Quick chicken thighs Provencal

Quick chicken thighs Provencal

From “The Pollan Family Table,”  by Corky, Lori, Dana and Tracy Pollan. (Yes, the actress Pollan.) And if that’s not enough Pollan-ization, there’s a forward from Michael Pollan, author of “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” and other manifestos. The book reflects on the past traditions of their family dinners, and includes recipes aimed at being both healthful and achievable by a broad range of cooks. Most of the recipes don’t have long lists of ingredients, and many can be made in less than an hour. Not overly preachy, and lots of likely looking suspects to try.

Ingredients

8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 cup dry white wine

½ cup red wine vinegar

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 tablespoon drained capers

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

½ cup pitted and halved Kalamata olives

Directions

Heat oil in large, deep skillet. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Brown on both sides over medium-high heat, working batches if need be. Transfer chicken to plate.

Add garlic to pan and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add wine and vinegar, stirring to deglaze pan. Cook until liquid is reduced by about a third. Add tomatoes, capers, herbs and olives, ¾ teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Return chicken and any juices to the pan. Cook, covered, over low heat for 15 minutes. Remove lid and cook 30 minutes longer, raising heat for the final 10 minutes to thicken the sauce. Serve chicken topped with sauce. (It wasn't overly saucy, but there's enough to make sense serving something absorbent on the side.)

Rating: I really liked this dish. Very fast, very flavorful; an immediate keeper.