Chicken Stew

Rub some sage, salt and pepper on the chicken thighs. Pan sear them over medium high heat in a Dutch oven or large skillet with a lid. Make sure to sear both sides (they don’t need to be totally cooked—you’ll cook them more later).

In a separate pan over medium high heat, start to sauté the onion, garlic and green bell pepper. Saute until the vegetables are softened.

Back to the chicken thighs…

When thighs are nicely browned, add 1/4 cup of liquid (preferably white wine) and scrape the crud off the bottom of the pan. This is the good stuff. It’s the secret to flavoring. Now add the onion, garlic and bell pepper from the other pan. You can deglaze that pan as well (using additional wine) and add that to the pan of chicken. Add a little bit more liquid and then add the diced tomatoes and the can of puree.

Let the mixture simmer over medium heat for about 20 minutes. Then you are ready to serve.

Serve with a mixed green salad with poached pears, a sprinkle of pecans and a drizzle of raspberry vinaigrette. Complement that with a nice Chianti and you have comfort food with a dash of fancy.