This Chicken Provencal recipe was in my mind since I bought my Herbs on a trip to France last summer. Rainy Sunday afternoon and I thought…This is the day!
I treated myself with a second hand recipe book (errrr, yep) by the Hairy Bikers and kind of used their recipe. Only tweaked a couple of things to avoid sugar and corn flour. Also adapted it for a two people meal, no leftovers.
Also made a quick Mushroom rice using a microwavable rice pouch – I always heat this type of rice in a pan anyway. Unfortunately, I could not get hold of boneless thigs this time but it was still great.
And it was a real success to be honest. A quick and hearty dish and super yummy!
Ingredients Chicken Provencal for 2 people:
- 4 Chicken Thighs
- 1/2 Onion
- 1 Clove of Garlic
- 1/2 Tin Chopped Tomatoes
- 1/2 Stock Cube
- 1/4 Cup Red Wine
- 1 Tsp Provencal Herbs
- 1 Red Pepper
- 1 Green pepper
- 1 Courgette
- Salt & Pepper (Always!)
You can see the video here below:
How to Make the Chicken Provencal Quick-in-a-Pan in 30 minutes:
Step 1 – Prepare the chicken thighs
Take the peel and grease off the chicken. I like to do this and it is one of the tips in this book since they aim for low calorie dishes.
Step 2 – Season it and fry
Salt and pepper the chicken and fry in low-medium heat for a few minutes. Until nicely browned.
Step 3 – Add the main ingredients
Add ALL the ingredients except the veggies. Simmer for about 10 min or so.
Step 4 – Add the veggies
Now add the veggies, cover and simmer again in low heat for about 15 minutes.
Step 5 – Serve your Chicken Provençal made in 30 minutes!
Serve with Mushroom Rice (or any other side of your choice) and Enjoy!
What is Provencal Sauce Made Of?
I know, I know… purists might say this is not the authentic Chicken Provencal recipe. And I agree. It is not, it is my own.
But, to be honest, a lot can be argued about it. Some say that Provencal sauce is a sauce made of tomatoes, garlic, and herbs. So, according to this mine would be kind of authentic, right?
The name “Provencal” refers to the Provence region of France, where the sauce originated. The ingredients in Provencal sauce vary depending on the recipe, but they typically include tomatoes, garlic, onion, olive oil, red wine, and herbs such as basil, thyme, and oregano.
The sauce is usually cooked for a period of time to allow the flavors to meld together. This has a point and my recipe could be seen as a quick fix to the traditional one haha
However, some others state that the traditional Provencal sauce not only has the Provencal herbs – which I used – but also butter and lemon!
What is Provencal Chicken?
At this point we agree that it is French dish. However it is funny how people get confused about ‘Provence’ as a region in France where this dish originated and ‘Province’ which sounds the same in French and refers to peasant food, farm food or country-style cuisine.
Provence has an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables. The cooking is therefore largely based on seasonal produce, cooked simply to highlight the natural flavours. Herbs are also an important part of Provençal cuisine, used both to flavour dishes and to create herbal infusions (known as herbes de Provence).
