Georgeanne Brennan's Provençal Chicken with Olives, Tomatoes and Red Peppers

For my husband’s birthday on Saturday, I made the same meal I made for my own birthday in July: Georgeanne Brennan’s Provençal Chicken, Patricia Wells' roasted potatoes, fresh green beans, and perhaps a caprese salad.

Georgeanne’s chicken recipe, available on her Web site (see link above), is full of tomatoes and herbs, and to my unsophisticated American palate tastes of deepest Provence. Here it is:

Provençal Chicken with Olives, Tomatoes and Red Peppers

• 
1 fryer chicken, about 3 pounds, cut into serving pieces, or a selection of breasts and thighs
• 
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 Tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 

• 1 1/2 teaspoons unsalted butter
• 
1/2 cup minced yellow onion
• 
2 cloves garlic, minced
• 
4 to 6 large, very ripe tomatoes, chopped or 3 cups chopped canned plum tomatoes and their juice
• 
2 sweet red peppers, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 
2 fresh bay leaves or 1 dried leaf
• 
16 oil-cured black olives

Use half the crushed herbs as a rub for the chicken. Then, using a large skillet, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add the chicken pieces in a single layer just when the oil and butter are near to smoking. Sauté the chicken pieces over medium heat until they are browned on both sides. This takes only 2-3 minutes per side.

Add the onion and garlic and cook a while longer (1-2 minutes) before adding the tomatoes, pepper and bay leaves. Cover. Reduce heat to medium low and cook for about 35-40 minutes.

Uncover the pan, increase the heat to medium again, add olives and cook until the sauce thickens. Add the remaining herbs and serve. The chicken will be extremely tender.

I have used chicken breasts instead of chicken parts. I have also used green peppers when red were not available or were too costly. This dish is too good to forgo just because you have no red peppers!