Mediterranean Chicken, with Artichokes, Olives and Capers

Surely I am not the only one out there who is constantly seeking new recipe ideas for chicken. Well, my daughter's blog post, Iberian ham et al.,at julia chews the fat, became the inspiration for my Mediterranean influenced chicken recipe. Swept away with her ever-eloquent prose and stunning foodie photos of her recent trip to Barcelona, Spain, I happily resolved my chicken recipe conundrum.  
My braised chicken with white wine, artichokes, sun dried tomatoes, capers and olives, might just be the ticket to transport you to the sunny coast of the Mediterranean, without leaving the comfort of your home.  Served with homemade focaccia to sop up all those rich juices and a small salad, this one pot meal is not only healthy but also rich in flavour. 

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
5 slices of bacon cut into 1/2" pieces
1 chicken about 2 1/2 lbs, cut into about 10 pieces
1 cup flour
1 large onion diced
2 garlic cloves finely chopped
1/4 chopped sun dried tomatoes
1 heaping tablespoon capers, chopped
24  pitted kalamata olives ( about 1/4 cup).
sprig of  fresh thyme
1/2 cup of white wine
1 1//2 cups chicken broth
1  14 ounce can artichoke hearts, drained..

Note: For easy removal of the olive pits, simply smash the olive with a knife and remove the pit.

Pour the oil in a cast iron enamel Dutch oven. Add the bacon. Cook on medium heat. Transfer to a plate, reserving the grease to brown the chicken.
Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour, shake off any excess flour.

On medium high heat, place the chicken pieces fat side down in the hot oil. Working in batches, brown the chicken pieces on all sides.


Transfer the browned chicken pieces to a plate. Set aside.

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onions and garlic to the pot, scraping the bits from the bottom of the pan.Cook for about 3 minutes minutes until translucent and golden.

De-glaze with the white wine and continue cooking until the wine is reduced.
Return the bacon to the pot.
Stir in the the capers, sun dried tomatoes,olives, and sprig of thyme. Continue cooking for a minute or two.

Pour in the broth and bring to a boil.
Nestle the the chicken pieces in  the liquid , finishing off with the artichoke hearts.
Cover and cook in a 350º F oven for 1 1/2 hours.

Remove the cover and continue cooking for an additional 15 minutes to reduce the juices and brown the exposed chicken  pieces.