Description
Chicken Provençal is a flavorful and comforting French-inspired dish featuring tender, bone-in chicken thighs braised with garlic, shallots, cherry tomatoes, olives, dates, and white wine. This savory and slightly sweet recipe develops rich flavors through stovetop browning followed by oven braising, resulting in juicy chicken perfect to serve over rice, polenta, or mashed potatoes with crusty bread on the side.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Seasoning
- 8 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
Vegetables and Flavorings
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 to 4 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- 12 cloves garlic, peeled
- 6 medium shallots, peeled and halved
- 2 pints cherry tomatoes
Additional Ingredients
- ½ cup halved and pitted dates
- 1 cup green olives, pitted
- 1 cup dry white wine (such as Sauvignon Blanc)
Serving Suggestions (optional)
- 4 cups cooked rice
- 4 cups cooked polenta
- 4 cups mashed potatoes
- Crusty bread
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) with a rack positioned in the lower third of the oven to prepare for braising the chicken.
- Season Chicken: Season all sides of the bone-in skin-on chicken thighs evenly with 2 teaspoons kosher salt and 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper for balanced seasoning.
- Brown Chicken: Heat 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil in a large ovenproof pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the chicken thighs skin side down and cook without moving them for 4 to 5 minutes until the skin is golden brown and crisp, locking in flavor and moisture.
- Add Aromatics and Vegetables: Flip the chicken thighs over and arrange 3 to 4 sprigs of fresh thyme (or 1 tablespoon dried thyme), 12 peeled garlic cloves, 6 halved shallots, 2 pints cherry tomatoes, ½ cup halved pitted dates, and 1 cup pitted green olives evenly around the chicken in the pan.
- Deglaze and Simmer: Pour in 1 cup of dry white wine (such as Sauvignon Blanc) and bring the mixture to a simmer on the stovetop, loosening any browned bits from the bottom for added flavor.
- Braise in Oven: Cover the ovenproof pan with a lid or tightly with foil and transfer it to the preheated oven. Cook until the chicken registers 165°F (74°C) with an instant-read thermometer, approximately 60 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld beautifully.
- Serve: Serve the Chicken Provençal hot over cooked rice, polenta, or mashed potatoes, with crusty bread on the side if desired to soak up the delicious pan sauce.
Notes
- Make sure to use bone-in skin-on chicken thighs for maximum flavor and tenderness.
- If you don’t have an ovenproof pan, transfer everything to a baking dish before placing in the oven.
- Adjust salt according to taste, especially if using salted olives.
- White wine can be substituted with dry vermouth or chicken broth for a different flavor profile.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently to retain moisture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken thigh with sauce and accompaniments (excluding optional starches)
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
