Provençal Chicken with Olives Recipe
Chicken braised with tomatoes, garlic, herbs, and olives smells like Provence and holidays on the Mediterranean. This dish often appears on the French weekend table, when there’s time to slowly braise the meat and cook some rice or grains. The flavor is a bit like an Italian stew, but with more herbs and those characteristic olives.
This dish brings classic Provençal flavors to your table with minimal effort: tender braised chicken, aromatic herbs, and briny olives in a rich tomato sauce. It’s comforting yet light, perfect for a relaxed weekend meal that feels a bit like a Mediterranean holiday.
Chef's tips
Brown the chicken well at the beginning – this step builds a deeper flavor base for the sauce. If the sauce reduces too much while simmering, add a splash of stock or water. For extra aroma, finish with a little freshly chopped parsley or basil just before serving.
How to serve
Serve the chicken directly in the pan placed in the center of the table, with bowls of rice, couscous, or mashed potatoes on the side so everyone can help themselves. A simple green salad with a lemony vinaigrette pairs beautifully and balances the richness of the sauce.
Ingredients
- chicken thighs with bone and skin or boneless and skinless, as you prefer - 4 piece
- olive oil for frying - 2 tablespoon
- onion medium - 1 piece
- garlic - 3 clove
- canned tomatoes chopped or whole, peeled - 400 g
- chicken stock can be made from a stock cube - 150 ml
- olives black or green, pitted - 80 g
- Herbes de Provence - 1 teaspoon
- rosemary fresh sprig or 0.5 teaspoon dried - 1 sprig
- bay leaf - 1 piece
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- lemon juice for seasoning at the end - 0.5 piece
Preparation
- Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper on both sides.
- In a large lidded skillet or wide pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken for 5–7 minutes on each side, until the skin is golden and the meat lightly browned. Transfer to a plate.
- Slice the onion into thin wedges and the garlic into thin slices. In the same pan, reduce the heat to medium, add the onion, and cook for 3–5 minutes until softened and slightly translucent, without browning.
- Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute, until fragrant but not browned.
- Pour in the canned tomatoes and stock, add the bay leaf, Herbes de Provence, and rosemary. Stir and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Return the chicken thighs to the pan, skin side up, so they are partially submerged in the sauce. Cover and simmer over low heat for 25–30 minutes, until the meat is tender and comes away from the bone easily.
- Add the olives, gently stir the sauce around the chicken, and cook uncovered for another 5–10 minutes to slightly thicken the sauce.
- Remove the bay leaf, taste the sauce, and season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice, starting with 1–2 tablespoons. Serve immediately.
Storage
Kurczaka z sosem przechowuj w lodówce w szczelnym pojemniku. Podgrzewaj powoli w garnku na małym ogniu, dolewając odrobinę wody lub bulionu. Możesz zamrozić do 2 miesięcy, najlepiej bez kości, w sosie.
This Provençal-style chicken is one of those dishes that tastes like it took all day, but actually requires very little active work. It’s ideal for weekends when you want something cozy and fragrant simmering on the stove while you relax or spend time with family.
