My New Comfort Chicken

In the weeks following Violet's birth, I have been utterly touched by the kindness and generosity of many people, and Jon has encouraged me time and again to not be too proud -- to take people up on their offers to help. Even so, shortly before the April break, I was hesitant to accept a dinner drop off offer from my friends Eli and Sheri of Magic Beans, given that they have three kids, four stores, and -- judging from the time stamps on e-mails I have exchanged with Sheri in the past -- apparently never sleep. But, well, I'm really glad I did.
Sheri brought over a fantastic dinner that she and Eli assembled, the centerpiece of which was this wonderfully comforting, aromatic, and flavorful chicken with saffron, green olives, and mint. Accompanying the chicken was couscous (with sliced almonds and dried cranberries...yum!), which proved excellent for soaking up the sauce of the chicken dish, as well as asparagus, salad greens, and some locally made cookies that each were practically the size of Violet's head. Everything was spectacular on first taste and as leftovers in the days following (the chicken recipe says it serves 6 but I swear Sheri and Eli prepared about 10 servings). Even Laurel -- who in the past has been suspicious of recipes with sauces -- loved it. (Sheri and Eli's kids love the recipe too!)

I'm pretty sure this is my new comfort chicken recipe; I hope you and your family enjoy it as much as we did!