Chicken-Fennel-Potato au Gratin

Ingredients

• 16 oz alfredo sauce 
• 2 tablespoons butter softened
• 1.5 lb fennel bulb 
• 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 8 oz gruyere cheese shredded
• 0.5 cup milk 
• 3 oz parmesan cheese freshly grated
• 0.3 teaspoon pepper freshly ground
• 6 cups potatoes - remove skin red peeled thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 1.3 lb chicken breast boneless skinless cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• oven
• baking pan
• aluminum foil
• glass baking pan

Directions

1. Brush 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with 1 teaspoon of the softened butter; sprinkle garlic in bottom of dish. Set aside.
2. Cut off stalks from fennel bulbs to within 1 inch of bulb; reserve 1/4 cup of the feathery leaves and discard stalks.
3. Cut off and discard bottom of bulbs.
4. Cut bulb lengthwise into quarters; remove core.
5. Cut each quarter crosswise into about 1/4-inch-thick slices to make about 4 cups.
6. Heat oven to 375F. In 12-inch skillet, melt remaining butter over medium-high heat.
7. Add chicken; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook and stir about 4 minutes.
8. Add fennel; cook and stir 4 minutes longer. Cover; remove from heat.
9. Arrange 1/2 of the potato slices in baking dish. In small bowl, mix Alfredo sauce, milk and 2 tablespoons of the fennel leaves.
10. Pour 1/2 of sauce mixture over potatoes in dish; top with 1 cup Swiss cheese. Spoon chicken mixture evenly over cheese. Top with remaining potatoes; press to make mixture flat.
11. Pour remaining sauce mixture over top.
12. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup Swiss cheese.
13. Cover with foil; bake 1 hour. Uncover; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
14. Bake 25 to 30 minutes longer or until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.
15. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
16. Garnish with remaining fennel leaves.