Ingredients:

• 1 ten ounce package pearl onions
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 8 chicken drumsticks
• 6 boneless chicken thighs
• 3 six ounce packages crimini mushrooms, quartered
• 4 whole star anise
• 2 bay leaves
• 10 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 cups dry white wine
• 6 plum tomatoes, quartered lengthwise
• 4 to 5 cups chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup pitted Kalamata olives

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Blanch onions and peel.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large ovenproof pot.  Salt and pepper chicken and cook in batches until browned.  Set aside.
3. Add mushrooms and peeled onions and sauté 7 minutes.  Add star anise, bay leaves, and garlic and continue to sauté another 3 minutes.
4. Add wine and tomatoes and boil until liquid is reduced by half.  Stir in chicken broth and return chicken to pot.  Bring to a boil, cover and cook until very tender, about one hour.
5. Transfer chicken to plate and keep warm.  Boil sauce until reduced to 6 cups.  Mix butter and flour in a bowl and gradually whisk butter mixture into sauce.  Simmer until thickened.  Add olives to sauce and season with salt and pepper.
6. Return chicken to pot and simmer to reheat.

Comments: You can also use an entire chicken cut up.  I made it the first time without thickening the sauce at the end.  I think that next time I WILL thicken the sauce.