Chicken and Pepper Stew with Olives

There are two surprising things rocking my culinary world these days: smoked paprika and artichokes.

Smoked paprika I had never heard of until I made this.  Amazing.  I'm trying to restrain myself from putting it on everything in sight.  Like cereal.  That would probably be inappropriate.  But soups and stews?  Bring it.

Artichokes on the other hand, I have been fully aware of.  Just never tempted.  Ever.  (Well, other than spinach artichoke dip, but that hardly counts.  Enough fat and calories to make anything taste good!)  But I was adventurous enough to include them in this dish and was surprised at how much I loved them.  I've eaten them three times in less than two weeks.  It's love.

This stew includes both of those fabulous items and is brought to you by my mother through Real Simple magazine.  I had actually seen the recipe a few weeks ago myself but skipped over it because it included golden raisins, which didn't sound tempting.  But Mom had a brilliant substitution to solve that problem... and a few others...

Recipe: (originally from Real Simple... adapted by my mom... implemented by the Diva!)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
kosher salt and black pepper
16 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, halved (this recipe as written serves 8 - my mom used 8 - I used 5)
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 red bell peppers, sliced (2 used)
3 green bell peppers, sliced (2 used)
4 cloves garlic, smashed
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups pitted olives
1/2 cup golden raisins (at my mom's suggestion, we used dried cranberries instead)
*also my mom's suggestion: we added 1 can artichoke hearts, quartered and packed in water, drained
2 cups long grain white or brown rice (I used brown and cut it down to 1 cup)

In a large bowl, combine the flour, paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.  Add the chicken and toss to coat.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oi in a large pot over medium-high heat.  In batches, brown the chicken, turning, 6 to 8 minutes; transfer to a plate as it browns and add oil as necessary.  (With only 5 thighs, I was able to brown all my chicken in one batch.)

Add the bell peppers, garlic, 1/2 cup of the broth, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper to the pot.  Cook, stirring and scraping up any browned bits (in my dutch oven - I have to use a wooden or silicone instrument for this), until the peppers being to soften, 4 to 6 minutes.

Add the olives, raisins (or cranberries), artichokes if using, remaining 1 1/2 cups broth and bring to a boil.  (I also added another dash or two of smoked paprika at this point.  Because it seriously rocks.) Nestle the chicken in the vegetables and simmer covered for 15 minutes.  Uncover and simmer until chicken is cooked through and sauce is thickened, 15-20 minutes).  Make rice according to directions.

Serve chicken and vegetables over rice in shallow bowls.

Verdict:
Well first of all, genius that I am, I cut down the amount of chicken, peppers, and rice... Then didn't cut down the amount of the liquid.  Duh.  So ours was a little soupy.  But that can be fixed when serving, so it's not a deal breaker.

I rarely cook with chicken thighs (and this could easily be made with breasts if you prefer), but this made a nice change.  I thoroughly enjoyed my first experience cooking with artichokes and loved the addition of olives, which I rarely eat outside of pickle and olive trays and parties.  Perhaps the best bit though was the cherries.  It was in no way a sweet dish but every few bites there was a delightful hint of sweetness amongst all the savory flavors.

Very unique.  Very delicious.  Very much going into my permanent cookbook!