Chicken and Fennel

Chicken and Fennel

1 lb chicken breast, diced in 1” pieces
1 T olive oil
1 fennel bulb* (anise at some grocery stores)
1 T garlic, minced
2 carrots, sliced in half moon, 1/8” thick
1 T lemon juice
1 onion, julienne sliced
1 pint whipping cream
1-15 oz. can of chicken stock
Salt & pepper to taste

Heat oil in a skillet on medium high. Add chicken, cook until brown. Add carrots, fennel,
and onion, turning the burner on high. Mix together, but allow the vegetables to slightly
brown before stirring again. “Caramelize” the vegetables for about 3 minutes. Add the
garlic, mix in well. Add the chicken stock to keep the vegetables from burning. Scrape
the pan and incorporate into the stock. Continue to cook on high until almost all the
chicken stock as been absorbed, add the lemon juice, and mix well. Add the cream, turn
heat down to medium-high, cook until the cream has reduced by half. The cream should
start to thicken. Season with salt and pepper. Add the reserved fennel fronds to finish.
Serve over rice, mashed potatoes or pasta.

*Fennel bulbs and the wispy tops are the best parts to eat. The stalk part is cut off and
thrown away. I usually save some tops for a final flavor pop. To prepare the bulbs, just
thinly slice (1/4 to 1/8” thick), using everything except the bottommost ½’” of core.