Braised Chicken With Swiss Chard, Tomatoes and Balsamic Vinegar (serves 6) 12 bone in chicken thighs and legs,

trimmed of skin and fat 4 Tbl. canola or olive oil 1 onion, sliced thinly 4 garlic cloves 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes 1 Tbl. tomato paste 4 sprigs thyme, 1 sprig rosemary or any savory herbs you have 2 C. chicken stock or water 1 bay leaf 1 lb. swiss or rainbow chard, washed and dried, stems removed and diced, leaves torn C balsamic vinegar salt and pepper to season Heat the canola/olive oil over medium-high heat in a large saut pan or dutch oven. Before the oil starts to smoke, add the chicken, leaving space between the pieces so it will brown and not steam. Turn the pieces when the first side is nice and brown, about 5 minutes. When both sides are brown, put the browned chicken to the side and repeat the process with the remaining chicken. Wipe the chicken pan clean. Add in 2 tablespoons olive oil and saut the onions until they are soft. Add in the garlic and the swiss chard stems and cook until they soften, about 5 minutes. Add in the tomato paste and smear around to brown a bit. Pour in the balsamic vinegar and bring to a boil. Add in the stock, the canned tomatoes and your herbs. Season with salt and pepper. If cooking in a crock pot, put the chicken in the crock pot and pour the sauce over it. Cook on low for about 4-5 hours. When the chicken is tender when you grab it with tongs, add in the swiss chard leaves, stir them around and let cook in the crock pot another 30 minutes until they wilt. If cooking in a dutch oven, nestle the chicken back in the sauce and cook in a low oven at 300 for about 1-1 hours. Put the swiss chard

leaves in the pot when the chicken is tender, stir, and let cook another 15 minutes until the leaves wilt a bit.