Published September 1, 2003.
The best chicken Provençal recipe would produce a dish with meltingly tender, moist, and flavorful chicken, napped in an aromatic, garlicky tomato sauce that could be mopped up with a thick slice of crusty bread. To achieve this ideal, we used chicken thighs for their tender texture and a combination of canned diced tomatoes and tomato paste for the sauce. We seasoned the dish with fresh herbs in addition to the traditional herbes de Provence, as well as with grated lemon zest and pitted niçoise olives, for a chicken Provençal recipe we could be proud of.
This dish is often served with rice or slices of crusty bread, but soft polenta is also a good accompaniment. Niçoise olives are preferred; other olives are too potent.
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