Poulet Niçoise

Poulet Niçoise

Prepared in the style of Nice, in southern France, this one-pot chicken dish combines favorite ingredients of the region, including fresh tarragon, yellow squash and dry-cured black olives.

Ingredients:
1 chicken, about 3 lb., cut into serving pieces
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/4 cup olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 yellow squash, about 1 1/2 lb. total, quartered and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1/4 cup dry white wine
3 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
3 tsp. chopped fresh tarragon
5 plum tomatoes, seeded and quartered
1/4 cup dry-cured black olives, pitted
1 1/4 cups chicken stock

Directions:
Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a 5 1/2-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the chicken and brown on all sides, about 7 minutes total. Transfer to a plate. 

Reduce the heat to medium, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more. Add the squash, wine, 2 Tbs. of the parsley and 2 tsp. of the tarragon. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the squash is soft but not browned, about 5 minutes. 

Return the chicken to the pan and add the tomatoes, olives and stock. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1 Tbs. parsley and 1 tsp. tarragon. Serve immediately. Serves 4.