"Unité" Braised Chicken (Poulet Provençal)

This housing complex, the Unite de Habitation in Marseilles, France by architect Le Corbusier marks one of his large housing projects that was quite different from typical housing projects of the time. Inside, corridors run through the center of the long axis of every third floor of the building, with each apartment lying on two levels, generous sized spaces, communal facilities, a beautiful rooftop terrace, and a parkland setting. The Unité remains popular with its residents and is now mainly occupied by middle-class professionals, who I could see making this regional French chicken dish.

Ingredients,

• 1 whole chicken
• 1 tablespoon of fennel seeds
• 2 tablespoons of herbs de Provence
• 4 tablespoons of olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves; 2 sliced and 2 minced
• 4 tomatoes cut into wedges
• 1 large red onion, cut into wedges
• 1/2 cup of pitted olives
• salt and pepper

How you make it,

1. Preheat oven to 425 F.
2. Combine tomatoes, onions, olives, sliced garlic, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of herbs de Provence, fennel seeds, salt and pepper in a large glass baking dish.
3. Combine minced garlic, salt and pepper, and 1 tablespoon of herbs de Provence, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, this is what you will rub the inside and outside of the chicken.
4. Rub inside and outside of chicken including under the skin with this olive oil based rub then place the chicken amongst the vegetables.
5. Bake for about an hour and 15 minutes until the chicken is golden brown and fully cooked.