This is a recipe I picked up from Steven Stolman, a clothing and interior designer whose “Confessions of a Serial Entertainer” is a useful guide to the business and culture of dinner parties and general hospitality. It is a perfect dinner-party meal: chicken thighs or legs dusted in flour and roasted with shallots, lemons and garlic in a bath of vermouth and under a shower of herbes de Provence. They go crisp in the heat above the fat, while the shallots and garlic melt into sweetness below. You could serve with rice, but I prefer a green salad and a lot of baguette to mop up the sauce. —Sam Sifton

Ingredients

• 4 whole 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, coarsely chopped
• 8 to 10 cloves garlic, peeled
• 4 to 6 medium-size shallots, peeled and halved
• ½ cup dry vermouth
• 4 sprigs of thyme, for serving

Instructions

1. Arrange the racks in the oven to be able to use both the middle rack for roasting and a rack available to bring the top of the pot closer to the heat source to crisp up the skin. 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.
2. Swirl the oil in a large roasting pan and scatter the lemon, garlic cloves and shallots on the bottom. Give it a good stirring so all the pieces are coated in oil.
3. Place the floured chicken (skin side up)on top of the garlic, shallots and lemon in the pot. Next scatter the chicken with the herbes de Provence and pour the vermouth into the pan.
4. Place the pan in the oven, and roast for 25 to 30 minutes, then baste the chicken with the pan juices. Continue roasting for another 10-20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked but not dry. Take the top off, move to a higher rack (if possible) and cook about 5-10 minutes (check the browning every 2 minutes or so) to crisp the skin and give the dish a nice golden look.
5. Serve in the pan or on a warmed platter, garnished with the thyme.

Roasted Chicken Provençal Recipe