| Some French recipes are complicated but quite a lot | | | | - 1 clove garlic |
| of them are actually quite simple, including the following | | | | - 3/4 cup veal stock |
| roast chicken Provencal recipe. Chicken is combined | | | | - 1/2 cup dry white wine |
| with tomatoes, basil, onion, garlic, wine, stock, and olives | | | | - 1/4 cup Kalamata olives |
| in this recipe and that is all you need to make a very | | | | - Salt and black pepper How to make it: |
| flavorful dish. You can serve it with mashed or boiled | | | | Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Season the |
| potatoes, rice, or French fries. | | | | chicken with some salt and pepper and put it in a ten |
| This recipe serves four people and it is ideal if you are | | | | inch ovenproof skillet. Roast it in the center of the oven |
| having a dinner party and you want to serve | | | | for twenty minutes. |
| something classy but not too fiddly. So, what does | | | | While the bird roasts, chop the garlic and onion. Pit the |
| Provencal mean exactly? Provence is a region in the | | | | olives and slice them finely. Chop enough basil to get |
| south of France and a recipe, which is tagged with the | | | | two tablespoons and cut the remaining basil into thin |
| word "Provencal" or "Provencale" means that it is | | | | strips. De-seed the tomatoes and cut them into quarter |
| prepared in the style of that region. | | | | inch pieces. |
| Herbes de Provence | | | | Turn the oven temperature down to 350 degrees F |
| You might have heard of Herbes de Provence, which | | | | and cook the chicken for a further forty minutes or |
| is a combination of fennel, savory, thyme flowers, basil | | | | until a thermometer inserted into the center of a thigh |
| and more. Thyme is usually the strongest flavor but it | | | | reads 170 degrees F and the chicken juices run clear. |
| depends on the manufacturer. Lavender is added to | | | | Put the chicken on a cutting board and make a loose |
| the American mixes but not the traditional French ones. | | | | aluminum foil tent over it to keep it warm. |
| This herb mix has been around since the 1970s and | | | | Pour all the fat except two teaspoons of it out of the |
| you can use it to flavor grilled meat, fish, or vegetables. | | | | skillet and saute the onion for half a minute, stirring it all |
| The cuisine from this region of France has always | | | | the time. Add the garlic and saute for another half a |
| used a lot of herbs but the people living in the area | | | | minute. Add the white wine to de-glaze the pan, |
| have always added the herbs separately, rather than | | | | scraping the burnt bits off the bottom. |
| using Herbes de Provence from a mix. | | | | Simmer the mixture until it reduces by half, and then |
| The Recipe - Step by Step | | | | add the stock. Bring it to a simmer and add the olives |
| What you will need: | | | | and tomatoes. Simmer the sauce for three minutes or |
| - 3 lbs chicken | | | | until it thickens. Stir in the basil strips and take the |
| - 2 plum tomatoes | | | | mixture off the heat. Cut the chicken into four pieces |
| - 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves | | | | and pour the sauce over it. Sprinkle the chopped basil |
| - 1 onion | | | | over the top and serve. |