Braised Chicken With Tomatoes And Olives Poulet Provencal Recipes

BRAISED CHICKEN WITH TOMATOES AND OLIVES

Steps:

• Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown chicken in 2 batches, about 8 minutes, transferring as browned to a plate.
• Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet. Add onion, garlic, and thyme to fat remaining in skillet and cook over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, olives, salt, and pepper and return chicken to skillet. Simmer, covered, turning chicken occasionally, until chicken is cooked through, about 25 minutes.

PROVENçAL CHICKEN

Steps:

• Prepare a medium heat fire (325°F) in a wood-fired oven or cooker. If using a wood-fired oven, keep a small fire (one small log) going in the far left rear of the oven to maintain the heat throughout the cooking process.
• Combine the bread crumbs, herbes de Provence, the 1 teaspoon salt, and the 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a bowl. Pat the chicken dry, then toss in the bread-crumb mixture, and set aside on a baking sheet.
• Heat the olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet or shallow clay baking dish over medium heat and brown the chicken on all sides. Transfer the chicken to a shallow clay baking dish or ceramic-coated cast-iron cookware. Add the shallots, garlic, prunes, olives, capers, and fennel seeds. Combine the wine and honey plus any reserved orange juice and pour the liquid over the chicken. Add more salt and pepper. Cover tightly with a heavy ovenproof lid or aluminum foil and bake in the oven for 45 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and the mixture is bubbly. Uncover and place the orange wedges, skin side up, around the chicken, then cook for another 15 minutes to caramelize the chicken. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.