Mediterranean Chicken Stew

When it's gloomy and cold outside, this is the dish to make. Chicken thighs are braised with artichoke hearts, capers, green olives, and lemon zest and juice--all strong flavors, but they blend together perfectly, and the juices flavor the potatoes as they cook. Eating this, you can almost imagine yourself in a sunny town in the Mediterranean, glass of wine in hand. Mediterranean Chicken Stew 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, rinsed and patted dry and cut into 2-3 pieces each 2 Tbs flour 1 tsp each salt and pepper 2 Tbs olive oil 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 Tbs capers, drained and minced Grated zest and juice of one lemon 1/2 c dry white wine 1 3/4 c chicken broth 1 lb Yukon gold potatoes, washed and cut into 3/4-inch pieces 1 package (8-9 oz) thawed frozen artichoke hearts (quartered, if they aren't already) 1 c finely chopped flat-leaf parsley 1 c pitted green olives, chopped coarsely lemon wedges, optional

1. In a resealable plastic bag, combine flour, salt, and pepper. Add chicken, close the bag, and shake to coat.

2. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add chicken (without the extra flour) in a single layer and cook, turning once, until browned, 4-5 min. total. Remove to a plate.

3. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic, capers, and lemon zest and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the wine and simmer, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pan, until reduced by half, about 2 min. Add the broth, potatoes, and chicken and return to a simmer. Lower the heat slightly to keep simmering, cover, and cook 10 min.

4. Add the artichokes and stir. Cover and cook until the potatoes are tender when pierced, 8 to 10 min. Stir in the parsley, lemon juice to taste, and olives. Serve hot, with lemon wedges on the side, if desired.