Braised chicken with olives, carrots and chickpeas

Serve this stewlike chicken dish over couscous or mashed potatoes, or with a crusty baguette to soak up the flavorful broth. We used Cerignola olives from southern Italy; they are large and firm enough to hold up to slow cooking methods like braising.

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 whole chicken legs, skinned and cut into thighs and drumsticks (about 2 1/2 pounds)

1 medium yellow onion, cut into ½ -inch dice

3 carrots, cut into1/2 -inch dice

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 1 ½ -inch piece fresh ginger, finely chopped (about 2 tablespoons)

1 cup low-sodium store-bought chicken broth

1 cup water

1 cup dry white wine

4 sprigs thyme

1/3 cup raisins

1/2 cup pitted and roughly chopped large green olives, such as Cerignola (about 6)

3/4 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained

• Preheat the oven to 350F. In a large ovenproof skillet or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Place the chicken pieces in the skillet, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Saute until the chicken is nicely crisped and browned on both sides, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a large plate, and set aside.
• Reduce heat to medium-low; to the same skillet, add the onion, carrots, garlic, and ginger. Saute stirring frequently, until the onion is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth, the water, and wine; bring to a boil, and deglaze the pan by scraping up any browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Return the chicken to the skillet, and add the thyme. Bring the liquid back to a boil; cover, and transfer to the oven. Braise 45 minutes.
• Remove the skillet from the oven, and stir in the raisins, olives, and chickpeas. Return to the oven; continue braising, uncovered, 20 minutes more. Remove from oven; discard the thyme. Serve hot.

SERVES 4