This is a wonderful do-ahead chicken dish. Look for free-range, humanely raised chicken; you can now find free-range chicken already cut up and skinned.
Yield: 8
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Ingredients
4 1/4 pounds cut up chicken (drumsticks, thighs, breasts-16 pieces), skinned
1/2 cup Pernod or Pastis (anise flavored aperitif)
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 generous pinches saffron threads
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, sliced
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
2 stalks celery, diced
6 large garlic cloves, minced
1 (14-ounce) can chopped tomatoes, with liquid
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed in a mortar and pestle
A bouquet garni made with a bay leaf and a couple of sprigs each thyme and rosemary
1 quart chicken or turkey stock
1 1/2 pounds Yukon gold or new potatoes, scrubbed and sliced
1/2 pound green beans, trimmed and broken in half
A handful of chopped fresh parsley
Directions
Cut chicken breasts in half for smaller pieces. Season all of the chicken with salt and pepper, and toss in a very large bowl with one pinch of the saffron and the Pernod or Pastis. Transfer the chicken pieces to a large resealable bag, pour in the liquid from the bowl and seal the bag. Place the bag in a bowl, and refrigerate overnight. If possible, move the chicken around in the bag from time to time.