Chicken Nicoise..... You'll love it!

Here is a lovely dish inspired by France (so you know it will be amazing...) and it gives you the flavors of the Mediterranean while keeping your budget and nutrition in check. It still delivers incredible flavor or it wouldn't be worth it, n'est ce pas?    It's either amazing or not worth the bother if you ask me..... kind of like having a diet dessert.... are you kidding? If you're going to sin, it better be worth it and take you all the way! lol

Anyway, here is an economical and nutritional dish that is easy to make and packs a punch. Easy enough to serve on a weekday or make it to impress company. You'll see and it will become part of your culinary repertoire.....

Chicken Nicoise.- You can use a cut-up whole chicken but I prefer to use all chicken thighs for this one since it makes it easier to prepare and serve, but you can choose.... good for any type of poultry too.

5 tablespoons olive oil
8 oz bacon, chopped
1 whole chicken or 3 lbs chicken thighs or parts, rinsed and patted dry
2 lemons or Persian limes, the juice of
1 whole sprig of Thyme, off the stems, chopped
2 medium onions, sliced fine and thin
3-4 garlic cloves, chopped
6 tomatoes, chopped in good sized pieces
Bouquet Garni (wrap in cheesecloth bundle Herbes de Provence: 2 tablespoons of dried oregano, dried thyme, dried savory and crushed lavender) or just buy the spice mix.
3 Bay Leaves
1/2 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup black olives, pitted (or you could use green if that's your choice)

In a large, heavy bottomed pot or Dutch Oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the bacon and stir for about 4-5 minutes so it's nice and golden and renders its fat. If it begins to get too brown remove it from the pan and save it, you'll be adding it back in a moment. Add the chicken skin side down. Add salt, pepper and some thyme. Cook the chicken until it's golden brown on both sides and then remove from the pan and set aside.

Add the sliced onions and lower the stove temperature. Stir fry the onions for about 5 minutes. Now add the garlic, the tomatoes, the Bouquet Garni, Bay Leaves and the white wine. Mix it all well and allow to cook for about 10 minutes over medium low heat. Now return the chicken pieces to the pot, covering well with the liquids and cook 30 more minutes, insuring the chicken gets either covered in liquid or you bathe it in the liquid quite often.

Remove the Bouquet Garni and Bay Leaves and 5 minutes before it's done add the black olives and more wine if needed. Turn up the heat and finish cooking for the last 5 minutes.

Serve and enjoy. Traditionally served with a White Rice. Pour the juices over the chicken and include plenty of olives too.
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This is a simple dish to prepare and one that everyone will enjoy. It's also a practical one to make since it can be easily made in advance and refrigerated which means that even more flavor will be the result once you reheat. You can also make a double portion, freeze one to keep for another day when you're too busy to cook and then just pop into the oven to reheat and you've got dinner ready..... and enjoy the rest. You can also add more vegetables to this if you like, asparagus, cooked artichokes, carrots, mushrooms, etc. to make an even heartier dish.

So go ahead and bring the Mediterranean into your kitchen and savor the great flavors of France!