Six months ago, I spent the summer in Paris. While I cooked quite a bit in my small but efficient apartment kitchen, it was the plethora of restaurants right outside my door that I was really interested in. I sampled every one I could.
But today I want to focus on a dish I had one day at lunch, Poulet de Basquaise. The Basque country, lying along the Pyrenees Mountains between France and Spain, has long been known for it’s distinctive cuisine.  As the popularity of Basque cuisine has spread through both countries and internationally, other haute cuisines have influenced traditional Basque cooking. Although the roots of hearty stews, tomatoes and peppers are still present , even in the fusion dishes.

So last summer what I enjoyed was probably a combination of nouveau French and Basque cuisines. But whatever you call, it was moist and tender, fall-apart chicken stewed in tomatoes, red peppers with a nice hot peppery kick at the end of every bite. Served over rice, it was a whole meal unto itself.
My quickie version Chicken Basquaise is darn close to the original and perfect for a mid-week meal. Or perhaps a winter time stew for your guests over the weekend. No matter, it is sure to please any appetite and have everyone coming back for more. Enjoy!