Chicken Breasts Provençal

From the kitchen of Carly

Seared chicken bathed in a silky tomato sauce spiked with anchovy and briny olives. This is Southern French cooking at its best, bold and balanced at once. White wine and stock meld into something greater than their parts, pooling around tender chicken that begs for crusty bread.

Prep
n/a
Cook
n/a
Total
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Servings
4
Difficulty
medium

Ingredients

4 servings

  • 11 pound ripe plum tomatoes
  • 14 (6- to 8-ounce) skinless boneless chicken breasts, tenders reserved for another use
  • 11/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 12 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 11 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 11 flat anchovy fillet, mashed to a paste
  • 11/2 cup dry white wine
  • 13/4 cup chicken stock or reduced-sodium chicken broth
  • 110 pitted brine-cured black olives, thinly sliced lengthwise
  • 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 11 tablespoon finely shredded basil

Instructions

  1. Core tomatoes and cut a shallow X in bottom of each, then blanch in a medium pot of boiling water 10 seconds. Transfer with a slotted spoon to an ice bath to stop cooking. Peel, seed, and finely chop.

  2. Pat chicken dry and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper, then dredge in flour, shaking off excess.

  3. Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then cook chicken, turning once, until golden and just cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes total. Transfer to a platter and keep warm, covered.

  4. Add garlic and anchovy paste to skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add wine and bring to a boil, scraping up brown bits. Stir in tomatoes, stock, and olives and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until mixture has thickened into a sauce, 8 to 10 minutes. Whisk in butter and any juices from platter.

  5. Add chicken and simmer until just heated through, about 1 minute. Serve sprinkled with basil.