The Richest of Ragus

I know - another huge claim but honestly, this one is beautifully rich, and served over a bed of ooey gooey polenta there is nothing more comforting. You know I'm a bit chicken fan (just look at the breakdown of recipes by meat-type here). I make no apologies - whilst I like red meat, and will defend the right of all to eat it, and remain healthy, I do prefer to eat white meat more often than red meat. I am not a fan of dry chicken though, so I'm always on the lookout for recipes which allow chicken to remain succulent and moist and saucy. This is often difficult where chicken breasts are concerned, supposedly the healthiest cut, but often the driest and least tasty if cooked badly. However, when using a slow cooker, and burying morsels of chicken breast in a delicious Italian-style sauce, no one need fear, and this recipe is a good demonstration of that. It also makes good use of a great vegetable currently in season, namely fennel. If you're a fan of this feathered bulb, then save the fronds from the top to garnish the final dish. If, like my kids, you are deeply suspicious of anything that looks like dill (the work of the devil, if you listen to my opinionated daughter), then skip the fennel fronds, and stick with extra basil (about which she has no such unfounded suspicions).



Chicken and Fennel Ragu
Serves 6

olive oil
8 oz cubed pancetta
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 large chicken breasts (about 1 3/4 lbs) cut into 1" cubes
10 oz sliced brown mushrooms
1 large onion, chopped
4 large roma tomatoes, cored and chopped
4 TBSP tomato paste/puree
3 TBSP sun-dried tomato pesto
1 tsp dried oregano
3 TBSP chopped fresh basil
1 TBSP chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
grated parmesan cheese
additional chopped fresh basil to serve

1. Heat some olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the cubed pancetta and cook, stirring often, until browned and crispy. Use a slotted spoon to put the pancetta into the slow cooker stoneware.
2. In the oil and bacon fat remaining in the skillet, brown the chicken pieces in two batches so as not to overcrowd the pan (if you overload the pan, they won't brown as well). Move the chicken to the slow cooker stoneware.
3. Pour the wine into the skillet and deglaze the pan - using a spatula to scrape the chicken and bacon goodness from the bottom of the pan. Once the pan is clear of anything still sticking to it, tip the wine into the slow cooker with the meats.
4. Add the mushrooms, onion, fennel, tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, basil, thyme, fennel seeds and pepper to the slow cooker and mix well so that the meat is coated in the tomato paste.
5. Cover and cook on low for 7 hours.
6. Serve over polenta or pasta, sprinkled with parmesan and more basil (or chopped fennel fronds).