FLAVORS OF FRANCE

Simple braised chicken dish features herbs de Provence, tomatoes, onions, garlic and olives for seasoning, scent

Iremember the first time I made today’s recipe for chicken Provençal, a song from my youth got stuck in my head the entire time I was gathering ingredients: “Pass the

Dutchie” by Musical Youth, a

British-Jamaican reggae band.

“Pass the Dutchie ’pon the left-hand side. Pass the Dutchie ’pon the left-hand side.”

And there it lived. Just that one line, going around and around in my brain. But I didn’t mind. I had landed on chicken Provençal to break in my new, deliciously red Dutchie of my own (“Dutchie,” I later learned, is what Jamaicans call their version of a Dutch oven).

I had wanted an enameled cast-iron Dutch oven for almost as long as I had been cooking. I’ve spent nearly that same amount of time lusting after one from Le Creuset. But a 5.5-quart round Le Creuset Dutch oven is $400. And when I was developing this recipe, that was an impossible amount to justify dropping for a single pot.

Then a fellow blogger wrote about her new Dutch oven, which further fed my obsession. However, she offered me an alternative: a 6-quart Dutch oven from Lodge for under $90. I already owned many Lodge cast-iron pans, so I was familiar with the brand’s level of quality.

I read a few reviews complaining that the enamel sometimes chipped, but I decided to take a chance. I’ve owned my Lodge enameled cast-iron Dutch oven for 12 years now. After all these years of near-weekly use, yes, there is some chipping around the top edge of the pot, which I assume is from 12 years of my tapping a wooden spoon against the rim to knock off food after stirring. The inside bottom has darkened with use and has some micro-abrasions, but it still has terrific non- to low-stick properties and remains one of my favorite pots.

These days, I’m better positioned to splurge on a piece from the French line of pots, but I still hesitate to spend that kind of money. Two years ago, just before the county went into its first lockdown of the pandemic, I came upon a 3.5-quart red round Le Creuset Dutch oven at HomeGoods marked at $150 — a whopping $200 off the regular price! Of course, it found its way home with me (I’m always on the lookout for major brand deals at HomeGoods).

The most significant difference I’ve noticed between my two pots is the thickness of the walls. The Le Creuset is much thinner, making it lighter and less wieldy than the heavier Lodge. I love now having the option of using the smaller or larger Dutch oven to accommodate a recipe.

A familiar dish

I’ve not made it a secret that I’m a home cook, and not a trained chef. My food knowledge base was formed by my father, who shared the dishes from his youth and ones he learned when working in professional kitchens, cooking mainly American and Italian fare. So my exposure to French cooking over the years has rested solely on the occasional outings to French restaurants and the perusal of, and occasionally cooking from, my copy of Julia Child’s “Mastering the Art of French Cooking.”

But this chicken Provençal dish spoke to me. With its tomato- and olive braisedchicken, it was so reminiscent of one of my favorite meals from my youth: my mom’s chicken cacciatore. I don’t know where she learned the dish, but she would make it for us several times a year. She’d pile it over white rice, which would soak up that incredibly savory sauce, and we would inhale it before she even sat down to enjoy her serving.

What finally got me to try making chicken Provençal for the blog, though, was the fact that in one week, I came across it in a magazine, in a cookbook at work, and it had been mentioned on television twice. I read it as a sign that the universe wanted me to try my hand at recreating this dish for the blog.

I spent some time experimenting with the recipe until I came up with something I looked forward to eating. I used herbs de Provence as the main seasoning in the sauce. This spice mix, depending on the brand, contains rosemary, garlic, lavender, thyme, parsley, tarragon, marjoram, basil, savoy, sage and chervil. If you have the individual spices on hand already, there’s

no need to run out and buy the mix; there are plenty of resources online to help you with the amounts of each spice in a homemade version. I typically don’t have use for dried rosemary, since I have a fresh plant in my garden, nor do I tend to use savoy and chervil, so it makes sense for me to just buy the spice blend. Crushed tomatoes, wine, fresh garlic, onions, olives and lemon zest round out the sauce in this version of chicken Provençal (not to be confused with roasted chicken Provençal, which doesn’t use tomato sauce).

This dish has become a favorite one-pot

meal. After browning and removing the meat, you make the sauce in the same pot. As the onions saute, the fond (the browned meat bits left behind) is loosened and begins to incorporate into the vegetables. Deglazing with wine ensures that none of that tasty fond is wasted.

I’ve used boneless, skinless chicken breasts this time, but I’ve also made the dish with boneless, skinless thighs, so use whichever you prefer. As for the olives, traditionally, this dish is made with Niçoise, Nyons or kalamatas. I often use California black olives, since I always have them in my pantry. But I have also used kalamata and several different green olive varieties. Again, make this your own and use whatever olive you love.

I serve this dish with a simple side of buttered egg noodles. Mashed potatoes, creamy polenta or steamed rice would be lovely substitutions.

Transfer noodles, remaining butter, Parmesan, chopped parsley and lemon zest to a mixing bowl, stirring well. Set aside covered bowl. Sprinkle the noodles with the panko just before serving.

Remove chicken. Add broth; simmer for 5 minutes. Add olives, chopped parsley and some lemon zest; simmer to heat through. Add the chicken back, simmering for 5 minutes.

While the noodles are cooking, heat butter in a skillet. Once melted but not browned, add the panko and toast until golden. Remove and set aside.

Add the wine, stirring and scraping up all the browned bits. Simmer, reducing the wine by half. Stir in the tomato paste; simmer for 5 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Return the chicken to the pot, cover and braise in the oven for 20 minutes or until the chicken registers 160 degrees.

Stir in the crushed tomatoes, herbs de Provence, oregano, thyme and pepper. Simmer, covered, for 8 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if needed.

Add the onions and a pinch of salt to the pot and sweat, stirring often, for 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and saute for another minute.

Cook floured chicken in olive oil until golden, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Remove all but 1 tablespoon of fat.

Cook and drain the noodles according to package directions for al dente pasta.

FOOD STYLING AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANITA L. ARAMBULA CONFESSIONS OF A FOODIE PHOTOS