Provencal Chicken

Spring - I feel the need for "light" food.  After a winter of stews and pastas and casseroles, I'm looking forward to spring vegetables and bright colors on the table again.

Provencal Chicken

Ingredients:
4 chicken legs or 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ to ¾ cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons herbes de Provence
1 lemon, quartered
8 to 10 cloves garlic, peeled
4 to 6 medium-size shallots, peeled and halved
1 cup dry vermouth
4 sprigs of thyme, for serving (optional)


Procedure:
Heat oven to 400 degrees. 

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. 

Put the flour in a shallow pan, and lightly dredge the chicken in it, shaking the pieces to remove excess flour.
Swirl the oil in a large roasting pan, and place the floured chicken in it. 

Season the chicken with the herbes de Provence. 

Arrange the lemon, garlic cloves and shallots around the chicken, then add the vermouth to the pan.
Put the pan in the oven, and roast for 25 to 30 minutes, then baste it with the pan juices. 

Continue roasting for another 25 to 30 minutes, or until the chicken is very crisp and the meat cooked through.
Serve in the pan or on a warmed platter, garnished with the thyme.

from the NY Times Cooking pages