Chicken Provencale

Last night I wanted to make something nice and suited to the cold weather we are starting to experience here in Melbourne. Winter is finally setting in so as you know so is the comfort food. The nice Warm dinners whether they be casseroles or soups or roasts.... yum!


This is an easy chicken dish which combines ingredients that Provence is famous for. It is full of olives, tomatoes and capsicum - typical Medditerranean flavours. Serve with mashed potatoes or plain pasta as these are great to mop up the juices just as nice crusty bread would.... what better for a cold winter's evening?

Chicken Provencale

Serves: 8

Points per serve: 7

1 red capsicum, quartered and deseeded

1 yellow capsicum, quartered and deseeded

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teapsoon salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste

8 chicken chops, excess fat trimmed

2 brown onions, halved and cut into wedges

125ml (1/2cup) white wine

1 x 660 ml bottle passata (tomato pasta sauce)

250ml (1 cup) chicken stock

8 sprigs fresh thyme

80 grams (1/2cup) pitted black olives

Place capsicum, skin side up, under a preheated grill cooking for 8 - 10 minutes or until skin is charred and blistered. Transfer to a plastic bag, seal and set aside for 10 minutes. (This will help to lift the skin off the capsicum). After 10 minutes remove the skin from the capsicum and cut the flesh into thick strips.

Preheat oven to 200 deg C. Season the chicken chops with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add 4 peices of chicken at a time and cook for 3 - 4 minutes each side or until browned. Transfer to large casserole dish and continue with remaining 4 peices of chicken.

To the same frying pan add the onions and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the onions are golden. Add the garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes or until liquid has reduced by half. Add the capsicum, passata, stock and thyme.

Pour sauce over the chicken and bake for 45 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Stir in the olives and serve.