Hairy Bikers Chicken Provençal

Think of everything that tastes of the South of France on one plate: white wine, olives, capers, lemon, and sweet roasted tomatoes. That is Hairy Bikers chicken provençal, a one-pan braise of crisp-skinned chicken from their Chicken and Egg book, serving 4 at around 650 kcal with soft polenta.

The chicken does not stew in a heavy sauce, which is what keeps it feeling fresh rather than rich. You braise the pieces in white wine and stock with herbs and lemon zest, so the sauce stays light and bright instead of thick.

What you must not skip is crisping the skin before any liquid goes near the pan. Brown it hard skin-side down first, because once it braises it will never crisp again, and that golden skin is the contrast the soft sauce needs.

Hairy Bikers Chicken Provençal Recipe

Author: Alex Saidani Cooking Method:Braising Cuisine:British French Courses:Dinner

Difficulty:IntermediatePrep time: 15 minutesCook time: 45 minutesRest time: minutesTotal time:1 hour Servings:4 servingsCalories:650 kcal Best Season:Summer

Description

Onion, red pepper, and garlic soften, then skin-on chicken crisps in the same pan before braising in white wine, stock, fresh herbs, and lemon zest. Cherry tomatoes roast separately until bursting, capers and black olives go in at the end, and it all comes together over a bowl of buttery polenta.

Ingredients

For the Chicken

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 1 red pepper, deseeded and sliced lengthways
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 4 chicken legs or 8 thighs, skin on and bone in
• A few sprigs of fresh oregano or marjoram
• A few sprigs of fresh thyme or rosemary
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 200ml white wine
• 100ml chicken stock
• 4 small vines of cherry tomatoes
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp capers, rinsed
• 2 tbsp black olives, pitted and chopped
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Polenta

• 200g polenta
• 50g butter
• 25g Parmesan cheese, grated (optional)

Instructions

1. Soften the veg: Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large frying pan with a lid, then cook the onion and red pepper over medium heat until softening and browning. Add the garlic for a minute more, then tip everything onto a plate and set aside.
2. Brown the chicken: Heat another tablespoon of oil, season the chicken, and fry it skin-side down until crisp and brown, then flip and cook the other side briefly.
3. Braise: Return the onion, pepper, and garlic to the pan, add the herbs and lemon zest, then pour over the wine and stock. Partially cover and cook for 25 to 30 minutes until the chicken is tender.
4. Roast the tomatoes: Meanwhile, heat the oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas 6, put the tomatoes in a dish, drizzle with the last of the oil and the balsamic, season, and roast for about 8 minutes until just bursting.
5. Finish the pan: Add the capers and olives to the chicken and simmer uncovered for a couple of minutes, then serve with the roasted tomatoes alongside.
6. Make the polenta: Boil a litre of water, add salt, then whisk in the polenta until it thickens. Cook on low for 20 to 40 minutes, whisking often, until it is like soft mash, then beat in the butter and Parmesan and serve at once.

FAQs

What is chicken provençal?

It is a classic dish from Provence in the South of France, where chicken cooks with the flavours of the region: tomatoes, olives, capers, garlic, white wine, and herbs. The name simply means “in the style of Provence”.

It is bright and savoury rather than heavy, since it leans on wine and herbs instead of cream, which is what makes it feel like summer food.

What do you serve with chicken provençal?

Si and Dave serve theirs over soft polenta, which soaks up the winey pan juices beautifully. Creamy mash, crusty bread, or plain rice all do the same job if you have no polenta.

For vegetables, a green salad or steamed green beans keep it light, and its closest cousin, their chicken chasseur, browns the same skin-on chicken and braises it in white wine too if you want more of this style.

What olives should I use?

Si and Dave are specific here: use dry black olives, the intense, slightly wrinkly kind, rather than the shiny ones sold in brine. The dry-cured ones bring a deeper, saltier flavour that stands up to the wine.

Add them right at the end with the capers, so they keep their punch instead of fading into the sauce.

Why roast the tomatoes separately?

Roasting them on their own means they concentrate and sweeten without breaking down into the braise. You get little bursts of sweet tomato against the savoury, salty sauce, rather than everything turning into one soft mixture.

It takes one extra dish, but it is the detail that lifts it above their heartier braises like chicken normandy in cider or the Italian chicken cacciatore in red wine and tomato.

Can I make it with chicken breast?

You can, though bone-in legs or thighs with the skin on give far more flavour and stay juicier through the braise. The skin also crisps up first, which adds texture the sauce would otherwise lack.

For a lighter, skinless take on sunny Mediterranean chicken, their Spanish chicken roasts thighs with tomatoes and chorizo instead of braising them.