Chicken Provençal (Poulet à la Provençal)
Golden seared chicken thighs braised in white wine with shallots, garlic, olives, capers, and fresh Provençal herbs — a rustic French classic finished with a rich pan sauce.
- 4-5 bone in, skin on chicken thighs
- 5-6 shallots, halved or quartered
- 8-9 large garlic cloves, sliced
- 1/4 cup flour, divided
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup white wine
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 8 oz red cherry tomatoes
- 8-10 jumbo green olives
- 8-10 jumbo black olives
- 2 tablespoons capers
- 9-10 sprigs of thyme, chopped
- 2 sprigs of rosemary, chopped
- 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped for garnish
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) so it's fully up to temperature by the time the chicken goes in to braise. Starting with a properly hot oven helps the sauce reduce and come together in the stated time, rather than just gently warming through.
- Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season them generously on both sides with salt and pepper. Dredge each thigh lightly through a portion of the flour, shaking off any excess — you want a thin, even coating that helps the skin sear well and later helps thicken the pan sauce, not a heavy batter.
- Warm the olive oil in a dutch oven or braiser over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Lay the chicken thighs in skin side down and let them cook undisturbed for 4 to 5 minutes so a deep golden crust can form, then flip and sear the second side for another 2 to 3 minutes before transferring the thighs to a plate.
- Add a little more oil to the pot if it looks dry, then stir in the shallots, garlic, and 1 tablespoon of the remaining flour. Sauté for about a minute, stirring often so the garlic doesn't catch and burn, then work in half of the chopped rosemary and thyme so their oils begin to bloom into the fat.
- Pour in the white wine and chicken stock, scraping up the browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon as you go — that fond carries a lot of the dish's depth of flavor. Let the liquid come up to a simmer so it starts to loosen and thicken with the flour already in the pot.
- Nestle the seared chicken thighs back into the sauce along with the cherry tomatoes, green and black olives, capers, and the remaining rosemary and thyme. Cover the pot and transfer it to the oven to braise for about 1 hour, until the chicken is fall-tender and the sauce has reduced into something glossy and fragrant.
- Scatter the chopped parsley over the top just before serving for a fresh, herbal contrast to the rich braise. Serve straight from the pot with plenty of crusty bread alongside for mopping up the sauce.
Chef's Note: Chicken Provençal takes its name from the sunny south of France, where this style of cooking — searing chicken and then slowly braising it with white wine, olives, tomatoes, and a generous hand of herbs — is a well-loved weeknight staple. The initial sear locks in a deep, golden crust before the chicken finishes gently in the oven, so the meat stays tender while the sauce reduces into something rich enough to serve over crusty bread.
If the sauce looks like it's reducing too far while baking, stir in a splash more chicken stock during the last 20 minutes to loosen it back up. Fresh herbs give the brightest flavor, but 2 to 3 teaspoons of dried herbes de Provence work well in a pinch, and leftovers actually improve after a day or two in the fridge as the chicken continues to soak up the sauce — this dish also freezes beautifully for up to a couple of months.
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