Chicken Provencal

There’s something magical about a dish that brings everyone to the table, and this Chicken Provençal is just that—a fragrant, sun-kissed masterpiece that turns a simple meal into a gathering... and yet, braised or even finished in your wood-fired oven? OMG 😳

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The kind of dish that makes people linger, soaking up the rich sauce with crusty bread

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Preparing Chicken

Pat the chicken skin very dry with paper towels (critical for crispiness). To separate chicken drumsticks from thighs. Lay the whole chicken leg (drumstick + thigh) skin-side down on a clean cutting board. Locate the joint where the drumstick and thigh meet—you’ll see a thin line of fat and a natural indentation. Bend the leg backward slightly to expose the joint. The joint is where the bones connect with cartilage, making it easier to cut through than bone.
Using a sharp chef’s knife, position the blade in the natural gap of the joint. If done correctly, the drumstick and thigh should separate smoothly without resistance. Repeat with the remaining chicken legs.
Lay legs and thighs onto 2 trays skin side down. Season with salt, flip and do likewise.

Searing Meat

Heat up the skillet and dutch oven. Add fat and place chicken pieces skin side down, leaving space between them (don’t overcrowd). Press lightly with tongs to ensure even contact. Sear meat unmoved for 8–10 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Adjust heat if needed to avoid burning.
Arrange seared drumsticks and thighs (skin side down) onto separate tray. Keep skillet/dutch oven on the stove (heat turned off). You want to use all the tasty browned bits left behind after searing meat, they form the foundation of a sauce.
Lightly coat chicken thighs with tapenade (open meat side only).

Provencal Sauce

In one skillet/dutch oven where meat was seared, cook garlic head halves with a drizzle of olive oil or duck fat on medium-low heat until golden brown. Deglaze with chicken stock and reduce by half.
In the meantime, in the dutch oven, add a drizzle of olive oil if needed and sweat the onions for 10 minutes. Add the olives, tomato sauce, chopped basil and the garlic-reduced chicken stock. Season with ground black pepper to taste. Cook the sauce for 5 minutes; uncovered.

Braising

Preheat fan oven to 350ºF/180ºC. Transfer the provencal sauce to the large shallow baking dish or use the dutch oven if everything fits in. Tuck in the bouquet garni, and alternate legs with thighs (skin side down).
Cover the dish with foil and cook for 30 minutes. Remove the foil, and flip the thighs (skin side up), and cook for an additional 25 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven, and let it stand for an hour to rest; uncovered.

Roasting

Set your fan oven to 450ºF/230ºC. Roast the chicken provencal dish for 15-20 minutes. If you plan to use your wood-fired oven or pizza oven, make sure the heat is down and rotate the dish every so often.

Presentation

For an elegant presentation, arrange the chicken pieces artfully in a large, shallow serving dish. Pour the Provençal sauce in the center, allowing it to cascade gently over the chicken but not over the crispy skin!. Finish by sprinkling freshly minced basil over the dish for a vibrant, aromatic garnish. Bon appétit!