Recipes, Recipes - Pinot Gris

Provencal Lemon Chicken with Olives & Garlic

Serves 4 to 6 — the flavors of this dish mellow beautifully if reheated the next day.

1/4 pound large green olives
1/4 pound Kalamata olives
1 (3 and a half to 4 pound) chicken
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
2 teaspoons herbes de Provence
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 and 1/2 tablespoons extra virging olive oil
2 large heads of garlic, separated into cloves & peeled
2 plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped, or 1 cup drained chopped canned tomatoes
1 tablespoon sherry wine vinegar
2 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped parsley

1. Bring a medium saucepan of water to boil. Add all the olives & boil 1 minute. Drain and rinse under cold water.

2. Rinse the chicken and pat dry. Separate the chicken legs and thighs, cut off the wings, and cut the breast halves crosswise in half; there will be 10 pieces. Trim off all excess fat from the chicken. Season with salt, pepper, and 1 teaspoon of herbes de Provence.

3. In a large flameproof casserole, heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil over moderately high heat. Add the chicken in 2 batches and cook, turning, until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes per batch. Remove the chicken to a platter and pour off fat from pan.

4. Add the extra virgin olive oil to the pan and set over moderate hear. Add the garlic cloves and turn to coat with oil. Cook, stirring 1 to 2 minutes, until they begin to turn golden. Add the chopped tomatoes and the remaining herbes de Provence. Raise the heat to moderately high and cook, stirring often, until the tomatoes are pulpy and some of their liquid is slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the vinegar and cook 30 seconds. Add the wine and boil until reduced by one-third, 1 to 2 minutes.

5. Return the chicken pieces to the pan and add the stock. Cover and simmer 20 minutes. Add the olives and the lemon juice. Simmer, partially covered, 15 minutes longer, or until the chicken is tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand about 10 minutes. Serve garnished with parsley.