There’s this little Greek restaurant in Sacramento (Opa! Opa!—and you must say it in an excited voice) that has incredibly garlicky hummus. It’s fantastic. I wanted the same punch of garlic in this dish, so I added it in the form of an aioli—which is basically a flavored mayonnaise. It also adds a creamy complement to the chicken, vegetables, and salty olives.
Prep time 20 minutes
Serves 8
For chicken thighs:
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
10 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
3 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch (5 mm) half-moons
2 cups (174 g) sliced fennel (1 whole fennel bulb), reserving a few fronds
1/4 cup (25 g) sliced kalamata olives
1 or 2 large lemons
2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
For garlic aioli:
1 cup (225 g) Paleo-Friendly Mayonnaise
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons (45 ml) lemon juice
Sea salt
1 Combine the salt, oregano, thyme, garlic, and pepper in a small bowl. Rub the herb mixture on the chicken, coating both sides. Place the chicken in a 6-quart (5.7 liter) slow cooker.
2 Place the zucchini, fennel, and olives over the chicken.
3 Slice the lemons into 1/4-inch (5 mm) rings and lay them over the vegetables. Place the reserved fennel fronds on top of the lemons. Drizzle the olive oil over the top.
4 Cover and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours (or on low for 6 to 7 hours).
5 To make the aioli, combine the mayonnaise, garlic, and lemon juice in a small bowl. Stir it together and add a couple generous pinches of salt. Taste, and add more salt or lemon juice as needed. Cover and chill until ready to use. Aioli is best if it chills for at least 30 minutes.
6 Transfer the chicken and vegetables to a serving platter (lemons included).
7 Serve with garlic aioli.
