Rustic Italian dinner, cheep cheep

Usethose inexpensive chicken thighs (we've been harping on them all spring) for this simple, dish from Sicily. Adapted (and roughly translated) from "La Cucina Siciliana di Gangivecchio" by Wanda and Giovanna Tornabene.

Italian Braised Chicken

3-4 pounds chicken pieces
an herb boquet (1 bay leaf, 4 sprigs of parsley, 1 small branch of rosemary, tied with a clean cotton string)
1/3 cup olive oil
1 onion, peeled and chopped
1-2 pounds red potatoes, diced
salt and black pepper to taste

In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, add the chicken, the herb boquet and enough water to cover the chicken; cover and cook over medium heat about 20 minutes. Transfer the chicken to the plate; toss the herbs, but save the broth and keep it hot while you:

In the same pan (drained of the broth that you saved), heat the olive oil, the onion and the potatoes. Cover and cook over medium heat about 15 minutes, turning occasionally, but don't break the potaotes. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the chicken and barely a cup of the hot broth. Gently combine the ingredients. Cover and cook for about 15 more minutes.