Chicken and Hot Sausage Stew with Polenta

Ingredients

• 8 chicken thighs boneless skinless
• salt and pepper
• flour, for dredging
• 1/4 cup(s) EVOO
• 1 pound(s) hot Italian sausage
• 1 bulb(s) fresh fennel thinly sliced
• 1 ounce(s) onion thinly sliced
• 1 red or green pepper seeded and thinly sliced
• 1 Fresno or cubanelle pepper seeded and thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon(s) red pepper flakes
• 4 clove(s) garlic thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoon(s) tomato paste
• 1/2 cup(s) dry red or white wine
• 1 can(s) 28 oz diced tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon(s) sugar
• 3 cup(s) chicken stock divided
• 1 tablespoon(s) dried basil
• 2 cup(s) milk
• 1 cup(s) polenta
• 2 tablespoon(s) butter
• 1/3 cup(s) parmagiano reggiano cheese grated

Preparation

1. Preparation
2. Season chicken with salt and pepper and dredge in flour. Heat a few tablespoons EVOO over medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven and brown chicken well, 5 minutes on each side. Remove to plate, add more oil and brown and crumble the sausage. Remove to plate with chicken.


3. Add fennel, onions, peppers, garlic to the pot and season with salt and pepper. Let soften, 5-7 minutes, then stir in tomato paste and basil. Cook 1 minute, deglaze with wine and add tomatoes and 2 cups stock. Add reserved sausage and chicken back to the pot, and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally over low heat.


4. Bring remaining cup chicken stock and milk to a low boil in a saucepot. Whisk in polenta and cook according to package instructions then stir in butter and cheese.


5. Serve polenta in bowls topped with the chicken and sausage stew.