Make Ahead

Poulet à la Provençale - Chicken Provence Style

October  6, 2009
4.5
4 Ratings
  • Serves 6
Author Notes

I find the cuisine from the south of France and the one from Naples and Sicily very similar, the added herbs being the main difference. In this case, being "à la Provençale" it means you add "Persillade" which is a mixture of very finely minced parsley with garlic (proportion is 2 tablespoons of finely chopped parsley to 1 garlic clove) and it’s added just at the end of cooking with a squeeze of lemon juice. This is a chicken dish from Provence, quite rustic and good for winter. —Maria Teresa Jorge

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Ingredients
  • 3 pounds chicken, cut in 8 pieces
  • 1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 onion, blonde, medium, chopped finely
  • 1/2 cup White wine
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1 1/2 pounds tomatoes, red and ripe, peeled, no seeds and cut in pieces
  • 2 tablespoons parsley leaves finely minced (for persillade)
  • 1 garlic clove very thinly minced (for persillade)
  • 3 1/2 ounces black olives
  • 8 basil leaves fresh, ripped with your hands
  • 1/2 lemon freshly squeezed
  • salt
  • black and white pepper
Directions
  1. Make the Persillade: Peel the garlic, remove the green part in the middle and mince very finely. Mince the parsley leaves very finely. Add together, mince together and set aside in a bowl and cover with plastic film.
  2. Blanch the tomatoes, peel, cut in quarters take the seeds out and cut in pieces. Put in a colander and set aside so they loose any excess water.
  3. Wash, clean and pat dry the pieces of chicken. Season with salt and freshly ground black and white pepper and dust with flour, just lightly coating the meat. Shake any exces flour.
  4. In a large sautéing pan, over medium heat, add the olive oil and cook the pieces of chicken and cook for 30 minutes or until golden all around. If they start browning too quickly lower the heat. Remove the .chicken pieces to a plate and keep warm.
  5. If the chicken is very fat, spoon out the excess fat. Add the finely diced onion to the sauté pan and let cook until it becomes translucent. Add the white wine and deglaze the pan, scraping with a wooden spoon any deposits in the pan. Let the alcohol evaporate completely and the wine reduce almost all.
  6. Add the tomato pieces and cook over medium heat, mixing well with a wooden spoon until they have lost the water and you have a thick purée. Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper to your taste.
  7. Add the black olives and the chicken pieces to the tomato sauce, simmer covered for 10 minutes. Add the Persillade and the shredded basil leaves, cook 2 minutes, add the lemon juice to enhance the flavours (1/2 a lemon) and serve immediately.

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7 Reviews

Laure April 1, 2022
excellent.. simple and fast, well done food52 team!
EarlyToBed October 10, 2009
I made this last night--absolutely delicious. I used thighs & drumsticks. I didn't have parsley, substituted cilantro; also had fresh thyme & marjoram, which I cooked with the tomato pieces. Thanks for a great recipe.
Maria T. October 11, 2009
I am really happy it came out well. I also like cilantro a lot, find it very tasty.
Maria T. October 11, 2009
I am really happy it came out well. I also like cilantro a lot, find it very tasty.
EarlyToBed October 10, 2009
I made this last night--absolutely delicious. I used thighs & drumsticks. I didn't have parsley, substituted cilantro; also had fresh thyme & marjoram, which I cooked with the tomato pieces. Thanks for a great recipe.
lastnightsdinner October 6, 2009
I make a chicken dish that is very similar - such a wonderful combination of flavors. Yours looks lovely.
Maria T. October 6, 2009
Thank you. I don't normally cook stews with olives but it was a challenge this week to come up with new recipes and I actually liked it, the persillade gives it such a Provençale flavour!