I love Lidia, not only for her fantastic food, but for her down to earth, real, no gimmick, personality.
You won’t find any “Bam!” on her show, but what you will find is a warm, family oriented person, who shows her deep love for her Italian heritage, through her food, family and culture.
What I love about this one pot meal is that it’s simple, with good ingredients. Anything with my beloved artichokes makes me smile. Braise it on your stove top on a Sunday afternoon, and just the smell will make you happy!
You can serve this with polenta, rice, pasta, mashed potato’s or some good crusty bread to sop up the sauce!
You’ll want to use a nice heavy pot for this dish. When I was on vacation last year I happened across a Le Creuset outlet store, :)) I was deciding which one I should get, red or blue, tough choice! but as you can see in my first photo, I chose the red one.
CHICKEN WITH ARTICHOKES
1 lemon for acidulated water (see below)
1 1/2 pounds baby artichokes
1 whole chicken, about 4 pounds
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse sea salt or kosher salt, or to taste
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
5 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1/4 teaspoon peperoncino flakes, or to taste
1 cup dry white wine
3 cups (28 ounces) canned Italian plum tomatoes, preferably San Marzano, crushed by hand (reserve the juices)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley
To prepare the artichokes, fill a large bowl with a couple of quarts of cold water, and squeeze in the juice of a medium lemon (drop in the cut lemon halves too). Trim the artichokes one at a time, first snapping off the thick outside leaves, until you reach the tender, pale inner leaves. Trim the tip of the stem, but leave most of it attached to the base. With a sharp paring knife or vegetable peeler, shave off the dark skin of the stem, exposing the tender core. Peel around the globe of the artichoke too, removing the dark-green spots where the tough leaves were attached. Cut across the leaf tips with a serrated knife, removing the top third of the artichoke. Slice the entire artichoke in half lengthwise, splitting the bulb and stem and drop the pieces into the acidulated water.
Rinse the chicken, and pat it dry. Cut it into 10 or 12 pieces (including backbone), and season with one-half teaspoon salt.
In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat, and lay the chicken pieces in it without crowding — cook them in batches if necessary. Brown the pieces for about 3 minutes on each side, until each is nicely colored on all sides. Remove the pieces to a platter or bowl.
When all the chicken is out of the pan, drop the crushed garlic into the hot fat and cook for a minute or two, until sizzling. Lift the artichokes out of the water, and drop them, still damp, into the saucepan. Stir well, and season them with one-half teaspoon salt and the peperoncino flakes.
Cook the artichokes for 4 or 5 minutes, tossing them often and deglazing the browned bits in the pan bottom. When the artichokes are dry and starting to take color, carefully pour in the wine and cook over high heat, stirring, until it is nearly evaporated, about 3 minutes longer.
Pour in the tomatoes with juices and 3 cups water; slosh the tomato container with some of the water to rinse juices into the pan. Cover the pan, and bring the liquid to a boil. Adjust the heat to maintain a steady bubbling, and cook the artichokes and sauce for about 15 minutes.
Return all the chicken pieces (and any accumulated juices on the platter) to the saucepan, submerging them in the sauce. Cover the pan and cook the chicken and artichokes together for about 40 minutes, after which the chicken should be nearly done, the artichokes tender and the sauce somewhat reduced. Set the cover ajar — or remove it altogether — and continue cooking 15 to 25 minutes or more, until the sauce has thickened and coats the chicken and artichoke pieces. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Serve immediately, or, for best flavor, let the chicken cool in the pot and reheat later. If the sauce has thickened, stir in a bit of water. Serve hot from the pan, or from a big bowl. Sprinkle parsley over it just before serving.
Serves 6.
— Adapted from “Lidia’s Italy“
this sounds great and I would not push too hard with picky just give few options. I have 1 who will try anything once and one whom you can rarely coax into trying something and he almost always likes it once he tries it.
Chicken with artichokes: what a wonderful combination!
YUM! I’ve just popped over to your site now, and everything looks fantastic.
And you found a Le Creuset outlet!!?? So jealous. I might have to go look one up right now!
I also enjoy watching Lidia, and I’ve made some of her recipes.
Look at the cute granchild. She wont be picky for lon with all the fantastic dishes you make!
this looks wonderful!
I love the looks of this dish. I’m into chicken with tomato bases lately. I’m jealous of your Le Creuset dish. I think I’m going to have to one to my gift registry.
Hello Marie, your seared Scallops with Blood Orange Salsa look so delicious, we love Scallops and as I am back in London with the kids right now I will look out for the oranges and try this recipe.
I also love Lidia’s style of cooking and her presenting, Your grandaughter is adorable and is making me hungry with the garlic bread lol. Such wonderful memories you are making and she has a such a wonderful teacher.
Good choice with the Red Le Creuset, they are so heavy though but look so lovely, esp with your Chicken and Artichokes. Kathy.
i keep admiring those pots…n ofcourse the recipe looks great
Loving the Proud Italian Cook apron as well!!
That’s a lovely photo!!!
I love Le Creuset, but their stuff is so expensive!
We love to cook with our children. This looks so yummy I’ll have to try it out.
Thanks
Oh, I love the apron!! So cute!
This dish looks superb! MMMMM…. I also have a Creuset casserole!!
I’m licking my lips once again. I have to remember not to read your blog if I’m hungry, it’s pure torture.
