Chicken, Italian Sausage & Olives

Chicken, Italian Sausage and olives may appear to be an odd combo, but this is an excellent dish!  These three ingredients are excellent when combined with garlic, sweet bell peppers and the faint licorice flavor of tarragon.  Serve over rice with some nice crusty bread.

3 large boneless chicken breast halves

Kosher salt, pepper, and paprika

2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided use

4 Italian sausages with fennel (sweet or hot)

3/4 cup dry white wine, divided use

1/4 cup chicken broth

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 green bell pepper, sliced in strips

1 red bell pepper, sliced in strips

8 ounces fresh white mushrooms, sliced thick

1 sweet onion, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup fresh oregano, chopped (or 1-1/2 Tablespoons dried)

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon (or 1 Tablespoon dried)

1/2 cup chopped black olives

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Hot cooked rice

Sprinkle the chicken breast halves generously with kosher salt, fresh-ground pepper, and paprika.

Heat a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat.  When hot, coat the bottom with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil.  Brown the sausages on 2 sides.

Add 1/4 cup of the wine, then the chicken broth.  

Continue to brown the sausages until the liquid has evaporated. (Do not worry about cooking them through as they will undergo further cooking later.)  Remove and set aside.

Add remaining olive oil to the same hot pan.  Quickly sear both sides of the chicken breasts until nicely browned. (Again, do not cook them completely through or they will become dry with the finishing cooking process.)  Remove from skillet when browned and set aside.

Add remaining 1/2 cup wine to the hot skillet. Cook, stirring to scrape up any browned bits, for 1 minute.

Chop vegetables.

Add garlic, green and red peppers,mushrooms, and onion.  Stir to coat and saute about 5 minutes, until the vegetables begin to give up their water.

Slice sausages and chicken into 1-1/2-inch thick slices.

Stir in oregano, tarragon, black olives, pepper, sausage, and chicken. 

Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sausage and chicken are cooked through.  Taste and adjust seasonings.

Serve over hot cooked rice.