Chicken Breasts with Fennel

An unusual but delicious combination of ingredients. Fennel, often used in French and Italian cuisine, provides a fresh accent to the taste of chicken.

Ingredients

2 medium fennel bulbs (also known as anise)

2 tablespoons olive oil, separated

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

8 ounces white mushrooms, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 whole chicken breasts, halved, skinned and boned

1 red bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped

1/2 cup chicken broth

2 tablespoons GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Honey Tips

Honey Is Magic

In the days before biology and botany were understood, people thought it was a special kind of magic that turned flower nectar into honey.

Directions

Trim the top and bottom from the fennel bulbs. Peel off the outside wilted layer. Cut the bulbs in half lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet. Add onions and cook very slowly until they just begin to color, about 8 minutes. Add fennel. Continue cooking until onions and fennel are nicely browned but still crunchy, stirring occasionally. Mix in mushrooms and garlic. Cover and simmer 5 minutes. Set aside.
Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Add to pan and saute for 8 minutes until chicken is browned. Turn over and continue cooking another 4 minutes. Stir in red peppers and cook 4 more minutes. Remove chicken and peppers from pan, cover to keep warm.
To the same skillet, add chicken broth and honey. Cook over medium high heat for 3 minutes stirring to deglaze pan. Pour over fennel mixture. Add chicken and peppers. Stir in vinegar. Cover and heat 5 minutes.
To serve:
Spoon vegetables onto a platter. Top with chicken and red peppers.
Serves: 4