Rich and Hearty Chicken Provencal .... a truly special dish ~

Don't let this classic French dish scare you away. It's quickly and easily made, and is delightful on the taste buds! Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 25 minutes Total Time: 40 minutes Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 2 shallots chopped

• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves only

• 1 tbsp fresh rosemary chopped

• 1 tbsp fresh flat leaf parsley chopped

• 1 tsp fennel seeds

• 1 cup/250 ml white wine

• 4 tbsp olive oil

• 4 skinless boneless chicken breasts

• 1 tbsp flour

• 1/2 cup/ 125 ml chicken stock

• 6-8 cherry tomatoes halved

• 8 large green olives pitted

• 8oz fresh mushrooms, sliced or whole

• parley for garnish

Instructions

• In a large bowl combine chopped shallots, chopped herbs, fennel seeds, wine and half the olive oil, add chicken breasts and marinade for 2-3 hours in a refrigerator.

• Take the chicken breasts out of the marinade and brush off the herbs and shallots as much as possible, season with salt and set aside, reserve the marinade.

• Preheat the oven to 200C/400F

• In a large and deep pan brown chicken breasts in 2 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat until golden but not cooked through, approximately 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove to a plate.

• Add flour to the pan and stir it in with with the oil that was left in the pan from browning chicken, add 1/2 of the marinade and scrape the bottom of the pan with a spatula to release the brown bits, cook it on high until the sauce thickens, which should take about 2 minutes, reduce the heat to medium.

• Add the rest of the marinade and stir, then add chicken stock, chicken breasts, halved cherry tomatoes, mushrooms and olives, bring to a boil and move it to the oven.

• Finish it off in the oven uncovered for 25 minutes.

• The sauce should reduce by a third and will coat a spoon when tested for thickness.

• Serve Chicken Provencal sprinkled with chopped fresh parsley with a side of rice or mashed potatoes. Also excellent dipping for whole grain sourdough bread!