Herb-Roasted Chicken Provençal

Don't you hate it when you see a picture of something you want to make only to find out it requires a million ingredients, half of which you can't easily find in your neighborhood supermarket? Through time, I've come to realize not everything that tastes good requires a ton of fancy ingredients. I've also discovered not everything that appears complicated is actually complicated. And, although it's hard to admit, not everything that is complicated will end up tasting good.

This is pure comfort and simplicity at its best. Slow roasted vegetables and chicken seasoned with fresh herbs are an excellent weeknight dinner meal as it doesn't require much hands-on preparation time. I love how the fresh rosemary and thyme really enhance the flavors of the roasted carrots and potatoes, and how the olives bring out the flavor in the herbed chicken leg. It is an amazing provençal dish and really brings back flavors of comfort food in southern France. Give it a try, you won't be disappointed!

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Herb-Roasted Chicken Provençal
Adapted from Cooking Light
Yield: 2 servings

5 red potatoes
2 vine tomatoes
2 carrots
1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 Tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
3 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 skinless chicken legs
12 kalamata olives, pitted

Preheat oven to 425°.

1. Clean potatoes and cut into small chunks. Peel carrots and cut into 1" chunks.

2. Cut tomatoes into 6 wedges and seed them.

3. Peel leaves off thyme. I just hold the top of the "branch" with one hand, and run my other hand against the leaves to remove them.

4. Chop rosemary and mix thyme leaves in.

5. In a small bowl, combine carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, about 2/3 of the rosemary-thyme mixture, 1 Tbsp olive oil, 1/8 tsp salt and freshly grated pepper (or add more to taste). Toss to combine.

6. Spread evenly on a sheet and bake at 425°F for 35 minutes. Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.

7. In another baking pan, drizzle remaining 1/2 Tbsp olive oil over chicken legs. Make sure entire leg is coated. Sprinkle 1/8 tsp salt and pepper, along with remaining rosemary-thyme mixture. Bake at 425°F for 40 minutes. About 20 minutes in, add the olives to the baking pan.

8. Serve roasted chicken over roasted veggies. Enjoy!

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