Chicken Provencal is one of those humble recipes that looks like it took a while to throw together, but is secretly very simple. Juicy, tender chicken quarters cook over a bed of shallots and garlic. The sauce is made from Vermouth, artichoke spread, and the natural pan drippings. Green olives add a salty, brininess to the dish, while Herbs de Provence add that signature Provencal flavor. It’s the je ne sais quis you didn’t know you were missing!
Roast until the skin is crispy and the shallots and garlic are melt in your mouth tender. Herbs de Provence roasted chicken — it’s the type of dish I’d order in a French bistro (and in fact, I have – in Paris!), expecting very little, but being completely blown away. Let’s make it!
Ingredient Notes
- Bone-in chicken quarters (can also use bone-in thighs, drumsticks, or chicken breasts)
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- All-purpose flour (can omit if making gluten-free, it helps to make the skin crispy, but would still be fantastic without!)
- Herbs de Provence
- Shallots
- Garlic
- Green olives, such as Castelvetrano, pitted
- Artichoke paste (this specific brand is to die for!) or jarred artichoke hearts
What is Herbs de Provence? It’s a dried blend of spices used often in Provençal cuisine. Traditionally it includes the following spices: thyme, oregano, basil, rosemary, savory, marjoram, bay leaf. If you live in the United States and/or buy herbs de Provence here, you will likely also see lavender on the ingredient list. This is, apparently, atypical for the traditional seasoning blend.
In addition to this chicken provencal recipe, herbs de Provence is excellent with lamb, grilled fish, and of course, roasted vegetables!
How To Make Chicken Provencal
- Preheat the oven to 425 F. Place peeled shallots and garlic on the bottom of a large roasting pan.
- Dredge the chicken. Season chicken on both sides with Kosher salt and black pepper. Dredge chicken quarters in flour on all sides, then shake off any excess. Place chicken legs on top of shallots and garlic.
- Season with herbs de Provence. Generously sprinkle dried herbs de Provence on top of chicken.
- Add liquid. Combine Vermouth and artichoke spread in a small bowl, then whisk to combine. Pour into the roasting pan around the chicken. Scatter with green olives. See note below.
- Cook chicken. Place chicken in the oven then cook for 45 minutes, basting the chicken with the pan juices once halfway through. Garnish with flaky sea salt and serve immediately.
Note: If you cannot find artichoke spread, simply add a small jar of drained artichoke hearts along with the shallots and garlic, then add the Vermouth (or wine) to the pan as directed.
Recipe inspired by the NYTimes. I am 100% certain that artichoke spread is not a traditional Provencal ingredient, but we absolutely adore it and think it plays off the shallots and garlic beautifully. Feel free to omit!
How To Serve
When pairing side dishes with roasted chicken, there are endless possibilities. This herbs de provence chicken is already loaded up with melt in your mouth roasted shallots and a to-die-for sauce, but the dish could benefit from vegetables.
We recommend either a classic ratatouille or vegetable tian, both easy Provençal recipes. What’s the difference between the two? Ratatouille is simple and rustic. It may have the same ingredients as a Provençal tian, but the pieces are prepped individually (cut into chunks), pan fried, then tossed together to form a stew-like dish.
Vegetable tian, by contrast, is much more sophisticated in presentation. Often the same ingredients will be sliced very thinly, then neatly aligned in a baking dish before cooking in the oven. Both are completely delicious!
Either way, we recommend creamy mashed potatoes or baguette for sopping up the sauce from both the chicken Provençal or the veggie dishes!
Expert Tips
- Make sure to drain olives (and artichokes, if using canned). In order for the chicken to get crispy, it needs to both be sitting on top of other ingredients, but also there can’t be too much liquid.
- Baste the chicken at least once during cooking to flavor the skin.
- Finish with a generous pinch of flaky sea salt on all chicken quarters.
- Yes, you can substitute with chicken thighs or chicken breasts, but please use bone-in! Cooking meat on the bone adds so much flavor!
- If you can’t find herbs de Provence in a store, you can make your own at home!
Remember, chicken is safe to eat when an internal temperature of 165 F is reached. So regardless of which cut you cook, make sure to have a meat thermometer on standby to confirm proper temp!
Roasted chicken Provencal is one of those one pot dinners that we are just crazy about. Crispy chicken skin, a killer sauce, and juicy, tender meat that makes eating at home feel like a brief getaway to the south of France.
If you make this Chicken Provençal recipe, please let us know by leaving a review and rating below!
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For more French-inspired recipes, check out the following:
- Easy chorizo cassoulet
- Warm French lentil salad
- Cherry tomato confit
- Roasted golden beets with horseradish
- Classic madeleines
Roasted Chicken Provencal with Olives
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 chicken quarters
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup flour
- 10 shallots peeled
- 8 cloves garlic peeled
- 1 Tbsp herbs de Provence
- ½ cup Castelvetrano olives pitted
- ½ cup Vermouth or white wine
- 2 Tbsp artichoke spread or small container jarred artichoke hearts, drained
- Flaky sea salt for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 F. Place peeled shallots and garlic on the bottom of a large roasting pan.
- Dredge the chicken. Season chicken on both sides with 1 tsp Kosher salt and ¼ tsp black pepper. Dredge chicken quarters in ½ cup flour on all sides, then shake off any excess. Place chicken legs on top of shallots and garlic.
- Season with herbs de Provence. Generously sprinkle dried herbs de Provence on top of chicken.
- Add liquid. Combine ½ cup Vermouth and 2 Tbsp artichoke spread in a small bowl, then whisk to combine. Pour into the roasting pan around the chicken. Scatter with green olives. See note below.
- Cook chicken. Place chicken in the oven then cook for 45 minutes, basting the chicken with the pan juices once halfway through. Garnish with flaky sea salt and serve immediately.
Notes
- Note: If you cannot find artichoke paste, simply add a small jar of drained artichoke hearts along with the shallots and garlic, then add the Vermouth (or wine) to the pan as directed.
- Make sure to drain olives (and artichokes, if using canned). In order for the chicken to get crispy, it needs to both be sitting on top of other ingredients, but also there can’t be too much liquid.
- Yes, you can substitute with chicken thighs or chicken breasts, but please use bone-in! Cooking meat on the bone adds so much flavor! Chicken is safe to eat when an internal temperature of 165 F is reached.
I made this tonight exactly as you said. Very good. Something about roasted garlic and shallots that make the dish. The chicken extremely crispy. I never roasted it thta high temp before learned something.. thanks for sharing will make again very easy to make you go through two glasses of wine before it’s done..hehe.
Yes, SO crispy!! It really is a flavorful dish. Wine was obviously a great call hah! xo, Ari