Chicken Provencal or Poulet à la Provençale, as it's called in France, brings many classic French cooking ingredients together, such as ripe tomatoes, olives, plenty of herbs and garlic, of course.
There's nothing I love more than spending a day attending to a simmering pot of Chicken Provencal. It's a classic French braised chicken recipe to have in your toolbox, using ingredients you likely already have.
This recipe requires only 10 minutes of prep time, since the majority of the cooking is done in liquid in the oven. As a result there is very little chance of the chicken drying out. Simply sear the chicken and then braise it with the other ingredients in white wine & olives sauce in a Dutch oven or oven-safe skillet. This is your answer to quick and delicious weeknight dinners!
Origin of Chicken Provencal
This classic French dish originates from the sun-soaked region of Provence in Southern France. Due to the region's proximity to the Mediterranean Sea, Chicken Provençal is all about abundant local ingredients and flavors: extra virgin olive oil, olives, cherry tomatoes and Herbes de Provence (a blend of dried herbs like thyme, rosemary, oregano, and sometimes lavender).
Why you will love Chicken Provencal
- Easy: this French style family recipe is easy enough for the midweek chaos and fancy enough for the weekend!
- Hands off: Once you send the chicken thighs off to the oven to bake, that's it! There's no need to flip the thighs or rotate the pan while they finish cooking.
- Fool proof: While chicken breasts can become overcooked quickly and easily, it's very difficult to overcook chicken thighs. Especially when surrounded by beautiful olives and cherry tomatoes.
Chicken Provencal Ingredients
- Skin on, bone in chicken thighs - Chicken thighs cook faster than chicken breasts, making them ideal for this chicken Provencal. They cook more evenly too, so they're less likely to dry out.
- Anchovies - When cooked, anchovies lose their "fishy" taste and instead impart a savory depth and richness to the Chicken Provencal sauce. I also like to use Anchovies paste.
- Olives - I used freshly packed green black and red olives. Kalamata olives as well as bright colored olive variety, such as Manzanilla and Liguria. I do not recommend using canned olives.
- Cherry tomatoes - I've been living on them lately. They are so delicious and bursting with moist taste when cooked. Nothing beats fresh cherry tomatoes in Chicken Provencal!
- Dry white wine - Definitely use any cheap Pinot Grigio - never fails to bring out my favorite flavors! Highly recommend.
- Herbs de Provence: It's an aromatic blend of dried herbs like rosemary, basil, and oregano (and lavender). You can find it in any grocery store.
- Extra virgin olive oil: I prefer to cook with extra virgin olive oil, but you can also use cooking olive oil or avocado oil.
How to make Chicken Provencal
1. Prep and brown the chicken
Season chicken thighs generously with salt, pepper, and herbes de Provence or Italian seasoning. Heat olive oil in an ovenproof skillet or cast-iron pan, then place chicken skin-side down. Let it cook undisturbed for 5-6 minutes until the skin is golden brown and crisp. Flip and brown the other side for 3-4 minutes.
2. Sauté and deglaze with wine
Remove chicken from pan, set aside. In the same pan, add shallots or diced onions, garlic, and sauté until fragrant and softened. Pour in white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up browned bits for added flavor.
3. Add tomatoes, olives, and herbs
Stir in cherry tomatoes, olives, and capers. Nestle the chicken back into the pan and scatter rosemary, thyme, and lemon wedges over everything.
4. Braise in the oven
Cover the skillet and transfer to a preheated oven at 375-400°F (190-200°C). Braise for 60 minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and is tender.
5. Finish and Serve
Remove lid, let sauce reduce slightly if desired. Garnish with fresh parsley and lemon zest. Serve hot with rustic bread, creamy polenta, or a simple green salad to soak up the luscious Provencal sauce.
Chicken Provencal
Ingredients
- 4 chicken thighs bone in and skin on
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper crushed or fine
- 2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic crushed
- 3 anchovies or 1 teaspoon anchovies paste
- 1 teaspoon Herbs de Provence or Italian seasoning
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup olives variety (green, red, black)
- 1 cup white wine such as Pinot Grigio
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. and prepare oven proof skillet with a lid.
Cook Chicken Thighs
- Season the chicken generously with salt, pepper, garlic powder.
- Heat oil in the oven proof pan, such as cast iron, over medium high heat. Place chicken thighs skin down and brown for 5 minutes. Set a time and do not move them. The skin should be golden brown.
- Reduce heat to medium, flip the chicken and cook on the other side for 4 more minutes .
- Once your chicken is browned, but not fully cooked yet, set aside on a plate. Reduce the heat to medium-low and use the same pan and oil to sauté your onion for a few minutes till tender.
- Crush in 3 garlic cloves.
- Mix well and fry for 30-60 seconds, until the garlic turns fragrant, before deglazing with dry white wine. Sprinkle with herbes de Provence and add anchovies. Cook for 2 more minutes
- Next add cherry tomatoes and olives around the chicken.
Braise in the oven
- Cover with lid and transfer to the oven.
- Braise until the chicken registers 165°F on an instant read thermometer, for about 60 minutes.
- Serve hot.
Tips for Chicken Provencal Perfection
- Use bone-in, skin-on thighs for the best flavor and texture.
- Don't rush the browning step; it builds rich depth in the sauce.
- Adjust herbs and lemon to your preference-Provence flavors are rustic and flexible.
- For a non-alcoholic version, substitute white wine with extra chicken broth and a splash of lemon juice.
- Leftovers taste even better the next day as flavors meld.
Variations to the recipe
- Pasta sauce - Add pasta sauce to Chicken Provencal to bring out even more flavor from olive oil, garlic, halved cherry tomatoes and chicken thighs!!
- Canned capers - Mixing in some capers is super delicious and will add extra saltiness to the olives and chicken.
- Ricotta - Whipped ricotta for creamy and fluffy contrast to the rich, savory flavors of the braised chicken.
- Chopped feta - Add crumbled feta at the end of the braising process. It will slowly melt into the braising liquid without overwhelming the main dish.
What to serve Chicken Provencal with
Crusty Dutch Oven Bread Bread is perfect for soaking up the delicious sauce. I also like to serve these Creamy Garlic Potatoes or angel hair pasta as a side along with the braised chicken. Lemon Garlic Green Beans or julienned green beans are a nice touch as well.
More irresistible chicken thigh recipes
- Baked Chicken Thighs with Garlic Mustard Crust
- Garlic Rosemary Chicken Thighs
- Sweet and Salty Boneless Chicken Thighs
- Herb Roasted Chicken Thighs
- Instant Pot Chicken Thighs
- Skillet Chicken Thighs in Creamy Mushroom Pan Sauce
- Chicken Thighs with Bacon
Sarah says
We make this simple recipe with capers and regular olive oil