Braised Chicken Provencal

cut up chicken with tomatoes and olives on white oval platter

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Prep Time 30

Cook Time 1 15

Additional Time 1 15

Total Time 3

Ingredients

1 whole chicken 4 lbs, spatchcocked (directions below)
1 1/2 lbs fresh tomatoes I suggest plum, Roma or cocktail tomatoes
6 shallots cut into 6 wedges each
1/2 cup pitted kalamata or black oil cured olives
1/2 bulb fennel sliced (optional)
4 large garlic cloves sliced thinly
4 Tbsp olive oil divided
2 1/2 tsp herbs de provence divided
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt divided
cracked pepper

Instructions

First you want to spatchcock your chicken (step by step photos are in notes). Using kitchen shears or a good knife remove the backbone by turning chicken breast side down on a cutting board and slicing along each side of the backbone to remove it. Make a small snip at the top of the chicken where the breast bones connect. Flip the chicken over and, using the heel of your hand, press between the breasts to flatten the bird. I like to snip off the wing tips as well.
(Save the backbone and wingtips in a freezer bag for stock!)
Rub the chicken with 1 Tbsp of the olive oil and sprinkle with 1 tsp herbs de provence, 1/2 tsp of the kosher salt and a few cranks of cracked pepper. You can do this up to a day ahead but make sure that you let the seasoned bird stand at room temperature for an hour before cooking it.
In a large roasting pan or casserole toss together tomatoes, shallots, garlic, fennel (if using), olives, remaining 3 Tbsp oil, remaining 1 1/2 tsp herbs de provence, 1 tsp kosher salt and cracked pepper until all is coated well.
Push vegetables away from the center of the pan to make room for the chicken. Lay your seasoned, spatchcocked chicken in the center. Pour the wine and broth around the pan over the vegetables.
Place chicken and vegetables, uncovered, in the 425 degree f oven for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes reduce temperature to 350 and continue roasting 30-45 minutes more.
Check the temperature after the second 30 minutes by inserting an instant read thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh. Depending on the size of the chicken it may take another 15 minutes. You want to take it out when the internal thigh temperature is 165.
When thigh reads 165 remove the chicken to a large carving board and tent with foil. Let it rest 15 minutes before carving (This is very important. Resting allows the juices to flow back into the bird keeping the meat juicy and also allows for the residual cooking that will bring the chicken to 170)
While chicken rests return the pan with veggies to the oven to continue cooking.
After 15 minutes the internal thigh temperature should be 170. Remove the vegetables from the oven and keep warm while you carve your chicken (this will be SO much easier since your chicken is spatchcocked!)
Arrange chicken on a large platter surrounded by tomato/olive mixture.
Enjoy!!

Notes

Spatchcocking the chicken allows for a shorter cooking time and for the thighs to cook through without the breast drying out because all of the flesh is exposed to the heat. If you don't spatchcock the chicken the time and temperatures given in this recipe will not work.
How to spatchcock a chicken: Lay chicken breast down on cutting board and use kitchen shears to cut along both sides of backbone making sure to leave thigh meat intact (you'll be removing an approximately 2" section)

woman's hands using kitchen sheers to cut backbone from raw chicken on wooden cutting board

Turn chicken over and make a small snip through the bone connecting the breasts (this will make it easier for the chicken to lay flat)

womans hands snipping breastbone of raw chicken with kitchen sheers on wood cutting board

Flip chicken back over so it's skin side up and use the heel of your hand to push down between the breasts to flatten.
Now use the shears to snip off the tips of the wings.

womans hands snipping wing tips from raw chicken with kitchen sheers on wood cutting board

You've spatchcocked a chicken! Make sure to save the parts you removed in a bag in your freezer to make stock!

Letting the chicken come to room temp before cooking is important for cooking time, a cold chicken takes longer AND makes it more likely the breast will dry out before the dark meat is done.
Resting, covered, also allows for residual cooking. The temperature should rise by about 5 degrees during this time, bringing your final temperature to 170 before you carve the bird.
When checking the temperature of the chicken remove the pan quickly to the top of the stove and shut the oven door so that you don't lose heat.