Fennel Chicken Thighs in Red Wine

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The way this dish looks does NOT do it justice! Fennel Chicken Thighs in Red Wine are so tasty and topped with this creamy fennel and leek red wine sauce.

It's just as delicious as our Creamy Lemon Sauce even though the flavors aren't as popular! This dish is so savory and intensely flavored and pairs perfectly with a Cabernet Sauvignon and our Garlic Parmesan Green Beans.

Chicken thighs covered in red wine and fennel sauce

If you enjoy hearty chicken dishes like this you may also enjoy, Cast Iron Lemon Basil Orzo with Chicken Thighs or Restaurant-Style Chicken Scarpariello.

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Apicius De Re Coquinaria
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Step-by-Step Directions
Pro-Tips
Side Dishes to Pair with
Recipe FAQs
Video Recipe
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Apicius De Re Coquinaria

This recipe for fennel chicken thighs in red wine was born from the cookbook Apicius De Re Coquinaria. It is the oldest recorded Italian Cookbook. The book is named after Apicius who lived in the First Century AD and was described as a person who loved luxury and curating all things gourmet.

This cookbook is a collection of those recipes. This recipe in particular was called Fronto Chicken. Because it's so old we had to substitute some ingredients like anchovy for garum and red wine for grape must. But another recipe "Polus" is what we know today as Classic Italian Minestrone.

Garum is an ancient fish sauce. It's basically fermented fish but the way that it is historically made would probably make people's stomachs turn today. So we substitute anchovy paste which although is very different, still provides that umami flavor that garum would provide.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

Fennel and Leeks. These vegetables aren't used as often as onions or celery but the flavor punch they provide is totally worth it. Experimenting with fennel has been great. It's such a different flavor. I really began loving it from this Rustic Italian Tortellini Soup with Sausage!

Anchovy paste. There are always some people who want to leave out the anchovies and I can understand that on pizza. But in a dish like this that is braising for a while, you need to try it. You won't notice the "fish" flavor but it adds a savoriness to the dish that is hard to create otherwise.

Step-by-Step Directions

Bring the saucepan to medium-high heat then add the olive oil. Dry the chicken with a paper towel. This will help get a really crisp sear on the chicken so the moisture from the chicken doesn't create a lot of steam.

Step 1: Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Place chicken skin-side down in the pan and sear for 3-4 minutes on each side. You may need to do this in batches. Remove the chicken and set them aside. They won't be cooked all the way through because we will finish them in the braising.

Step 2: Lower the heat to medium and add the fennel, leeks, and shallots. Season with salt and pepper and saute until softened, about 8 minutes.

Step 3: Then add the garlic and anchovy paste and saute for another minute or two.

Step 4: Pour in the red wine and bring to a simmer.

Chicken thighs braising in red wine and fennel sauce

Step 5: Add the chicken thighs back to the pan and simmer all together for 20-25 minutes, or until the chicken thighs reach 165℉.

Step 6: Remove the chicken thighs and add the butter to the sauce.

Stir until combined and spoon the sauce onto the chicken.

Fennel has such a specific flavor, an ingredient that isn't often used in Italian cooking in America. You can also try it in our Sausage and Fennel Pasta.

Pro-Tips

You may need to add a little water to the pan once you add your chicken thighs in if you let the wine reduce too much. The chicken should be about ¼ covered in the sauce while braising.
When searing chicken, don't touch them often. Let them sear untouched for at minimum 3 minutes before you lift them up to check underneath.

Side Dishes to Pair with

Starch

Serve these fennel chicken thighs alongside some of our favorites like Crispy Garlic Parmesan Potatoes, Lemon Spinach Orzo, or something more intense like a Creamy Mushroom Truffle Risotto.

Vegetables

Add this along to another old-school Italian dish like Italian Cabbage, Sauteed Rapini with Garlic, or a soup like Classic Pasta Fagioli.

Appetizers

This pairs well with some light seafood appetizers like Italian Stuffed Baked Clams and Homemade Shrimp Cocktail

Recipe FAQs

What does fennel taste like?

Fennel has a mild licorice or anise taste. Think of the taste when you eat a sweet Italian sausage. It softens and sweetens as you cook it.

Is there a viable substitution for anchovy paste?

Nothing will quite replace the flavor of anchovies, but Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce could add some needed "umami" or savoriness to the recipe.

Do you have a specific dry red wine recommendation?

A cabernet sauvignon or merlot will go perfectly with this dish. Although Pinot Noir can be dry, it's not a full-bodied enough wine for this recipe.

How to Store and Reheat?

Store chicken thighs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Reheat with sauce in a saucepan until chicken returns to 165 degrees. When reheating, you may need to add some water to the sauce because it will continue thickening in the refrigerator.