Provencal Chicken

Provencal Chicken

Tips ~ The sauce can be made and used poured over cooked pasta for a vegetarian meal.

Ingredients

1 chicken about 1.5 - 2.25kg (3 ¼ lb - 5lb) jointed or about 6 large chicken breasts

3 tbsp olive oil

2 red onions, sliced

3 cloves garlic crushed

Good pinch salt and pepper

1 tsp sugar

1 x 400g (14oz) tin chopped tomatoes

2 tbsp chopped herbs - a mixture of basil and oregano

1 glass white wine

20 olives, chopped roughly

25g / 1oz capers, rinsed

1 x 55g / 2oz tin anchovies (about 12 fillets) roughly chopped

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 - 2 tbsp chopped herbs, to add in at the end

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C, Gas mark 4.
Heat the olive oil, add the onions, garlic and season with salt, pepper and sugar. Cover and sweat on a gentle heat until soft, about 10 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, herbs, wine, olives, capers and anchovies and cook for another 20 minutes uncovered, or until the sauce has reduced to a thick puree; stir regularly.
Taste and adjust seasoning. While the tomato sauce is cooking, brown the chicken pieces in a little olive oil, frying in batches until browned.
Place the chicken in a large ovenproof dish and cover with the sauce.
Cover with tin foil or a lid and place in a preheated oven.
Cook for 40 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
When it is cooked, stir through the lemon juice and another 1 - 2 tbsp chopped herbs and serve.