Chicken Provençal (Tom Kerridge)

Tempo

1 hr 55 min (+ marinade)

Picante

Dificuldade

Médio

Rende

5porções

Ingredientes

2½ kg

chicken, jointed (frango inteiro em pedaços — ask your butcher to *desossar* into 8 portions: 2 sobrecoxas, 2 coxas, 2 asas, 2 peitos cortados ao meio)

garlic cloves, thinly sliced

200 ml

white wine (vinho branco seco; Sauvignon Blanc-style)

4 tbsp

olive oil

1 tsp

thyme leaves (folhas de tomilho)

ripe plum tomatoes, halved (tomate italiano maduro)

1 tbsp

tomato purée (extrato de tomate)

½ tsp

herbes de Provence (mistura de ervas francesas — *St Marche* sells; or DIY: thyme + rosemary + oregano + savory + basil + lavender)

1 tbsp

fennel seeds (sementes de erva-doce)

500 ml

chicken stock (caldo de galinha; homemade ideal, ou *Knorr Caldo de Galinha* dissolvido)

celery stick, finely diced (talo de salsão picado)

button or silverskin onions / small shallots, peeled (cebolinhas-pérola, *or* chalotas pequenas)

285 g

jar chargrilled artichoke hearts, drained (alcachofra grelhada em conserva)

100 g

pitted green olives (azeitonas verdes sem caroço)

Sea salt flakes (sal grosso flocado, ~2 tbsp for marinating)

Modo de preparo

01**Marinate.** Tip chicken into a large bowl. Add garlic + wine + 2 tbsp olive oil + thyme. Season with 2 tbsp flaky sea salt; mix to coat. **Cover; fridge ≥ a few hours, ideally overnight.**
02**Sear.** Heat remaining 2 tbsp oil in a heavy ovenproof pot or PCC20 inner pot on P5 Refogar. Lift chicken from marinade (reserve marinade!) and brown on all sides in batches — **5 min per batch.** Set aside.
03**Build sauce.** Same pot. Add halved plum tomatoes, tomato purée, herbes de Provence, fennel seeds. Stir. Add chicken stock, reserved marinade, celery. Bring to simmer.
04**Add chicken back** + onions/shallots.
05
**Braise.**
- **Oven:** lid on, **170°C 1 hr 30 min.**
- **PC:** PCC20 P14 Carne **25 min @ 115°C.** Release; uncovered simmer to reduce 10 min.
06**Finish.** Stir in artichoke hearts + green olives. Heat through 5 min.
07**Serve.** Plate chicken with veg + plenty of sauce. Crusty bread for mopping; or mash; or rice.

Chicken Provençal (Tom Kerridge)

Hearty French casserole that evokes a Provençal summer — herbs de Provence, white wine, plum tomatoes, green olives, jarred artichoke hearts. Big-batch dish for a crowd.

Heat: 0/5. No chile.

Notes

Chicken jointing: ask the butcher (peça para desossar e cortar em 8 porções com pele e osso). Or do it yourself with kitchen scissors.
Herbes de Provence sub: mix ½ tsp dried thyme + ¼ tsp rosemary + ¼ tsp oregano + ¼ tsp savory.
Pearl onions / shallots in BR: rare. Substitute with halved/quartered shallots, or 4 small cebolinhas roxas. Or skip — the dish has plenty of body.
Artichoke hearts: Empório Fasano and St Marche sell jarred chargrilled artichokes. Alcachofra em conserva generic is also fine.
Olives: Spanish-style Manzanilla or Cerignola if you can find them. Brazilian green olives in brine work — drain and rinse to reduce salt.
Wine: something you'd drink. Avoid the ultra-cheap acid-bombs.
PCC20 P14 caveat: 25 min is right for 8 chicken pieces. Longer pieces may need extra 10 min.
Freezer: excellent. Cool, freeze portions, defrost, reheat gently with a splash of stock.