Chicken Stew Provencal
Cooking for One
- Course: Main Course
- Features: Make-Ahead Recipes, Gluten-Free, Fast, Healthy
Summary:
This fragrant stew reminiscent of the French countryside has a good balance of carbohydrates and protein to aid in recovery after a long run. It's filling but not heavy. It takes about 75 minutes to make, start to finish.
Herbes de Provence, called for in this recipe, is a mixture that usually includes basil, thyme, lavender, rosemary, sage, summer savory, thyme and/or fennel seeds. You can find it in the spice rack in larger grocery stores.
The recipe makes just enough to give you some, but not too many, leftovers. Divide the finished stew into thirds; freeze the remaining 2 individual portions for up to 3 months.
3 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 (about 10 ounces) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut crosswise in half, then each half cut into thin strips
- 1 medium onion, cut into thin wedges
- 1 stalk celery, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 medium carrot, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup low-sodium, nonfat chicken broth
- 14 ounces canned no-sodium diced tomatoes, plus their juices
- 2 medium skin-on red potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon dried herbes de Provence, crushed
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning the pieces occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes or until they have browned on all sides.
Add the onion, celery, carrot and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until the onion is soft.
Add the broth, tomatoes with their juice, potatoes, herbes de Provence, salt and pepper, stirring to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the potatoes are fork-tender. Serve hot.
Tip: Celery and the Single Cook:When recipes call for celery, Tracy Dahl buys small packages or tubs of pre-cut sticks rather than celery hearts or leafy bunches of stalks. The sticks often come packed in water, so they aren't as dried-out as cut celery from a salad bar.
Recipe Source:
Adapted from a recipe at RunnersWorld.com.
E-mail the Food Section with recipe questions.

(James M. Thresher for The Washington Post)