Braised Chicken with Potatoes and Olives in a Homemade Tomato Sauce

For my contribution to the Seeds of Change Seed to Plate Giveaway, I decided to braise my own home raised chicken low and slow in a sauce of home grown tomatoes frozen from last years harvest.

It’s that time of year where the winter is still upon us but our hearts are reaching for Spring.  It’s this meal that comforts amidst these colder days, yet the sauce of slow simmered tomatoes grown fresh from the garden will enliven your spirits as yes… Spring is almost here.  It makes me excited just knowing that my tomato seeds have sprouted and what are now tiny seedlings will soon provide us with tomatoes picked fresh off the vine.  Juicy with the taste of summer and all of its bounty.

Okay, I have Spring fever… bad.  It’s this meal though that reminds me how great the feeling is to grow and raise your own food and excites me for the season to come.

It’s an easy dish using simple ingredients of browned chicken in a braise of sauteed tomatoes and onions with olives and potatoes.  A frugal meal that you can stretch throughout the week.

Braised Chicken with Potatoes and Olives in a Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 free range chicken
• 1 large onion, diced
• 4 large tomatoes, skinned and diced (2 cans diced tomatoes)
• 2 tbls tomato paste
• 1/2 cup green Spanish olives
• 4 medium sized potatoes, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup chicken broth, preferably homemade
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. In a heavy bottom pan or cast iron skillet heat 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil.  Working in batches, brown the chicken on both sides being careful of oil splatter.

2. While the chicken is browing, heat 2 tbls olive oil in a dutch oven.  Add the onion and saute until translucent, about five minutes.  Over medium low heat, add the tomatoes, olives, tomato paste, bay leaves, salt and pepper to taste.

3. Once the chicken has browned, set aside.  Empty all but 2 tbls liquid from the pan.  Add 1/4 cup of chicken broth and mix well to remove all browned bits from the bottom of the pan.  Add this liquid to the tomato sauce in the dutch oven.  Mix well.

4. Add the browned chicken pieces to the dutch oven on top of the tomato sauce.  Cover and simmer on low for 2 hours.

5. After two hours, add the potatoes. Cover and simmer for an additional 45 minutes to an hour or until the potatoes are tender.

Buen Provecho!

What dishes have you prepared using vegetables you’ve grown or animals you’ve raised?

Make sure to check out the Seeds of Change, Seed to Plate Giveaway I’m hosting and join in on facebook!!

Fan and upload a recipe photo at: A Little Bit of Spain in Iowa facebook fan page. Be sure to include which ingredients you have grown or would like to grow yourself including the words “Seed to Plate Giveaway.”  You must live in the continental U.S. to participate.  Online submission deadline is March 15, 2011.

I will announce the winner on my blog along with a roundup of recipes submitted.