Chicken Provençal

I don't know what happened, but we seem to be socked in by fog and gloom the past couple of weeks. Whenever this happens, B's taste for comfort food rises, and we usually end up braising something. We first saw this recipe out of the September 2003 issue of Cooks Illustrated and it has never failed us. I like the alternate version with saffron, orange and basil, but the basic recipe is the one we usually make. Serve over polenta, either soft or in squares. Doesn't get more comfort foodie than this (unless you're talking lamb shanks).

Chicken Provençal
serves 4

8 bone-in, skin-on thighs (about 3 pounds), trimmed of excess skin and fat 
Salt
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped fine (about 2/3 cup)
6 medium garlic cloves, pressed through garlic press or minced (about 2 tablespoons)
1 anchovy fillet, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup homemade or low-sodium canned chicken broth
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained
2 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano leaves
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon herbes de Provence (optional)
1 1/2 teaspoons grated zest (from 1 lemon)
1/2 cup niçoise olives, pitted 
1 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position; heat oven to 300º. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with salt. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add 4 chicken thighs, skin-side down, and cook without moving them until skin is crisp and well browned, about 5 minutes. Using tongs, turn chicken pieces and brown on second side, about 5 minutes longer; transfer to large plate. Add remaining 4 chicken thighs to pot and repeat, then transfer to plate and set aside. Discard all but 1 tablespoon fat from pot.

Add onion to fat in Dutch oven and cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat until browned, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, anchovy, and cayenne; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add wine and scrape up browned bits from pan bottom with wooden spoon. Stir in chicken broth, tomatoes, tomato paste, thyme, oregano, bay, and herbes de Provence (if using). Remove and discard skin from chicken thighs, then submerge chicken in liquid and add accumulated chicken juices to pot. Increase heat to high, bring to simmer, cover, then set pot in oven; cook until chicken offers no resistance when poked with tip of paring knife but still clings to bones, about 1 1/4 hours. (We tend to cook the chicken longer, until it's "fall off the bone" tender).

Using a slotted spoon, transfer chicken to serving platter and tent with foil. Discard bay leaf. Set Dutch oven over high heat, stir in 1 teaspoon lemon zest, bring to boil, and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and reduced to 2 cups, about 5 minutes. Stir in olives and cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Meanwhile, mix remaining 1/2 teaspoon zest with parsley. Spoon sauce over chicken, drizzle chicken with remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil, sprinkle with parsley mixture, and serve.

Alternate version:
Follow recipe above, adding 1/8 teaspoon saffron threads along with wine and substituting orange zest for lemon zest and 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil for parsley.