Melt-In-Your-Mouth Chicken

I absolutely MUST share this fabulous chicken recipe I made tonight. The ingredient combination is one that caught my eye a few weeks ago, but I just haven't had the chance to make the dish until this evening (or afternoon, actually). Poulet a la Nicoise means simply "chicken prepared in the style of Nice (France)," but naturally I made a few adjustments to suit what I thought would be a better result. The original recipe calls for garlic cloves to be left in their skins, but the chicken practically melts off the bone, so it makes for a bit of a mess when serving. I think it's better to remove the skins and have the garlic turn to roasted mush, blending in perfectly with the rest of the stew. Also, you may use prosciutto or pancetta instead of bacon, but I like to limit our exposure to nitrates and haven't been able to locate a nitrate-free pancetta yet...if one even exists! I am fortunate to have access to wonderful, locally made, thickly cut, nitrate-free bacon, and that's what I used tonight. Serve with a crusty baguette and a green salad or roasted green beans for an outstanding meal.

Poulet a la Nicoise

In a dutch oven, saute in 1 tbsp olive oil:
3 slices thickly cut bacon, diced
1 small carrot, diced
1 cup red pearl onions, peeled (leave whole)

Remove from pan when bacon's crispy and the carrot is softened. Add 1 tbsp olive oil and saute until golden brown:
1 head garlic, broken into cloves and peeled
1 chicken, cut into 8 pieces and skin removed

Turn off heat and slowly add:
1/4 cup brandy

Place pan over med-high heat until brandy has reduced to 1-2 tbsp. Add:
1 cup diced tomatoes in juice
1 cup white wine (chardonnay was fabulous)
1 tbsp orange juice
pinch orange zest
1 tsp tarragon
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp crumbled sage
2 bay leaves

Add the reserved bacon mixture and bring to a boil. Place in a 325 degree oven for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, parboil 1 lb small fingerling or new potatoes. After 1 hour, add potatoes to the stew and place in the oven for an additional 30-45 minutes.

Just before serving, add 1 can of drained artichoke hearts, 2 tsp capers, and 1/2 cup chopped olives (use your favorite type). Heat through, sprinkle with parsley, and serve.

Makes 4 servings.