Crisp-fried chicken thighs finish cooking among tender fennel and briny green olives. Lemon zest, lemon juice and parsley brighten the pan juices; serve with bread or potatoes to mop up every drop.
This is a modern one-pan meal where the chicken clearly takes centre stage. Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs stay juicy as they cook and add extra flavour to the sauce. Fennel turns tender with a mild aniseed flavour, while green olives bring saltiness and a slightly bitter, savoury note. Lemon lifts those flavours at the end: the grated zest adds fragrance, and the juice brings fresh acidity.
The key to a good result is slowly rendering the skin first. Start with dry chicken thighs and give the fat time to render out of the skin; too much heat can darken the outside before the fat has melted. Remove the chicken from the pan as soon as the skin is golden brown. This lets you cook the fennel in a thin layer of chicken fat without the chicken cooking further during this step. Then cook the thighs with the skin above the liquid. This helps keep the skin as crisp as possible and the meat tender.
Fennel is available all year round and is often plentiful in the cooler months. Choose firm bulbs with fresh green fronds; remove any tough outer layers and cut the rest into wedges that will hold their shape as they cook. No fennel on hand? Use two small leeks, cut into thick pieces instead. The flavour will be milder and less aniseed-like. Brined green olives work well; taste them first, as their saltiness varies. If your olives are very salty, use a little less salt on the chicken.
The amount of stock is deliberately limited: there should be enough liquid to cook the fennel and make a pan sauce, but the skin must not be submerged. A wide, ovenproof pan is useful, as the chicken fits in a single layer. For a bone-in thigh, check doneness at the thickest part, without letting the thermometer touch the bone. The chicken is ready at at least 74 °C; give it a few extra minutes in the oven if needed.
Spoon the fennel, olives and pan juices onto warm plates and place the chicken thighs on top, skin side up. Add the parsley and lemon juice only after cooking so they keep their fresh character. Serve with crusty bread to soak up the sauce, or with boiled or roasted potatoes for a heartier meal. Cool leftovers, covered, within two hours and keep them in the refrigerator for up to three days; reheat thoroughly, preferably in an ovenproof dish.
Preheat the oven to 190 °C. Pat the chicken thighs thoroughly dry and rub all over with the salt and pepper.
Heat the olive oil in a wide, ovenproof pan over medium-high heat. Place the thighs skin side down in the pan and cook for 10–12 minutes, until the skin is golden brown and crisp. Turn them over, cook the meat side for 2 minutes, then transfer the chicken to a plate.
Pour off any excess fat if there is more than about 1 tablespoon in the pan. Cook the fennel wedges in the remaining fat for 6–8 minutes, until browned on the cut sides. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
Pour the stock into the pan and stir in the lemon zest. Nestle the chicken thighs among the fennel, skin side up. Scatter the olives around them; keep the skin above the liquid.
Place the pan uncovered in the oven and cook for 25–30 minutes, until the meat is cooked through and has reached at least 74 °C at the thickest part, without letting the thermometer touch the bone.
Remove the pan from the oven. Stir the lemon juice into the pan juices around the fennel and olives, taking care not to wet the crisp skin. Scatter over the parsley and serve immediately.
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