Rustic Chicken Stew with Tomatoes, Olives, and Red Wine

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, chopped into 1-inch cubes
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup black olives, rinsed, pitted, and sliced
• 1/2 cup green olives, rinsed, pitted, and sliced
• 1/4 cup capers, rinsed
• 1 can whole peeled tomatoes, roughly broken up by hand
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 stems fresh basil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley or basil leaves
• Cooked rice for serving, optional

Directions

1. Set an oven rack in the lower-middle spot, then heat the oven to 300 degrees F. Warm the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until it shimmers. Put in the chicken and leave it alone so it can brown deeply on the first side, about 4 minutes. Give it a stir, then cook until the other sides pick up a little color, about 3 minutes longer. Move the chicken to a plate.
2. Add the onion to the same pot and cook, stirring as you go, until it takes on light color, about 5 minutes. Stir in the black olives, green olives, and capers, and keep them moving in the pot for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, red wine, bay leaves, and basil. Sprinkle in 1 teaspoon salt, then add pepper. Slide the chicken back into the pot and bring everything to a simmer.
3. Put the lid on the pot and move it into the oven. Cook until the chicken is fully tender, about 2 hours. Take off the lid and cook for 15 minutes more, just enough to concentrate the liquid a bit. Pull out and discard the basil. Taste and adjust with more salt and pepper as desired. Stir in the chopped parsley or basil, holding a little back for garnish. Serve with rice, or let it cool and refrigerate it in a sealed container for up to 3 days. Warm it again before serving.