Chicken Stew Mediterranean style over oven baked polenta

From My Carolina Kitchen

1 ½ pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts halves, cut into ¾” chunks

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 teaspoons olive oil

4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

1 15.5 ounce can chickpeas or cannelloni beans, drained & rinsed well

4 – 5 plum tomatoes, cored, seeded, & cut into ½” pieces yielding 2 cups

3 tablespoons pitted kalamata olives, cut in half

1 teaspoon champagne vinegar or other white wine vinegar

¼ cup chopped fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley

Polenta for serving

Season chicken with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 teaspoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Reduce the heat in the skillet to medium-low. Add remaining teaspoon of oil to the skillet. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds, taking care not to let the garlic burn. Add the drained beans and 1 cup of water. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook until the liquid is reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, cook over medium heat until starting to break down, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the olives, vinegar, and cooked chicken along with any accumulated juices to the pan. Toss until warmed through, about 1 minute. Stir in chopped parsley. Serve over polenta, recipe below.

Oven Baked Polenta

¾ cup cornmeal, we used yellow

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 cups water

¼ cup milk

2 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano or marjoram

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In an ovenproof saucepan with a lid, whisk together the cornmeal, salt, pepper & water. (If you mix the ingredients together before the oven is heated to temperature, whisk them together again at the last minute.) Cover and bake 30 minutes, stirring half way through. Remove from oven, whisk in milk, butter, and oregano until smooth. Serve immediately.

Adapted from Great Food Fast by Martha Stewart