Man oh man Marie, this dish looks fabulous. I love anything with a artichoke.
Miss little “B” looks like she did a great job with that garlic bread, yummo!
Can I come for dinner?
Aw, Marie, you are lucky to have your cute grand daughter there to cook along side you! You are giving her wonderful memories.
I like Lydia too! I actually met her next door neighbor once ..lol..talk about six degrees of seperation, so I know where she lives in Queens, NY!
Her neighbor was at a party at a mutual friend’s home, and she told us that Lydia was the nicest person, and very helpful and giving. She gave me Lydia’s recipe for homemade spinach ricotta cavatelli, but I’m going to keep that a secret until I blog about it the next time I make them! (The recipe is probably on Lydia’s website .. lol)
Your chicken and artichokes casserole looks wonderful. Do you think I could get away with using marinated artichokes? I have a big jar of them from Costco that I haven’t used.
I wish I could find a Le Creuset outlet!
Have a good weekend!
Hugs, Pat
This is a beautiful thing to see your granddaughter involved and learning to be a great cook like grandma!
I like the apron!! Is B for Bella?
Oh, how wonderful that you cook with your granddaugther! She will most definitely remember this! (Love her Proud Italian apron!) I also enjoy Lidia. Her recipes are delicious, as is this one. Great Le Creuset pan, too!
I going to earmark this recipe for our next chicken meal. I have some frozen artichoke hearts in the freezer calling out for this.
Your grand-daughter is beautiful!
Marie, I, too, am bookmarking this one. I love artichokes and chicken, and while I’m not a big fan of tomatoes in casseroles, I’m going to try this. I couldn’t live without my LeCreuset Dutch oven, also in reddish orange. I don’t know why I waited so long to buy one. The only downside is I have a ceramic topped stove, so I’m always really, really careful since the pot is so heavy. My next house WILL have an electric oven and gas stove!
Despite Lydia’s northern Italian roots (Trieste), she bangs out dishes with panache from all parts of Italy. She truly is an ambassador of Italian food and your endorsement of this dish makes it a “must try”.
I am bookmarking to make these, they looks so ummy yummy delicous.
I love Lecruset pans i have few of them.
Mine is in orange colour and then one light brown which i think is really really old i got that one from my MIL from her kitchen as i didn’t had them when i go married, so atleast it is som 25 years ols and stil in good condition.
I must remember not to visit this site when I’m hungry. (Thinking about it, you give me an appetite at any time of day.)
I love artichokes and this dish is so pretty. Looks perfect! Love the aprin your granddaughter is wearing.
I can’t live without my braiser, I use it almost everyday. This dish is so vibrant, and look utterly mouth watering.
Cheers,
Elra
Love Lydia! That’s a very neat apron too! You are doing such a wonderful thing getting the grand daughter in the kitchen. These memories will last forever!
I got my cast iron dutch oven at Sam’s Club – wish I could say its a Le Crueset, but that isn’t in the budget just yet!
It was $35 and I LOVE IT! Braising, poaching, Italian gravy – its the best pot I own!
I love Lidia too. I’ve never had a bad recipe that came from her. This looks really good.
I am a big fan of Lidia as well. You can’t go wrong with her recipes.
She’s so cute. Garlic bread always pleases a picky eater. 🙂
I love Lidia too. She used to scare me though because she reminded me of my high school Italian teacher (looks-wise) who was a very exacting woman.
Very nice recipe. I don’t cook much with artichokes, but I really should start doing more.
Marie you make my stomach swoon…
And I love Lydia!!
This looks great – and will be a good excuse to buy myself a Le Creuset pot. I’ve been wanting one!
Mmm, this looks so good! I suppose artichokes (non-marinated) from a jar could be used, too?
Most kids just love helping in the kitchen … lots of good memories there 🙂
Your granddaughter is so precious!! How fun to have her help in the kitchen! What a tasty meal you created!
What a great, classic dish. I love Lidia, too! There’s nothing flashy about her. I love when she has her mom on the show. This looks really beautiful.
I love Lidia and I love this dish.
You made me happy today, seeing your granddaughter wearing the apron I got you for Christmas! yay!
Great dish- I am a big fan of Lydia too! Your little “B” is adorable and making happy memories helping you in the kitchen- Perfect!
xoxo
Looks really yummy…I don’t think I know who this Lidia is. Must investigate 🙂
I love watching Lidia’s back to back episodes on sundays on PBS. I agree she is very comforting to be around. Makes it all come together with such ease. I always love how she kisses her grandkids and gets them to speak Italian.
I would love to try this recipe.
Oh and I love those le creuset outlet stores too!
I do believe that it is up to us to give our children and grandchildren the love and appreciation for good food!!!
Great recipe Marie… I am adding it to the archives now so I can make this at a later date… I love everything in it…
(((HUGS)))
Donna
Your granddaughter is precious, and I LOVE her apron (are you selling them, by any chance 🙂 This sounds wonderful — I LOVE artichokes, and I especially love them with chicken. I have pan envy — I would have gone with the red too!
Marie thank you for posting this recipe! I love Lydia and I record her shows as well as some old Julia shows that air on our public broadcast stations. Although I love a little BAM in the kitchen sometimes too. 🙂
Love your granddaughter.. she is adorable.. especially in her apron!! 🙂
Ciao and hugs..