Chicken Provencal

"Herbes de Provence" is a mix of dry aromatic plants. It is heavily used in French cooking. These herbs are native to and have their origins in the Provence region of southern France that borders Italy and the Mediterranean sea. The mixture contains rosemary, marjoram, savory, basil and thyme. The Mediterranean flavor of these herbs is essential to many meat, poultry, fish and vegetable dishes, particularly tomato-based and grilled dishes.

Chicken provencal is a French country dish of roasted (or braised) chicken with garlic, tomatoes, and olives.

Ingredients: 1 pound tomatoes (3 to 4 medium), cut into wedges - 1 large onion, cut into wedges, leaving root ends intact - 1/2 cup drained black olives, pitted - 4 large garlic cloves, sliced, plus 1 teaspoon minced - 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided - 2 teaspoons herbes de Provence, divided - 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds - 1 chicken (about 3 1/2 pounds) cut into pieces or chicken thighs and drumsticks

Preheat oven to 400°F (200ºC).

Toss together tomatoes, onion, olives, sliced garlic, 2 tbsp oil, 1 tsp herbes de Provence, fennel seeds, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper in a baking dish. Push vegetables to sides of dish to make room for chicken.

Stir together minced garlic, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, remaining tsp herbes de Provence, and remaining tbsp olive oil.

Remove excess fat from chicken pieces and pat dry, then rub with seasoning mixture. Put chicken pieces in baking dish.

Roast about one hour. Serve.

Poulet à la provençale
Ingrédients: 450g de tomates (3 à 4 moyennes), coupées en quarts - 1 oignon, coupé en quarts - 1/2 tasse d'olives noires dénoyautées - 4 gousses d'ail, émincées, plus 1 càc écrasées - 3 càs d'huile d'olive - 2 càc d'herbes de Provence - 1/2 càc de graines de fenouil - 1 poulet (d'1 kilo 1/2 environ) découpé en morceaux

Préchauffez votre four à 200ºC.

Mélangez tomates, oignons, olives, ail émincé, 2 càs d'huile, 1 càc d'herbes de Provence, graines de fenouil, 1/2 càc de sel, et 1/4 càc de poivre dans un plat de cuisson.
 
Mélangez l'ail écrasé, 1 càc de sel, 1/2 càc de poivre, une autre càc d'herbes de Provence, et l'huile d'olive restante.
   
Retirez l'excédent de gras de poulet et asséchez, puis frottez les morceaux de poulet avec le mélange de condiments. Mettez les morceaux de poulet dans le plat de cuisson.
Faites cuire au four environ 1 heure.