> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://thefoodiekitchen.net/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Provençal Chicken — South of France Braise in Olive Oil - URL: https://thefoodiekitchen.net/provencal-chicken-olive-oil/ - Published: 2026-08-17T08:35:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-09-15T04:22:51.000Z - Description: Poulet à la Provençale is French countryside cooking at its simplest — chicken pieces braised in olive oil with tomatoes, olives, capers, anchovies, and herbes de Provence. A 45-minute dinner of considerable elegance. - Author: Savannah Ryan - Tags: Mediterranean Recipes, MAHA Recipes, Chicken Recipes Provençal cooking is olive oil cooking. The south of France — Provence, the Côte d'Azur, the Camargue — is Mediterranean France, where butter gives way to olive oil, where anchovies, olives, capers, tomatoes, and herbes de Provence define the flavour palette, and where a good braise requires nothing more than a clay pot, a bottle of wine, and patience. Poulet à la Provençale is the chicken dish that captures all of this in under an hour. ## The Provençal Pantry The flavour of this dish comes from its pantry: good olive oil, olives (niçoises are traditional — small, slightly bitter black olives from Nice), capers (packed in salt, rinsed), anchovy fillets (which dissolve entirely into the sauce and add depth rather than fishiness), and herbes de Provence — the blend of thyme, rosemary, savory, marjoram, and lavender that defines southern French cooking. None of these are expensive; together they produce a sauce of remarkable complexity. ## The Anchovy Secret Adding 2-3 anchovy fillets to the oil at the beginning of cooking — before the chicken is browned — produces a sauce that nobody can identify as containing anchovy. The fillets dissolve in the hot olive oil within 2 minutes, leaving no fishy note but adding a deep umami base that amplifies every other flavour in the dish. This technique appears throughout southern French and Italian cooking and is one of the most useful in the seed oil free kitchen. ## Serves 4 · Prep 15 min · Cook 45 min Serves 4 Prep 15 min Cook 45 min ### Ingredients - 1.5kg chicken pieces (thighs and drumsticks) - 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil - 3 anchovy fillets - 4 garlic cloves, sliced - 400g cherry tomatoes or canned tomatoes - 100g olives (niçoise or Kalamata) - 2 tbsp capers, rinsed - 200ml dry white wine - 1 tsp herbes de Provence - Fresh basil and parsley to finish - Salt and pepper ### Method 1. Season chicken. Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a wide pan over medium-high heat. 2. Add anchovy fillets. Stir until dissolved into the oil, 1-2 minutes. 3. Brown chicken skin-side down 8 minutes until deeply golden. Flip and cook 3 more minutes. Remove. 4. Add garlic to the pan. Cook 1 minute. 5. Add wine. Simmer 2 minutes, scraping the pan. 6. Add tomatoes, olives, capers, and herbes de Provence. 7. Return chicken. Cover and simmer 25 minutes until cooked through. 8. Drizzle with remaining olive oil. Scatter fresh herbs. ## Serving Provençal chicken is served with crusty bread to mop the olive oil sauce, or with steamed new potatoes dressed in more olive oil. Rice is appropriate. Pasta is not traditional but works. The sauce is too good to waste — ensure there is something on the table to absorb it. Frequently Asked Questions Can I omit the anchovies? You can, but the dish will be noticeably flatter in flavour. The anchovies are the depth-building element. If you are genuinely anchovy-averse, add 1 tsp fish sauce instead — the same umami effect. What olives to use? Niçoise olives are traditional and correct. Kalamata works well. Avoid pre-pitted olives in brine, which tend to be mushy and lack flavour. Can I use chicken breast? Yes but add it 15 minutes into the braising time rather than the beginning. Breast overcooks easily; add it later to compensate. Shop This Recipe Fourth and Heart Ghee Grass-fed ghee, USDA certified. The ghee used across The Foodie Kitchen. [Get on Amazon →](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07B48Y2D7?tag=thefoodieki0f-20&ref=thefoodiekitchen.net) Savannah Ryan · Amazon Savor Mediterranean 20 Mediterranean recipes in olive oil and butter — Greek, Italian, Spanish and Turkish. 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