Chicken, Fennel and Tomato Ragout

justcallmetoni's Note:

Delightful fare that will have you reaching for a hunk of crusty bread. The original recipe is from the British magazine Good Food and modified here to my personal tastes. I love the way the ingredients layer creating a dish with depth and yet simple to prepare and easy enough for a busy evening, Made as presented, this is 8 points per serving as per the WW Recipe Builder with generous portions. You may also serve three smaller servings for 5 points each.

• Total Time: 35 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 2

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 8 ounces boneless skinless chicken breasts , cut into bite-sized chunks
• salt and pepper
• ¼ teaspoon fennel seed , crushed
• ½ teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1 large fennel bulb , preparation instructions below
• 1 garlic clove , chopped
• ¼ cup yellow onion , chopped
• 9 ounces small red potatoes , cut into chunks
• 1 (14 ½ ounce) can fire roasted diced tomatoes
• 2⁄3; cup fat free chicken broth or 2⁄3; cup vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 3 halves roasted red peppers , cut into large (1/2 inch)

Directions:

1. Trim the green tops off the fennel and reserve. Halve, then quarter the fennel, cut out the core, then cut lengthways into slices.
2. Prepare the chicken for cooking by seasoning with salt, pepper, paprika and crushed fennel seed.
3. Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet, add the chicken, then fry quickly until lightly opaque and browned for about 2 minutes. (Note the chicken will not be cooked through.) Add the fennel, onions and garlic, then stir briefly until the fennel has a bit of color - as much from cooking as from taking on the spices from the chicken bites.
4. Add in the potatoes, diced roasted tomatoes, broth and a tomato paste, and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for 15 20 minutes until the potatoes are tender to the fork but not breaking apart.
5. Stir in the roasted peppers and heat through.
6. Roughly chop the reserved fennel fronds, about 1 tablespoon or so, then sprinkle over the ragout. Serve in shallow bowls or plates with high lips along with crusty bread for mopping up the juices.