garlic, and herbs—roasted until everything is golden, tender, and bursting with flavor. The citrus rinds soften and become beautifully edible, the fennel turns sweet, and the whole kitchen smells like home.
Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 garlic bulb, halved crosswise
1 small shallot, sliced
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
1 cup chicken broth (plus more if needed)
½ cup white wine (or sherry or even white wine vinegar)
1 teaspoon Calabrian chilies
1 fennel bulb, chopped
1 orange, thinly sliced
1 lemon, thinly sliced
1 cup Castelvetrano olives
A few sprigs of fresh rosemary and thyme
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 375°F.
Step 2: In a deep, oven-safe skillet, heat a bit of olive oil. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper and sear them until golden on both sides. Set them aside for now.
Step 3: Turn the heat to low-medium. Add the halved garlic bulb, cut side down, and let it brown gently for about 30 seconds, just enough to bring out that warm, mellow garlic flavor.
Step 4: Add the shallot and fennel seeds. Stir them in and cook for a minute or so. You don’t want them to burn, just soften and release their fragrance.
Step 5: Pour in the chicken broth and white wine. Stir in the Calabrian chilies. Let it simmer for a few minutes. If it looks like it needs more liquid, feel free to splash in a bit more broth.
Step 6: Nestle the chicken back into the pan. Add the garlic bulb back in too. Scatter the chopped fennel, orange slices, and lemon slices all around the chicken.
Step 7: Drop in the olives and submerge the rosemary and thyme into the liquid.
Step 8: Cover the skillet and place it in the oven for about 40 minutes.
Step 9: After 40 minutes, uncover and broil for 5 minutes to give everything a little extra color and crispness.
