Georgian Chicken with Herbs (Chakhokhbili)
"Every Georgian dish is a poem." –Alexander Pushkin

The Georgian word for pheasant is khokhobi, and one of the inspired dishes of Georgian cuisine is chakhokhbili. These days chicken, rather than pheasant, is used in this classic dish. The traditional recipes call for precisely seventeen pieces, but as far as we know, there are no curses for using more or less. Fun fact, in the old days, Georgian girls were deemed marriagable based on their ability to cut up chicken for chakhokhbili.
Ingredients
5 tablespoons olive oil
4 medium yellow onions, peeled and thinly sliced
Salt
Black pepper
One 4-pound chicken, cut into 12 to 16 pieces, well rinsed and patted dry
5 large tomatoes, peeled, and coarsely chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced, plus 2 garlic cloves, crushed in a garlic press
⅓ cup dry white wine, such as sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio (or Georgian rkhatsiteli!)
1 teaspoon khmeli suneli* (your new spice!)
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves and stems
½ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves

Instructions
- In a large cast iron skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Add onions and a pinch of salt. Cook until onion starts to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Add sliced garlic and a few cracks of black pepper and cook for another minute or two.
- Meanwhile, in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, heat remaining oil over medium heat. Add the chicken pieces first and allow to brown on one side, about 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and brown the other side, another 2 to 3 minutes. Push browned pieces aside and add remaining chicken pieces. Brown them on all sides. Pour in white wine and allow to cook on low heat.
- While chicken is cooking, add tomatoes and a generous pinch of salt to the onions and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes. If tomatoes are a bit acidic, add a bit of sugar. Being careful to not disturb the chicken to much, gently mix the tomato-onion mixture in to the chicken, along with the khmeli suneli spice, red pepper flakes, and a bit more salt and pepper.
- Cover chicken and simmer on medium-low heat, undisturbed, for 45 minutes or until chicken is done. The chicken will release quite a lot of juice during this time.
- Gently stir in herbs and pressed garlic. Bring to a simmer and cook for another 5 minutes. Taste and season appropriately. Let stand for a few minutes before serving.

*Khmeli suneli is a spice blend that gives Georgian food its characteristic taste. Your blend contains coriander, blue fenugreek, paprika, fennel, dill, parsley, marigold, savory, basil, marjoram, black pepper, hyssop, and thyme.